June 09, 2023
Written by Chris Hosie
Image Credit: adac-motorsport.de
The 2022 ADAC GT Masters was another epic season in the championship's illustrious history. Seeing the Mann-Filter Mercedes of Raffaele Marciello, who shared with Daniel Juncadella, among others. Now a new season awaits the starts and cars of Germany’s premiere GT Championship.
The ADAC GT Masters is a GT3 spec championship that competes primarily in Germany. Since its launch in 2007, it has become a mainstay on the German and European motorsport scene. As well as being one of the top GT championships in the world. For most of its run, it was managed and operated by the SRO. The organisation that helped to put GT racing on the world scene back in the 1990s as the Group C Portotype era lost its steam.
The championship will contest six events with the season starting and finishing at the Hockenheimring in Germany. The series also heads to the Norisring, the Nurburgring Grand Prix (Sprint) layout and the Sachsenring. The annual trip to the Red Bull Ring in Austria is the championship’s only visit outside its native German borders. In the past the series had also competed on tracks in Holland and Belgium. Such as Zandvoort and Zolder.
The championship will be part of the greater DTM Support package as well as being a premiere championship in its own right. As the ADAC has now incorporated the famed DTM into its roster. Which also uses GT3 machinery. Also supporting the Masters are the GT4 Germany, Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, the Prototype Cup Germany, and the BMW M2 Cup.
The teams and drivers lined up for the 2023 season make the championship fight a very juicy prospect. With five brands being represented. Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi being the prime candidates for success. BMW and Lamborghini also staking their claims to the GT Masters title. With all the cars being of the latest and newest grades of GT3 car. Porsche is represented by Huber Motorsport with a two-car entry. And Team Joos Sportswagentechnik with their very impressive yellow and blue entry.
Audi are represented by Team NordPass by Juta and newcomers to GT competition, Liqui Moly Team Engstler. Lamborghini’s hopes are placed with the sole 63 entry of the famed Grasser Racing Stable. With Factory driver, Marco Mapelli spearheading their efforts. Mercedes Benz is represented by the two-car team of Haupt Racing Team and Landgraf Motorsport. BMW with the biggest slice of representation with three teams entering the mighty impressive M4 GT3. Schubert Motorsports spearhead the Bavarian assault for Masters glory. With Walkenhorst expected to enter two cars after the first round. Newcomers to GT Masters, FK Performance, will contest their inaugural season with a GT3 M4.
The first round of the championship will take place at the aforementioned Hockenheimring this coming weekend, the 10-11th June. The same weekend as the Le Mans 24 Hour race. The weekend will feature the typical two race format with each race taking place on each day. Drivers to watch in this first event of the season include Ralf Aron, Arjun Maini, Igor Walilko, Ben Green, Eduardo Coseteng, Marco Mapelli, Sven Muller, Jacob Evans, Dylan Yip, and Tim Zimmerman.
They will compete on the famed, modern layout of the Hockenheimring circuit. A track that has hosted many a German Grand Prix. Especially in its previous, longer configuration where the track went into the forests before merging back via the famous stadium section. Each race will be a 1-hour sprint race with mandatory pit stops for fuel and driver changes. With the absence of teams such as Mann-Filter and others due to current DTM and international GT Commitments, the championship is set to be one of the most open in its history. However, there is always a chance that these absentee teams may show up over the course of the season. Thus, making an already tantalising season, an even more masterful title fight.
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