News

• Strong comeback for Schubert Motorsport's BMW M4 GT3 on the Nordschleife ends half an hour before the chequered flag
• Torsten Schubert celebrates class win with his sons and Takayuki Kinoshita in the BMW M2 CS Racing
• Team Manager Marcel Schmidt: "To compete first in the DTM and the ADAC GT Masters and then to start in the world's most demanding endurance race without a break was a true challenge. I am proud of how our team mastered this task"

• BMW factory drivers Jesse Krohn, Alexander Sims and Jens Klingmann joined by Niklas Krütten in the anniversary BMW M4 GT3 of Schubert Motorsport
• Livery premiere at the ADAC 24h Nürburgring Qualifiers from 6 to 8 May
• Team Manager Marcel Schmidt: "BMW's great successes at the Nürburgring 24 Hours are a part of German motorsport history and definitely another incentive for us to achieve our big goal with the BMW M4 GT3 this year"

• Trio of BMW factory drivers and rookie pilot the new BMW M4 GT3 on the Nordschleife
• NLS season opener serves as first preparation for the endurance classic in the Eifel region
• Team manager Marcel Schmidt: "Schubert Motorsport has a long history with this iconic race and after last season we definitely have a score to settle"

• First competitive outing for Schubert Motorsport’s new BMW M4 GT3
• Top Ten finish in the TCX class for driver trio in the BMW M2 CS Racing
• Team manager Marcel Schmidt: “We learned a lot last week, which we can now build on.”

• BMW works driver Jesse Krohn with fastest lap in qualifying
• Schubert Motorsport achieve P11 in SP9 class with BMW M6 GT3
• Pairing with Torsten Schubert secures top-ten finish in BMW M2 CS Racing Cup
• Team Principal André Schubert: “Jesse posted a terrific lap in qualifying and pole position was a nice surprise for us”

• Schubert Motorsport return to the legendary Nordschleife for the 66th ADAC Westfalenfahrt
• Jens Klingmann and Stef Dusseldorp contest the SP9 class driving a BMW M6 GT3
• Company founder Torsten Schubert shares a BMW M2 CS Racing cockpit with his sons
• Team boss André Schubert: “For us, the return to the Nürburgring Endurance Series is an exceptionally good way to start the new motorsport year”

Schubert Motorsport defied some nasty weather conditions in Zandvoort (NL) to score points in both races on the sixth, and penultimate, race weekend in the ADAC GT Masters. The team from Oschersleben (DE) competed in Zandvoort with two BMW M6 GT3s: in addition to Jesse Krohn and Louis Delétraz in the number 20 car, Claudia Hürtgen and Jeroen den Boer took part in the number 19 BMW M6 GT3. Krohn/Delétraz finished the two races in ninth and eighth respectively. Hürtgen/den Boer crossed the line in 21st, and then in ninth, as well as recording a third-place finish and a victory in the Trophy standings. 

On Saturday, the weather around the circuit in the dunes was pleasant and sunny. Krohn qualified in seventh with the number 20 BMW M6 GT3. Den Boer also drove the number 19 car to 19th place in qualifying. Krohn and Delétraz finished ninth in the race, which was interrupted twice for safety car phases after accidents. Den Boer and Hürtgen had to make two extra stops due to tyre problems. They crossed the line in 21st place. 

However, the weather altered radically overnight: pouring rain on Sunday ensured that conditions would be tricky. The wet qualifying session in the morning ended with Delétraz in 14th. The Swiss driver had to contend with heavy traffic, as the whole field attempted to use a short period of light rain to record a good lap time. Hürtgen qualified in 19th. The weather improved again after that, and the race started in sunny and dry conditions. However, a short but heavy shower appeared after a quarter of an hour. Some drivers chose to make an extra stop to put on wet weather tyres, but the BMW M6 GT3s both decided to stay out. Delétraz and Hürtgen completed their stints on slick tyres, in the most challenging conditions. Once things had calmed down after the mandatory pit stops, Krohn was in eighth and den Boer was in 11th. The track continued to dry out as the race progressed and after an hour the BMW M6 GT3s crossed the line in eighth and ninth. 

The season finale for the ADAC GT Masters takes place from 30th September to 2nd October at the Hockenheimring (DE). 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We should be happy with the result, as Zandvoort is not an ideal circuit for us. That is why it was even more important to compete and stay in the top ten. The rain on Sunday turned the race into a lottery. It was difficult to make the right decision. Maybe we could have made another stop and switched to wet weather tyres - that might have helped us move up through the field. But all in all, we had some positive results. I was also pleased that Jeroen and Claudia were able to move up to ninth on Sunday. That was really good, as they have not been in the car for a while.” 

Louis Delétraz: “It was a good weekend. We did the maximum we could. Performance wise we continue to improve with every weekend. It was the first round of the season that we finished within the points in both races. Sunday’s race was a bit chaotic. I started on slicks, as it was sunny, but suddenly a big storm with heavy rain came. We decided to stay out. It was pretty tricky to drive with slicks on the wet, but we survived and I was able to hand the car over to Jesse in a good position. He then brought it home in eighth after we had finished ninth on Saturday, so overall we can be pretty happy with the weekend.”

Claudia Hürtgen: On Sunday it was not easy to drive in the rain on slicks. The conditions were difficult, but we didn’t make any mistakes. We made a good pit stop too, and finished in ninth. We had some bad luck on Saturday with the tyre problems, and that was hard to take. But overall it was important to get plenty of kilometres under our belts in both races, which allowed us to gather more valuable information for Schubert Motorsport in changeable conditions. From that point of view, we should be happy with the weekend.”

Round five of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters took the Schubert Motorsport team to the Nürburgring (DE). Jesse Krohn and Louis Delétraz were once again at the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3. It proved to be an eventful weekend for the team from Oschersleben (DE). 

In Saturday’s opening race, a puncture caused start driver Krohn to come in for an unscheduled pit stop after 12 minutes. He rejoined the field in 27th. Krohn and Delétraz then launched an impressive fightback, which saw them climb back into 12th. However, Delétraz suffered another puncture in the closing stages and, after contact with another car, skidded off the track and was forced to retire. 

The BMW Motorsport Juniors produced another spirited fightback in Sunday’s race. Starting from 23rd, Delétraz immediately made up five positions at the start. Over the rest of the race, he and Krohn fought their way into 12th. Krohn had his sights set on a points finish, but was then forced off the track and was subsequently unable to gain any more positions. The duo ultimately came home 12th. 

The sixth race weekend of the 2016 ADAC GT Masters takes place in Zandvoort (NL) from 19th to 21st August. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “The two punctures on Saturday were unlucky, otherwise Jesse and Louis would have scored some good points. The grid position could have been better for Sunday’s race, but the two drivers produced another impressive fightback. Unfortunately, Jesse was forced off the track in the latter stages, otherwise we could have finished even higher up the field. All in all, we continued to work hard on the settings and are confident that we will be able to exhaust the potential of the new BMW M6 GT3 even better in the coming races.” 

Jesse Krohn: “It wasn’t the best weekend for us. On Saturday, we had nothing but bad luck. We had two punctures and at the end we had to retire. It was a really unlucky day but we came back on Sunday. Both the team and Louis did a really good job to bring the car in a good position to the pits and I was able gain more places.” 

Louis Delétraz: “I think we have been a bit unlucky this weekend. Performance wise we are getting better and better, both the car and us as drivers. In Saturday’s race, we had two punctures, but we were still running for the points until we unfortunately had to retire. In Sunday’s race, we got the maximum possible result. Without Jesse being pushed off track points would have been possible again. So we are getting there and will keep working hard.”

For the second time in the current ADAC GT Masters season, a BMW DTM driver will take the wheel of Schubert Motorsport's number 20 BMW M6 GT3. After Martin Tomczyk (DE) teamed up with Jesse Krohn (FI) at the season opener in Oschersleben (DE) and finished in fifth and eighth place, António Félix da Costa (PT) will compete alongside BMW Motorsport Junior Krohn at the Red Bull Ring (AT) this weekend. 

Félix da Costa is in his third DTM season in 2016 and celebrated his first win in the series in 2015. He also competes in the FIA Formula E Championship and has already made guest starts in the Brazilian Stock Cars. Now he is eager to prove his versatility as a racing driver in the BMW M6 GT3. 

The seventh and eighth races of the season get underway at 1:15 p.m. CET on Saturday and 12:15 p.m. CET on Sunday (both live on Sport1). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): "It has been a very long break since the ADAC GT Masters races at the Lausitzring. Which means that we are looking forward to the races in Spielberg and the rest of the season even more than usual. We have used the past weeks to get to know the BMW M6 GT3 even better and hope to be able to convert this into good results at the Red Bull Ring. We are delighted that António Félix da Costa competing for us means that we will have a BMW DTM driver in the team for the second time this season. He has proved that he is an outstanding racing driver in the DTM and numerous other series. I have no doubt that he will enrich our team." 

António Félix da Costa: “I can hardly wait to finally go racing in this fantastic car. Over the course of my career, I have driven pretty much everything you can try out as a racing driver – but a GT car is something new for me. I am also looking forward to working with Jesse and the Schubert team. I don’t know the team yet, but I have actually raced against Jesse. This will be the first time I have shared a cockpit with him. I think I will have to adapt a bit and get used to the BMW M6 GT3 and the series. However, my outing in the ADAC GT Masters gives me the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

Just one week after the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE), Schubert Motorsport was back in action. The team from Oschersleben (DE) fielded two BMW M6 GT3s in the ADAC GT Masters for the first time this season in the Motorsport Festival at the Lausitzring (DE). 

As at the Sachsenring (DE), BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH) shared the cockpit of the number 20 car. They started Saturday’s race from an outstanding third place on the grid. Krohn was initially able to maintain his position among the front-runners, before eventually dropping a few places. Delétraz attempted to make up ground again after the driver change. However, the BMW M6 GT3 was so badly damaged in a fierce battle that Delétraz was forced to bring his car back to the pit lane and retire. 

On Sunday, the two BMW Motorsport Juniors again battled hard to work their way through the field from 17th on the grid. They achieved this superbly thanks to a flawless performance and the fact that a number of opponents had problems. The pair came home sixth to score valuable points towards the overall standings.

Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Niklas Mackschin (DE) were making their debuts in the BMW M6 GT3 in the number 19 car. They retired after a collision early on in Saturday’s opening race. The duo fared better on Sunday, finishing 20th and gaining valuable experience in the new car. 

The ADAC GT Masters now takes a six-week summer break before the fourth race weekend at the Red Bull Ring (AT) from 22nd to 24th July. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “The weekend was not that easy for us, so we are very happy with the fightback on Sunday. It goes without saying that we benefitted a bit from the many skirmishes throughout the field. However, we were also rather unlucky with our second car. It had to stay in the garage for a relatively long time, which meant it was no longer able to really attack. In the end, we did a good job of making it through to the finish.” 

Louis Delétraz (number 20 BMW M6 GT3): “I had a fantastic opening lap on Sunday. I was able to stay clear of all the skirmishes and was always in the right place at the right time. I made up a lot of places that way. Jesse then did a great job in his stint and ensured that I picked up my first points in a GT race. I am delighted. Working with Jörg Müller helped me a lot. I am totally new to GT racing, and can benefit greatly from his experience.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (number 19 BMW M6 GT3): “That was my first race in the BMW M6 GT3. I had the opportunity to test the car at the start of the year. The weekend showed that we still have plenty of work ahead of us. We did improve a little from Saturday to Sunday, and made some important progress. However, we still have a few points we need to work on. They include qualifying in the top ten, otherwise you soon find yourself being swamped in the pack and hit from all sides.”

Schubert Motorsport were impressive at the BMW M6 GT3's debut at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE), but an accident and a technical defect prevented the team from being rewarded with good results for its strong performance.

After an outstanding qualifying lap by Augusto Farfus (BR), the number 18 car started the 24-hour race from second on the grid. Despite the chaotic weather, the car was in the lead at one point, but engine damage forced Jörg Müller (DE) to stop the BMW M6 GT3 on the 17th lap. The team worked hard throughout the night to get the car back on the track. It managed this in the early hours, and Farfus, Müller and their team-mates Jesse Krohn (FI) and Marco Wittmann (DE) at least made it to the finish line on Sunday – albeit with a large deficit.

The number 100 BMW M6 GT3 driven by John Edwards (US), Jens Klingmann (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) made it through the night without any problems and battled for a place on the podium. But shortly after 9 a.m. CEST, Luhr was hit by another car through no fault of his own, crashed into the barriers and was forced to retire from the race. This meant that, despite good lap times, Schubert Motorsport was left without any tangible success.

Now its focus is on next weekend when the BMW Motorsport Juniors Krohn and Louis Delétraz (CH) will compete in the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring (DE).

Quotes from the race:

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): "It is a real shame that we weren't able to race for the win. We had the necessary speed to be up there at the front, but unfortunately, as in previous years, we didn't have that little bit of luck needed. There was nothing that we could do about the accident with car number 100 or the technical defect on car number 18. I feel really sorry for the guys in the team, who work hard year after year and don't reap the rewards they deserve. But that's motorsport. We will go on the attack again next year and try to achieve a top result with the BMW M6 GT3."

Lucas Luhr (Schubert Motorsport, number 100 BMW M6 GT3, DNF): “I am a positive person, so I will take the positives from this race. The brand-new BMW M6 GT3 proved its potential and showed that it is competitive on the Nordschleife. We can build on that, looking ahead. The collision was obviously unnecessary. It is a shame that we were unable to convert the strong performance we showed over the course of the race into a good result. The other car came from nowhere and ploughed into me. I had no chance, and it was a big impact.”

Augusto Farfus (Schubert Motorsport, number 18 BMW M6 GT3, 120th place): “It obviously hurt to be denied any chance of a good result relatively early in the race. We were leading at the time of the engine problem, and had very good speed. We still had that pace after the overnight repairs. I would like to pay a big compliment to the Schubert Motorsport team. They worked hard all night to get our car back out onto the track. For me, they are the real heroes.”

Schubert Motorsport is ready for the highlight of the 2016 GT season: the team from Oschersleben’s (DE) two BMW M6 GT3s finished second and 13th in the top-30 qualifying for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE). 

Augusto Farfus (BR) was at the wheel of the number 18 car for the time trial. The BMW works driver clocked a time of 8:16.146 minutes, good enough to put him just 1.631 seconds behind the number 9 Mercedes, which secured pole position. When the race gets underway at 15:30 on Saturday, Farfus will share the driving duties with Jesse Krohn (FI), Jörg Müller (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE). 

The number 100 car qualified 13th, with a time of 8:22.342 minutes. Jens Klingmann (DE), who was in the car for the all-important qualifying session, will share the cockpit of the BMW M6 GT3 with John Edwards (US), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) at the 44th staging of this endurance classic. 

Augusto Farfus (BMW M6 GT3, number 18): “Conditions were far from easy today, but P2 is obviously a great result. The track was still damp in some areas, so you had to be extremely careful. It’s nice that the long phase of preparations is over and that the race is now almost there. We are ready, and there’s not much more we could have done. A big 24 hours await us, and the weather will surely be a challenging factor. However, we have a strong squad and will be fully focussed.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW M6 GT3, number 100): “The basis of our preparation is really good, we are heading in the right direction. However, the weather conditions will be the tricky factor in this race. This will definitely be a major challenge on Saturday and Sunday. Only in the race itself will we see how strong the competition really is. That’s why we only focus on ourselves. The first goal is to make it through the race without any major incidents. This alone will be a difficult task.”

Schubert Motorsport will travel to the Nürburgring (DE) with two BMW M6 GT3s this weekend. The plan is to use the third race of the VLN Endurance Championship to put the finishing touches to the cars ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring on 28th/29th May. The number 39 BMW M6 GT3 will be particularly eye-catching, as it will be racing in a special design for the first time to commemorate the 100th anniversary celebrations of the BMW Group and the BMW brand. 

The BMW works drivers John Edwards (US), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) will share driving duties in the number 39 BMW M6 GT3 during the four-hour race on Saturday. Meanwhile, BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI), BMW works driver Jörg Müller (DE) and BMW DTM driver Marco Wittmann (DE) will be at the wheel of the number 31 car. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We will use our last test before the highlight of the endurance racing season to sort out the final set-up details for the cars, and ensure that we prepare for the 24-hour race as best we can. The results themselves are not a priority for us. It is much more important to complete the race without any problems and gather as much information as possible for the race in two weeks, which will hopefully take place under similar conditions. We are also looking forward to seeing the car in action for the first time in the new design for the birthday celebrations. We are very proud to be competing with this special BMW M6 GT3.”

After the successful start in the ADAC GT Masters, Schubert Motorsport heads to the Sachsenring full of anticipation for the second race weekend and is looking forward to a first: The two BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH) will share the new BMW M6 GT3 for the first time as they set off in search of points, after BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) drove alongside Krohn in Oschersleben. It will be Delétraz's race debut for the team from Oschersleben. 

The Sachsenring has been a good hunting ground for Schubert Motorsport in the past. The team celebrated an impressive one-two victory in the Saturday race there in 2015. And the two positions in the points at the 2016 season-opener on the team’s doorstep in Oschersleben also made for happy faces and plenty of confidence for the appearance at the demanding roller-coaster ride that is the Sachsenring. The 3.671-kilometre track has hosted the ADAC GT Masters ever since it was founded ten years ago. 

The two races get underway on Saturday and Sunday at 13:15 CET and will be broadcast live on Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We are really looking forward to having both of our BMW Motorsport Juniors Jesse Krohn and Louis Delétraz in racing action for us in the BMW M6 GT3 together for the first time. Our one-two victory last year means we have good memories of the Sachsenring, and we were pleased with the start to the new season in Oschersleben. We drove straight into the points with our new car in both races and want to build on this performance. It is also our goal to continue to develop the BMW M6 GT3 throughout the season. So we are hoping for a weekend without incident so that we can collect as much data as possible.” 

Jesse Krohn: “I know the Sachsenring from testing and I think it’s a great and very special track. It will be interesting to see how the BMW M6 GT3 will do on this circuit layout. I think the fast corners could suit our car. After having had a great weekend with Martin Tomczyk in Oschersleben, this time I’m looking forward to joining forces with fellow BMW Motorsport Junior Louis Delétraz. As always, we’ll give all we can to achieve the best possible results.” 

Louis Delétraz: “I am really looking forward to the trip to the Sachsenring. I’m about to contest my first ever GT race and no doubt still have a lot to learn. However, I’m certain it will be an incredible experience. I can hardly wait to get started. I don’t find it a problem switching between the BMW M6 GT3 and a Formula car. The adjustment is mainly in my head, and I learned to deal with that very well in the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme last year. We’ll see how the BMW M6 GT3 works on this very special track at the Sachsenring, and will hopefully finish in the points again in the race. If it turns out that we can do even better, naturally we will give it our all to make the most of the opportunity. But the competition in the ADAC GT Masters is of a very high calibre.”

Next weekend the time for testing will be over as the new ADAC GT Masters season gets underway in Oschersleben (DE). Schubert Motorsport is at home at the Motorsport Arena and will celebrate a debut at the season-opener: the BMW M6 GT3 Junior car is going to race for the very first time. 

BMW Motorsport Junior Jesse Krohn (FI) will be at the wheel of the brand-new GT car, that has been developed by BMW Motorsport, for the whole season. For the first race weekend he will be supported by BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE). The 2011 DTM champion has been well-known by Team Schubert since 2013 when he started racing for the squad at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Now this is his first time racing in the ADAC GT Masters. He has tested the BMW M6 GT3 and so knows the car pretty well. 

Schubert Motorsport has positive experiences with BMW DTM drivers starting for the team in the ADAC GT Masters. At the 2015 season finale Bruno Spengler helped Schubert Motorsport win the Team Competition. 

The two races in Oschersleben begin at 1.15 p.m. CET on Saturday and Sunday. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): ”Fielding the BMW M6 GT3 this season is a new project and a new challenge for us. After testing we feel well prepared for the season and are confident of achieving good results. But we won’t see before Saturday where we really are compared to our competitors. We’re very happy to work with Martin Tomczyk. He’s a great guy and an excellent racer. I think it’s good for the whole team to have him with us in Oschersleben.“ 

Martin Tomczyk: “I'm really looking forward to being able to support the BMW Motorsport Juniors at the season opener of the ADAC GT Masters in Oschersleben. I have personal experience from when I contested the BMW Formula ADAC Junior Cup at the age of 16 of just how important BMW has always been in developing young talent. That was when I laid the foundations for my career. Now I am happy to use my experience to support the next generation of BMW Juniors, and I'm particularly pleased I get to do this while at the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3 in the ADAC GT Masters. This is one of the most fiercely contested GT series and offers superb motorsport. On top of that, I will compete with the Schubert team, which I know really well from my outings at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. It will be fantastic to drive for them at their home event in Oschersleben.” 

Jesse Krohn: “Thanks to my outings in North America and in the VLN, I already have a few kilometres under my belt in the BMW M6 GT3. That is certainly beneficial to me during the preparations for the start of the season in the ADAC GT Masters. The car is new and has a lot of potential. It is now up to us drivers and the team to take advantage of this potential and to find the right basic set-up for each racetrack. Martin Tomczyk’s experience will certainly help us in this regard. I am really looking forward to contesting the first race of the season alongside him in the BMW M6 GT3 Junior Car with this fantastic design. I will have to change my mindset from endurance racing to sprint races, but I am sure we will have a lot of fun in such a high-class field.”

The 2016 season of the ADAC GT Masters sees Schubert Motorsport enter a BMW M6 GT3 with a very special driver line-up: The most successful BMW Motorsport Juniors of the past two years, Jesse Krohn (FI) and Louis Delétraz (CH), take the wheel of the car featuring a dedicated livery for the ADAC GT Masters season. 

Krohn, the “2014 BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year” will contest all of the ADAC GT Masters races in 2016. Last year he competed in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) in the BMW Z4 GTE, and celebrated class victory alongside his team-mates. Krohn also regularly competed at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) in the BMW Z4 GT3 in the second half of the VLN endurance championship season. He celebrated one victory and started from pole position at the finale. 

Krohn will receive support from his successor Delétraz, who was crowned best driver in the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme last year, at selected races in the ADAC GT Masters. After success in Formula racing, Delétraz completed his first 24-hour race for BMW Motorsport in Zolder (BE) in 2015, and gained experience in the BMW M235i Racing during the course of the year. He will take part in a total of four race weekends in the ADAC GT Masters. Both Juniors tested the BMW M6 GT3 for the first time together at the Lausitzring (DE) last Wednesday. 

Established BMW works drivers will support the BMW M6 GT3 Juniors' car at three race weekends in the ADAC GT Masters. Among them is Martin Tomczyk (DE), who will contest his 16th season in the DTM this year. He will compete alongside Krohn at the opening race in Oschersleben (DE). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The BMW Juniors have a long tradition. As such, it is great for us as a team to be entrusted with the continuation of this programme by BMW. After the successful 2015 season, in which we won the Team title and finished second and third in the Drivers’ Championship, we obviously want to back these results up in the ADAC GT Masters. We already know Jesse from last year, when he helped us out. I am pleased that we will be working with him again. Louis is one of the most talented youngsters in single-seater racing. I firmly believe he will adapt quickly to the GT3 car.” 

Jesse Krohn: “It is great that BMW Motorsport is offering me the opportunity to gain further experience in GT racing by competing in several series in 2016, and I am really looking forward to the season in the ADAC GT Masters. It is a very competitive championship and the races are always closely fought. It will be special to team up with Louis, as he is my successor as BMW Motorsport Junior of the Year. I have already raced the new BMW M6 GT3 in the US and have to say it is a very impressive race car. It is a fantastic car and I am convinced we will be competitive with it in the ADAC GT Masters from the word go. Schubert Motorsport is a very experienced team and knows the ADAC GT Masters very well. This makes me confident that we are well prepared for the season. We want to be involved in the fight for the top positions, and, from a personal point of view, I want to make the next major step in my development as a race driver this season.” 

Louis Déletraz: “I am already really looking forward to driving in the ADAC GT Masters with the BMW Motorsport Junior programme. It will be my first complete season of GT racing and in a GT3 car. I am excited, as it will all be new to me – not just the car, but also the format, with longer races than I am used to from single-seater racing. I am sure it will be a fantastic season, with the support of BMW Motorsport. I have already done some testing with the BMW M6 GT3. It is a fantastic racing car. The feeling in the cockpit is magnificent. The support of experienced BMW drivers is very important to me, as they can teach me a lot that will help me continue to develop. My priority for this season is to learn a lot. However, my goal is also to be quick and to achieve the best possible results together with my team-mates.”

The course has been set for the 2016 motorsport season: Schubert Motorsport will continue to cooperate with BMW Motorsport and field two works-assisted BMW M6 GT3s at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). In the run-up to this classic event, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert will contest a number of races on the Nordschleife in preparation for the endurance classic.

Schubert Motorsport will also run two cars in the ADAC GT Masters again in 2016. The team from Oschersleben (DE) will be out to defend the Team title it won in 2015, with the help of two new BMW M6 GT3s. 

The BMW M6 GT3 is BMW’s new figurehead in GT racing. It replaces the BMW Z4 GT3, with which Schubert Motorsport enjoyed great success from 2010 onwards, including victories at the 24-hour races in Dubai (AE) and Barcelona (ES) in 2011. 

The driver pairings for the race schedule on the Nordschleife and the ADAC GT Masters will be announced at a later date. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We are delighted to be able to represent BMW Motorsport as a works-assisted team at the Nürburgring 24 Hours again. The first race outing on the Nordschleife with the new BMW M6 GT3 will certainly be extremely exciting. I can hardly wait to see the car in race action. Our team will obviously do everything in its power to be successful from the word go with the new car. Unfortunately we were often just lacking that little bit of luck with the BMW Z4 GT3 on the Nordschleife. Hopefully that will be a different story with the new car.” 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Our team’s journey in the ADAC GT Masters continues with a new car next year. After winning the Team title last season, our goal for 2016 is obviously to enjoy similar success – although we are well aware that the opposition will be of the usual high standard. The BMW M6 GT3 may be a new car, but we are confident it will be competitive from the outset. As always, consistency will be the key if we want to challenge for the title again in the ADAC GT Masters. We will work hard on this area during preparations for the new season.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert travels to the final round of the ADAC GT Masters with two titles still up for grabs. Dominik Baumann (AT) is second in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of the final two races at the Hockenheimring (DE). However, he trails leaders Sebastian Asch (DE) and Luca Ludwig (DE) by 31 points with a maximum 50 points still available. The outlook is more positive in the Team competition, in which the team from Oschersleben (DE) is just 12 points off the lead. 

The team welcomes two new faces for the season finale. Baumann, at the wheel of the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, will be supported by BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler (CA), who takes the place of regular driver Jens Klingmann (DE). Klingmann, who has won four races alongside Baumann this year, is unable to line up at the finale, as it coincides with a works outing for BMW Motorsport at the final round of the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in Road Atlanta (US). However, he will have his fingers firmly crossed for his team-mates from across the pond. 

In the number 19 car, regular driver Claudia Hürtgen (DE) will be joined by Niklas Mackschin (DE), who is making his ADAC GT Masters debut. Mackschin, who turns 21 on Friday, arrives from the European Touring Car Cup (ETCC), in which he leads the overall standings in the Super 1600 class after nine wins from ten races. He has been involved in testing the BMW Z4 GT3 for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert in the past and will stand in for Uwe Alzen (DE) in Hockenheim. After six race weekends together with Claudia Hürtgen, Alzen’s VLN commitments mean he is unable to start the final two races of the year. 

The races begin at the usual time of 13:15 on Saturday and Sunday and will be broadcast live by Sport1. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Our approach in Hockenheim will be to attack. We still have a chance of winning the titles in the Drivers’ and Team competitions, and will do our best to do so. We have nothing to lose, even though the extra 30 kilograms for Saturday’s race will obviously make the task even more difficult. It is a shame that Jens Klingmann and Uwe Alzen cannot be there for the finale. We are grateful to them for the outstanding job they have done for us this year, and have our fingers crossed for them in their races. In Bruno Spengler, BMW have given us a top-class replacement for Jens as Dominik’s partner. And the start for Niklas Mackschin, who comes from near Hannover, is a test for the future. We have been in contact with him for a long time, and he was very quick to adapt to the BMW Z4 GT3 during testing.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I always look forward to coming to Hockenheim, and am a bit sad that the season will soon be over again. We will do everything in our power to win the Team Championship at the weekend. We have come close on two occasions, but missed out in the final race both times. I hope we can do it this time, especially as it is a great way to thank the team for the great commitment it has shown. I don’t know my new team-mate yet, but am looking forward to getting to know him. And who knows, maybe he will give himself the best possible birthday present this weekend.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “I am really looking forward to driving alongside Bruno Spengler this weekend. He is certainly a good replacement for Jens. The two of us have shared an almost telepathic understanding this season. However, we have known about his commitment in America for a long time. We have absolutely no need to worry about performance this weekend. Bruno knows the BMW Z4 GT3 from the 24-hour race in Spa, and maybe he can even find a few ways to improve our car. He is used to driving faster cars, so should have no trouble adapting to the ADAC GT Masters. As far as the championship is concerned, I will just see what happens. We cannot force anything, but simply have to hope our rivals slip up. However, anything can happen at a finale like this.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert claimed win number four of the season at the penultimate race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Zandvoort (NL). In doing so, it kept its hopes of winning the title in the Drivers’ and Team competitions alive. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) were initially only the second car across the finish line in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI on Sunday, having finished tenth in Saturday’s race. However, a 30-second penalty handed to the only car in front of them, that of Jaap van Lagen (NL)/Tomas Enge (CZ), gave the team from Oschersleben (DE) every cause for celebration. 

Following their fourth appearance on the top step of the podium, Baumann/Klingmann go into the season finale in Hockenheim (DE) on 3rd and 4th October trailing overall leaders Sebastian Asch (DE)/Luca Ludwig (DE), who won on Saturday, by 31 points. 50 points are up for grabs in the final two races of the season. In the Team competition, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert is twelve points off the lead. 

After losing several positions late on in Saturday’s race due to tyre issues, and eventually having to settle for just one point for tenth place, Baumann/Klingmann fared considerably better from pole position on Sunday. They led the field from the start, until Klingmann was unable to fend off the attacks of ex-Formula One driver Tomas Enge on the penultimate lap. However, an infringement of the rules during the re-start after a safety car phase saw Enge penalised and Baumann/Klingmann promoted to first place after the race. 

Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) endured a disappointing weekend in the number 19 car. On Saturday, Alzen was forced into a spin in the second half of the race, leaving them to trail home in 13th place. On Sunday, Alzen was the innocent victim of a collision between two other cars on the opening lap. The result was a broken suspension on his BMW Z4 GT3 and a disappointing retirement. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “The stewards’ decision was a nice way to end the weekend for us. We would obviously have preferred to win out on the track, but we are obviously happy to take the extra seven points with us. Our championship hopes are still alive, including in the Team competition. We will try to defend second place and put pressure on those ahead of us. It was a weekend to forget for Claudia and Uwe. Uwe was forced off twice, which is very disappointing.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “The kind of driving we have seen here is unacceptable. I am not usually one to complain, but this is the fourth time we have been forced off. At some point, however, you have to say ‘that is enough’. Everyone here puts a huge amount of work into what we do here. These people need to be made to answer for their actions in the race office. A race like this lasts an hour with a pit stop, driver changeover and possibly safety cars – you need to show a bit of patience in this situation.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “We are obviously delighted to be awarded the win after the race. The fact that we lost the lead so quickly towards the end of the race once again reflects the problems we struggled with on Saturday. Despite this, it is still all to play for in the championship. Asch and Ludwig had similar problems today to the ones we had yesterday, and things did not run smoothly here for Klaus Bachler either.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert claimed its third one-two in the history of the ADAC GT Masters. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI came home ahead of team-mates Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 car to claim victory in Saturday’s race at the sixth of eight race weekends. The team had previously finished first and second at the Sachsenring in 2013 and the Slovakiaring in 2014. 

Claudia Hürtgen achieved a first in the ADAC GT Masters in the morning, when she became the first woman in the history of the series to secure pole position. Dominik Baumann qualified third. After Baumann immediately moved into second place behind Hürtgen at the start, the team from Oschersleben’s two cars controlled proceedings at the front of the field. They were helped by a safety car period during the pit stop window. At the start of the final lap, Jens Klingmann overtook team-mate Uwe Alzen to claim a third win of the season for him and Baumann, and their seventh success in the GT Masters. 

Having climbed temporarily into second place in the overall standings courtesy of victory on Saturday, Baumann/Klingmann had to settle for 13th place in qualifying for race two, which was held on the Sunday of the race for the first time. The second Schubert car started one place back in 14th. In the race, Baumann/Klingmann were able to climb into eighth place thanks to a good pit strategy, for which they were rewarded with four points. They did drop back to third place in the standings with 130 points, but are now only eight points behind second-placed Klaus Bachler, having trailed by 20 points coming into the weekend. Baumann/Klingmann cut the gap to leaders Sebastian Asch/Luca Ludwig from 50 to 31 points, thus keeping alive their hopes of winning the title with two race weekends remaining in Zandvoort (NL, 18th – 20th September) and Hockenheim (DE, 2nd – 4th October). Claudia Hürtgen is fifth overall with 91 points. Uwe Alzen is eighth with 73 points. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “It was a perfect weekend with one slight downer. After the very good performance on Saturday, we expected more from race two. However, we were at least able to limit the damage with eighth place for Dominik Baumann and Jens Klingmann. We will now go all out on the attack up to the final race in Hockenheim as we set our sights on the title. Saturday saw a superb effort from Claudia Hürtgen and Uwe Alzen, and it is always a very special experience for a team to claim a one-two. Thank you very much to our mechanics, who put Claudia and Uwe’s car back together after the crash at the Nürburgring. The drivers paid them back.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “Pole was very important for me, as I have often come very close but missed out by a few hundredths or thousandths of a second. Everything fell into place on that lap, and the difficult conditions definitely helped. Pole was also a nice present for our mechanics, who put our car back together. I had a good start to the race and extended my lead. Unfortunately, however, the safety car then made an appearance. In the end, we came away with a one-two for the team. We can be very happy with that.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “Dominik laid the foundations on Saturday with a good qualifying, and also in the first stint in the race. I was a bit confused immediately after the driver changeover, as I did not initially know where the safety car was and did not have any radio. Then I saw Uwe Alzen and the safety car in front of me. I had the same speed as Uwe, but at the end he played ball and allowed us to score maximum points towards the championship. We were extremely happy with the result. On Sunday, we were actually just as quick in qualifying as we were on Saturday – only all the others were unfortunately quicker. We were a bit puzzled by that. We got the most possible out of the race, so we are still right in the race for the championship. Zandvoort should suit us, and we must attack again there.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert left the Nürburgring (DE) with a fourth and a sixth place to their name at the end of an eventful fifth race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters. In typically rainy Eifel weather, the ADAC GT Masters returned from its summer break with two spectacular races, packed with incidents, from which the Oschersleben (DE) team was not spared. 

On Saturday, while on course for a podium finish, both BMW Z4 GT3s were hampered by spins caused through no fault of their own. Both incidents involved collisions with the Audi team that went on to finish in second place. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 car eventually had to settle for sixth place. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE), in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, were awarded a 30-second time penalty after the race for overtaking during a safety car period which dropped them back to twelfth place. 

Baumann and Klingmann did at least finish the weekend with a fourth place in Sunday’s race. In doing so, they took their points tally to 101 and reduced the gap slightly to the leaders to 50 points. The race came to a premature end on lap two for Alzen and Hürtgen, when Alzen was unable to prevent a front-end crash. The car suffered serious damage, but Alzen was unhurt. The next race weekend takes place from 28th to 30th August at the Sachsenring (DE). 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We certainly went into this weekend with higher expectations, and were hoping for more than a fourth place. However, after being unlucky in an extremely tight qualifying, in which a few thousandths of a second cost us several places, we ultimately lost fewer points than we initially feared. We now have a lot of work ahead of us to repair the car in time for the Sachsenring following Uwe Alzen’s crash. He could do absolutely nothing about the crash. That kind of thing can happen in those weather conditions when you start from so far back in the field.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I had no chance of avoiding the crash. You only see a spinning car at the last moment and, in these conditions, you cannot afford to swerve too much. It was a big shunt, and the car is pretty badly damaged. The retirement was a real shame, as we had a good set-up for these conditions. We were definitely set for a good result. I must forget about the incidents on Saturday and move on.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “It was depressing that the race organisers did not take any action on Saturday. We would have classed the collisions as avoidable, at least. It is hard to take when you then see that same car finish on the podium. On Sunday we had a bit of fire in our belly. I would obviously have preferred to finish third, but unfortunately I made a slight mistake. After that, I just wanted to get the car safely to the finish. We even managed to make up a little ground in the overall standings, and we still have six races to go.”

Schubert Motorsport successfully returned to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The team from Oschersleben (DE) used the ADAC GT Masters summer break as an opportunity to take part in the fifth round of the VLN Endurance Championship today. Alternating at the wheel of the black number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 were Dominik Baumann (AT), Max Sandritter (DE) and Anders Buchardt (NO). After four hours of racing and 27 laps they crossed the finish line second in the SP9 class. In the overall result, Baumann, Sandritter and Buchardt just narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. The overall win went to the number 777 Ford GT, while the Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3 won the SP9 class. 

Schubert Motorsport spent two days at the Nürburging. On Friday the team tested on the Grand Prix circuit, and on Saturday it successfully took part in the VLN race. The two days served as preparation for the next two ADAC GT Masters races, which will be held at the Nürburgring on 15th and 16th August. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “We had a successful return to the Nordschleife. P4 overall and P2 in the class is a great result. All three drivers put in impressive performances. Dominik did two brilliant stints and Max and Anders were also really strong. Despite the fact that they have not raced the BMW Z4 GT3 very often this season, they drove very well. In addition, we managed to stay out of trouble in a race with numerous incidents. Of course, we would have liked to finish third overall on the podium, but we are happy with this success. The test on Friday also went well. At the Lausitzring we had found a good base set-up for the ADAC GT Masters races at the Nürburgring, and we were able to confirm this was the case at this test. Regarding the set-up, we are well prepared, we have a good feeling and are looking forward to returning to the Nürburgring in two weeks’ time.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 #20): “It was good to test here on Friday and to compete in the VLN race on Saturday. I did the first and the final stints. In the early stages it went very well, and I felt extremely comfortable in the car. The final stint, however, was pretty difficult, as there were numerous accidents and a lot of periods under yellows, with some of them very long. That meant it was anything but easy to keep the rhythm, but I succeeded in doing so pretty well. We certainly had hoped to improve by another position and finish on the podium, but overall we can be more than happy.”

It was the hottest race weekend in the history of the ADAC GT Masters – and a very successful one for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert: in temperatures of more than 38 degrees, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) won the seventh race of the year in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI, becoming the first pair of drivers to claim their second win of the year. The key to success were the team’s perfect pit-stop strategy, opting to come in and switch drivers as soon as the pit-stop window opened. The result of this masterstroke was that the duo climbed from fourth to first. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) finished third in the number 19 car to complete an excellent team result on Saturday. 

It actually looked until the team from Oschersleben was set for a one-two until the final corner of the race, when Alzen eventually surrendered second place to Denmark’s Andreas Simonsen after a long battle in the final corner. However, that did not stop Alzen congratulating his rival for the spectacular overtaking manoeuvre he pulled off in the final seconds. The race was suspended just 12 minutes in for 53 minutes due to oil on the track, before restarting for a further 40 minutes. 

Baumann/Klingmann were knocking on the door of the podium again in Sunday’s eighth race of the season. With two minutes of the race remaining, Baumann overtook his compatriot Martin Ragginger (AT) to move into third. However, he was then forced to give the position back, as there had been contact during the overtaking manoeuvre. Baumann was unable to take third place from Ragginger again, and eventually had to settle for fourth. At the halfway point of the season, Baumann and Klingmann are currently third overall with 88 points, 58 points behind leaders Luca Ludwig (DE)/Sebastian Asch (DE). Hürtgen, who finished eighth with Alzen on Sunday, is sixth on 65 points. Alzen is now in eleventh place. The next race weekend takes place at the Nürburgring from 14th to 16th August. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): “Although we would obviously have liked a one-two on Saturday, first and third from fourth and fifth on the grid is a great result. Uwe Alzen’s battle in the final corner was a great advertisement for GT racing, where the drivers battle hard but fairly with each other. The key to success was the early pit stops, after which we had a clear track. It was a shame that Dominik Baumann had to give back third place on Sunday. The penalty was perhaps a bit harsh. All in all, we continued our upwards trend.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): “The early stop was the key to the win on Saturday. My engineer had told me beforehand to push really hard in the first two or three laps, which meant we came out in front of our rivals. I was happy to have a bit of a lead, as the car was tricky to drive at the end. It is a shame that Dominik had to give back the place on Sunday. I thought the manoeuvre was okay, actually. However, we scored plenty of points for fourth place too. After two wins on the last two weekends, we go into the summer break on a high and can, to a certain degree, forget the difficult start to the season.” 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): “I was happier with a place on the podium than I was sad about missing out on second place. That was a great manoeuvre by Andreas Simonsen. I would have done exactly the same thing. The fact that I ultimately lost out is down to me, but that is exactly the kind of manoeuvre people want to see. Despite this, I was happy to get my first podium finish in my third race in the ADAC GT Masters. We are heading in the right direction. Sunday showed that, when we had good pace and I set the second fastest lap of the race.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert finally had a breakthrough at the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Spa-Francorchamps (BE). After a mediocre start to the season, Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI celebrated the first win of the year for the team from Oschersleben. In the rainy second race on Sunday the duo finished in fifth place, ahead of the number 19 sister driven by Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE), who finished in sixth on Saturday. This sees Spa continue to be good ground for the team, after the previous guest appearance on the roller coaster in the Belgian Ardennes two years ago, when Hürtgen and Baumann celebrated a race victory. 

Jens Klingmann initially fell back into fourth place from second at the start on Saturday, but then fought his way to the top with strong overtaking manoeuvres in just two laps. There he drove the car into a comfortable lead of 8.8 seconds, and then Dominik Baumann brought it home commandingly after the driver change, despite having minor tyre issues, thereby securing his fifth race victory in the ADAC GT Masters. In the overall standings, the duo moved up from 13th to fifth place in Spa, and with 51 points are even on equal footing with fourth-placed Tomas Enge (CZ). Claudia Hürtgen is in eighth with 46 points. 

Timo Frings (team manager): "The first win is a relief for everyone in the team, and confirmation of our efforts. Jens Klingmann and Dominik Baumann were very unlucky in the first four races of the season. However, I knew they were capable of being up there at the front. We are now extremely competitive in the dry again. But in heavy rain, like on Sunday, we still have some issues. However, we consistently picked up points this weekend. Three top five positions are very respectable. Spa really is good ground for us." 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3 #19): "Overall, this weekend was a step in the right direction for us, particularly with regard to the performance in qualifying. We can build on that. However, I didn't really enjoy the race on Sunday. The weather put a spanner in the works, since unfortunately we were too weak in the rain." 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI #80): "The first laps on Saturday were a lot of fun. The duels were hard but fair and the overtaking manoeuvres were fantastic. In GT racing you are allowed to make contact at times. The weekend was a real step forward, which saw us offload our baggage from the previous races. We're now better in the dry, but the position on Sunday in the rain doesn't reflect our performance. But we made the best of it."

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert experienced a difficult weekend in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 limited the damage by finishing in eighth and ninth places. 

Dominik Baumann (AT) on the other hand experienced a disappointing home event. In the first race on Saturday, he didn't even get to take the wheel because his partner Jens Klingmann (DE) was forced to retire the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI after 12 laps due to problems with the brakes. On Sunday, the race came to an end for Baumann, who started from eighth place, after a collision at the first corner through no fault of his own. 

Ahead of the third race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters from 19th to 21st June in Spa-Francorchamps, this week sees testing on the traditional Belgian race track. The team hopes to find solutions to its obvious disadvantage in top speed compared with some of their rivals. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager): "At best, ten points for Claudia Hürtgen this weekend was damage limitation. Everyone can see where we stand at the moment. We just can't get near the front in qualifying. Our race pace is quite good, but it's difficult overtaking in our car at the moment. Before Spa, we will test again and hope we will be able to make some improvements." 

Uwe Alzen (BMW Z4 GT3 No 19): "In my opinion, the balance of performance isn't right at all. In normal circumstances we can't get into the top three on the starting grid because we don't have enough top speed. It's a bad feeling when the other cars easily overtake you on the straights." 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI No 80): "We knew that it was going to be a difficult weekend. But we had no idea that it would be that bad. When you only finish in 11th and eighth in qualifying, you are in the middle of the pack. That's where these types of crashes can happen, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would like to drive a race to the end, but at the moment it is difficult for the whole team. I hope that we now have our two worst tracks behind us."

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert put in a strong performance with its two BMW Z4 GT3s at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) – but was denied any rewards. The endurance classic saw an early end for both cars during the night. 

Martin Tomczyk (DE), who shared the cockpit of the HUAWEI sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 with Jens Klingmann (DE), Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE), took the lead right at the start and was in front during the opening laps. After one and a half hours, BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert had its first setback. With the onset of rain, the track became more and more slippery, and in these difficult conditions Hürtgen had a crash which resulted in heavy damage to the BMW Z4 GT3. The number 20 returned to the track after a long stop for repairs, but during the night the team decided to finally withdraw the car from the race.

The number 19 sister car, sponsored by KÄRCHER, suffered a similar fate after seven hours of racing. The quartet of Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Alexander Sims (GB) and Marco Wittmann (DE) had climbed up to second position in the early part of the night. But they also experienced some bad luck: Shortly after 11 pm it again started to rain heavily. Werner, who was running on slicks, spun on the slippery track and hit the barrier. He was able to drive the BMW Z4 GT3 back to the garage, but the car was too badly damaged and could not re-join the race. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “Unfortunately this time our hopes have been thwarted by two accidents. This can happen in these tricky conditions, as we have seen over the course of the race that also several other cars from the leading group have crashed out. This track is extremely difficult, and if you have the wrong tyres at the wrong point in time you always have the risk of an accident. It is really difficult to judge the conditions. It was a pity that we were no longer able to demonstrate the potential of our BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “It was raining heavily on my lap, with it starting from the Bergwerk section. There had already been a lot of accidents out on track. I was running on slicks and when I entered the Döttinger Höhe I suddenly lost the rear. As a result I spun and slid into the barrier. I still managed to bring the car back to the garage, and the team put all its efforts into repairing the BMW Z4 GT3. However, this was not possible. It is a real shame and I am obviously very disappointed.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, retired): “What can you say? For sure, it is really a pity that we had to retire, but everyone could see how difficult the conditions were out there. I had just changed and was on my way to the garage to take over the driving duties when Dirk had the accident. It was just a lot of bad luck. We win together and we lose together. Now we keep our fingers crossed for our colleagues in the other BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “I jumped over a crest in Pflanzgarten. The spot I landed in was every wet and I lost the rear. I didn’t have a chance. I tried to slam on the brakes, but the car spun 360 degrees and I hit the crash barrier with the front right of the car. There was no warning that it would be so wet at this point on the circuit.” 

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, retired): “It was great to have the lead right from the first corner, and to keep all the others behind me for the entire first stint. That was a new experience for me, but a lot of fun! Unfortunately the end of our race soon followed. Having to give up such a race that early is a real shame for everybody in the team.“

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dirk Müller (DE) produced outstanding performances in the Top-30 Qualifying session ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). Klingmann clocked a fastest time of 8:18.814 minutes in the HUAWEI-sponsored number 20 BMW Z4 GT3. He and his three team-mates Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) will start the race from third on the grid when it gets underway at 16:00 on Saturday. Dirk Müller (DE), at the wheel of the KÄRCHER-sponsored number 19 car, was just a few hundredths of a second slower than Klingmann. He and team-mates Alexander Sims (GB), Dirk Werner (DE) and Marco Wittmann (DE) also start from the second row of the grid in fourth place. 

Pole position at the 43rd staging of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring also went to a BMW Z4 GT3. Augusto Farfus (BR) set the fastest time of 8:17.394 minutes. 

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal): “We are very happy with the qualifying result. It is particularly important for us to start from the front and not have to work our way through all the traffic. Our cars may now be able to take advantage of a clear track on the opening laps. We are looking forward to what will hopefully also be a successful race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20, 3rd): “Augusto showed today that he is one of the fastest drivers on the Nordschleife. Congratulations to him on the pole position. I am also very happy to have been able to convert the speed of the car into a very good starting position in the Top-30 Qualifying. That is a very good starting position for the car, because you are able to keep out of the close battles in the middle of the pack in the first few corners. Despite this, a 24-hour race is obviously very long – and we have not won anything yet.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19, 4th): “I am very happy. Fourth place on the grid is a fantastic result. To have two completely clear laps of the Nordschleife – that only happens very rarely. Therefore, I really enjoyed qualifying in the BMW Z4 GT3. I would like to thank the team for providing me with a perfect car. Four BMWs in the top six: that is a great basis for tomorrow’s race.”

The first two races of the 2015 ADAC GT Masters are over: Schubert Motorsport started the season with two top-five finishes at its home round at Oschersleben (DE). The “Motorsport Arena Oschersleben” is literally the home of Torsten Schubert’s squad, with the team’s headquarters located only a few hundred metres away from the race track. 

In race one on Saturday, the two Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3s crossed the line in fifth and sixth. Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished fifth in the number 80 BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI. They were followed across the line by Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Jesse Krohn (FI), who came home sixth in the number 19 sister car. In the second race, held on Sunday, Hürtgen and Krohn put in a strong fight-back: coming from 13th on the grid, they worked their way through the field and eventually finished fifth, while Klingmann/Baumann were seventh. For Krohn, Oschersleben was a one-off guest appearance in the ADAC GT Masters: the 2014 BMW Motorsport Junior stood in for regular driver Uwe Alzen (DE). Alzen will share the car with Hürtgen from the second race-weekend on, which will be held at the Red Bull Ring (AT) from 5th to 7th June. 

Timo Frings (Team Manager):
“It was great to finally start the season after the intensive preparations for it. We have not been entirely satisfied with the ‘balance of performance’, but we made the best of the situation. Our drivers and the team did a superb job, so we succeeded in collecting some important points despite this disadvantage. We are satisfied with P6 and P5 for our number 19 BMW Z4 GT3. Claudia and our guest-starter Jesse put in a strong performance and got the maximum out of it. On this occasion, I also want to thank Jesse for his commitment. For Jens and Dominik much more would have been on the cards, especially on Sunday, but the two were, in our opinion, deprived of their well-deserved rewards by an inexplicable five-second penalty. That was a pity, as they would have achieved a top result otherwise. However, our overall summary of the weekend is a very positive one. We have seen that with our drivers and our team we are in a very good position and are confident for the season. But for now, we are looking forward to our next important event: the 24-hour race at Nürburgring in the middle of May, which we will tackle with our two BMW Z4 GT3s.” 

Jesse Krohn (BMW Z4 GT3 Number 19):
“First of all, a big ‘thank you‘ goes to Schubert Motorsport for giving me the opportunity to drive here. I enjoyed it very much and learnt a lot. We progressed constantly over the weekend and it was a great reward to fight our way up to fifth in race two from 13th on the grid. Overall, it was a good weekend and I was extremely impressed by Claudia. She is very professional and the best team-mate you could wish for.”

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3 powered by HUAWEI Number 80):
“Our target for Oschersleben was to start the season with a decent amount of points as at the season opener, due to its characteristics, this track suits us less than other circuits. We have succeeded in this. As a team, we had prepared well for the season, and also qualifying went well with us claiming third and seventh on the grid. We were satisfied with race one, too. We made no mistakes and stayed out of trouble. Also race two started brilliantly, and I was able to improve by several positions. We then, however, had a set back due to a five-second penalty, which we had to sit out during the pit stop. The race organisers believed I was too tough when I had to defend my position against another competitor in turns one and two. I personally considered the penalty was not justified, as we hardly touched. But, of course, I accepted the penalty. Due to it, we briefly dropped back to 12th, but in the end we still finished seventh and collected some points with that result. Overall, I am happy with the weekend and now I am looking forward to the Red Bull Ring. There we will attack again.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert produced a strong display on its final race weekend of the season, but was unable to convert a promising performance into good results. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Jens Klingmann (DE) were initially among the fastest in all the qualifying sessions at the final round of the Blancpain Sprint Series in Baku (AZ), but were then robbed of any chance of a good result by a penalty and a crash, which they could do nothing to avoid, on the opening lap of the qualifying race. 

Baumann and Klingmann came out on top in the first qualifying and were third fastest in the second session. Despite minor problems with the brakes in the third qualifying, they still managed to secure the sixth place on the grid for the qualifying race. Unfortunately they were subsequently penalised for a procedural error, for which they were relegated to the last row. 

In the race, the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3 was hit by a rival car which had spun out of control in turn four of the narrow street circuit. The Schubert car collided heavily with the wall. Although the team did manage to repair the severely damaged car in time for the main race, Baumann and Klingmann had to retire after nine laps. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “Things were looking really good for us here until the end of qualifying. We were very quick and were counting on a good result. Unfortunately we, as a team, made a small mistake in qualifying, for which we were penalised by having all our times scratched. That was obviously a major blow, as it was clear that it would be very risky to try to come from the back of the field on such a narrow track. Just a few corners in we were involved in a big collision, which left the car virtually irreparable. Despite this, our team did a fantastic job to get the car up and running by the main race. I would like to say a big thank you to the ROAL Motorsport team, who helped us out with some spare parts. Unfortunately we discovered during the main race that the chassis was more seriously damaged than we had hoped, and had to retire from the race for safety reasons.”

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 76): “It is a shame it ended that way, as we had the speed to be right up among the front-runners here. After our grid relegation, I tried to make up places as quickly as possible at the start of the qualifying race. That worked very well in the first corner too. However, I was then unable to avoid the car spinning in front of me. The damage to the car was pretty serious, but we wanted to at least try to line up for the main race. We managed that, thanks to the team’s hard work, but it soon became clear that there was no point in continuing for the entire race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 76): “That is obviously a disappointing way to end what was actually a very promising weekend. It was my first time in Baku, and we coped well right from the first practice session. We could definitely have done really well, had we started the qualifying race from sixth place on the grid. When you see who ended up on the podium: we were on a par with those guys all weekend.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert impressed again with another strong performance at the penultimate race weekend of the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series in Zolder (BE). However, their good work went unrewarded on Sunday, as the main race came to a premature end after just one corner for drivers Thomas Jäger (AT) and Dominik Baumann (AT). 

Right from the outset the team from Oschersleben’s (DE) BMW Z4 GT3 was among the fastest cars in the field. Jäger and Baumann qualified sixth for the qualifying race on Saturday morning. They then started Saturday afternoon’s qualifying race from the same position. Baumann was behind the wheel for the first half of the race and handed the car over to Jäger in fifth place. However, a number of cars were relegated positions for completing their mandatory pit stops during a safety car period. BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert dropped back down the field, but Jäger was able to fight back into eighth. This made the Schubert BMW Z4 GT3 the best-placed BMW. 

The team started Sunday’s main race from a promising eighth on the grid. However, after a rolling start, their race came to an abrupt end in the chaos in turn one. Jäger was hit by another car, and it was game over for the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3. The season finale of the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series will be held on 1st and 2nd November in Baku (AZ). 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “As far as the performance is concerned, we actually made a better start to the weekend than I expected. The set-up we had simulated in the run-up to the event worked superbly from the word go. That allowed us to focus on details, which in turn led to us being the best-placed BMW in qualifying and the qualifying race. We could have done even better, had we not lost places for stopping during the safety car period. However, that is racing for you. Unfortunately we were very unlucky in the main race today. It was a great shame that we were hit and our race was over. The car was not all that badly damaged, but the performance would no longer have been there, so it made no sense to continue.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 76): “We did a good job. We had a fast car, and showed in qualifying what we are capable of. We progressed to the third and final qualifying session for the first time, and finished up sixth. I was really happy with my stint in the qualifying race. Unfortunately we lost a few positions in the pits thanks to the safety car period. On the whole, however, we were happy with eighth place on the grid for the main race. Unfortunately that came to a premature end in turn one. It is a shame, as we could have been up there with the front-runners. That is life though. It was a racing incident.” 

Thomas Jäger (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 76): “The weekend actually started well. We were very competitive in qualifying and were right up there. We started the qualifying race from sixth on the grid, and Dominik immediately found himself back in the leading group. Everyone came into the pits during the safety car period, and it was obviously a bit chaotic. Unfortunately we lost a few places, but eighth place was actually a good starting position for the main race. It could have worked out really well for us, but unfortunately our race was over in turn one. We will now concentrate on ending the season with a good result in Baku.”

ADAC GT Masters, 24h Nürburgring, 24h Dubai, VLN: Hinter dem Team Schubert liegt eine abwechslungs- und erfolgreiche Motorsport-Saison. Vor allem im ADAC GT Masters konnte das „PIXUM Team Schubert“ powered by Jochen Schweizer mit drei Siegen, neun Podestplätzen und dem dritten Platz in der Teamwertung die eigenen Erwartungen erfüllen. Bei den Langstreckenklassikern hatte Schubert Motorsport allerdings Pech.

Im Interview blickt Teammanager Stefan Wendl auf die Saison 2013 zurück und gibt einen ersten Vorgeschmack auf das Programm für das kommende Jahr.

Herr Wendl, wo würden Sie die Saison von Schubert Motorsport auf einer Skala von 1 (sehr schlecht) bis 10 (sehr gut) einordnen?
Stefan Wendl: „Ich würde ihr insgesamt eine 7 geben. Allerdings lässt sich die Saison 2013 aus unserer Sicht zweiteilen. Unser Jahr im ADAC GT Masters hat sicher eine 8 oder 9 verdient. Dort haben wir einen super Job gemacht und uns in unserer zweiten Saison sehr gut etabliert. Wir hatten zwei BMW Z4 GT3 am Start und konnten dank unserer starken Sponsoren viel mehr testen als im Vorjahr. Das hat uns in die Situation gebracht, dass wir bis zum letzten Rennen in der Teamwertung an der Spitze lagen. Leider hat es dann ganz knapp nicht zum Titelgewinn gereicht, aber im Nachhinein sind wir auch auf den dritten Platz stolz. Wir hatten eine sehr gute Saison, der leider das i-Tüpfelchen eines Titelgewinns gefehlt hat.“

Auf der Langstrecke lief es nicht ganz so gut…
Wendl: „Deshalb würde ich ihr auch nur eine 3 geben. Obwohl wir über das Jahr hinweg häufiger im ADAC GT Masters unterwegs waren, waren die 24 Stunden auf dem Nürburgring und in Dubai sehr wichtige Rennen für uns. Vor allem auf der Nordschleife zum zweiten Mal in Folge als von BMW werksunterstütztes Team an den Start gehen zu dürfen, war eine große Ehre für uns. Umso größer fiel unsere Enttäuschung darüber aus, dass wir es aufgrund eines Unfalls und technischer Probleme bei beiden Langstreckenrennen nicht geschafft haben, auf das Podium zu kommen. Eigentlich war es immer eine Stärke unseres Teams, geringe Ausfallquoten zu haben. Wir hoffen, 2014 wieder zu dieser alten Stärke zurückzufinden.“

Wie zufrieden sind Sie generell mit der Zusammenarbeit mit BMW Motorsport?
Wendl: „Wir arbeiten nun schon seit vielen Jahren sehr gut zusammen und sind stolz darauf, zum zweiten Mal in Folge Werksunterstützung bei den 24 Stunden auf dem Nürburgring bekommen zu haben. Wir haben gemeinsam hart gekämpft, hatten aber in dieser Saison leider nicht das nötige Quäntchen Glück. Die enge Partnerschaft mit BMW bedeutet uns sehr viel.“

Wie waren Sie mit Ihren Fahrern im ADAC GT Masters zufrieden?
Wendl: „Wir hatten zwei sehr positive Überraschungen im Team. Das waren unsere beiden Rookies Max Sandritter und Dominik Baumann. Dass Dominik stark sein würde, konnten wir nach seinem Gewinn des EM-Titels schon ein wenig erwarten. Dass er aber so stark sein würde, hat uns dann doch erstaunt. Die Leistung von Max, der als Nobody zu uns kam, muss man besonders hervorheben. Er ist von unseren erfahrenen Leuten im Team, vor allem auch von Claudia Hürtgen und Jörg Müller, Schritt für Schritt nach vorn gebracht worden und hat alles, was wir ihm beigebracht haben, glänzend umgesetzt. Das hat man dann auch an den Ergebnissen gesehen. Sein Sieg auf dem Sachsenring und die beiden weiteren Podiumsplätze hat er aus eigener Kraft herausgefahren. Ihm ist nichts geschenkt worden. Claudia hat gemeinsam mit Dominik ein sehr gutes Team gebildet und extrem viel für das Set-up des Fahrzeugs getan. Sie ist eine echte Konstante bei uns im Team. Jörg war leider durch seinen Unfall in Spa gehandicapt. Eine Zeit lang körperlich, aber später vor allem dadurch, dass ihm im Vergleich zu seinen Teamkollegen viele Testkilometer gefehlt haben. Er konnte sein Potenzial sicher nicht vollständig zeigen, hat sich aber mit seiner Erfahrung sehr gut ins Team eingebracht.“

Wie groß ist der Anteil des Teams am Erfolg während der Saison?
Wendl: „Unglaublich groß. Der Einsatz, die Moral – alles hat gestimmt. Wir haben kein einziges Rennen wegen eines Fehlers im Team verloren, obwohl wir gerade zu Saisonbeginn unglaublich hart gearbeitet haben. Die Jungs haben voll mitgezogen, und wir hatten immer eine gute Stimmung im Team. Dafür meinen herzlichen Dank!“

Wie sehen die Planungen für die Saison 2014 aus?
Wendl: „Unsere Pläne haben sich im Vergleich zur abgelaufenen Saison nicht verändert. Wir haben vor, wieder zwei BMW Z4 GT3 im ADAC GT Masters einzusetzen. Auch bei den 24 Stunden von Dubai werden wir wieder als Saudi Falcons Team Schubert mit zwei BMW Z4 GT3 starten. Mit dem BMW 320d möchten wir außerdem unseren Klassensieg aus dem Vorjahr verteidigen. Unser weiteres Rennprogramm werden wir bekanntgeben, wenn alle Details feststehen. Sicher ist aber schon jetzt: Wir freuen uns auf eine erneut spannende und hoffentlich erfolgreiche Saison 2014.“

While “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer still has a mathematical chance of winning the title going into the season finale of the ADAC GT Masters at Hockenheim (DE), the team from Oschersleben (DE) is not master of its own sporting destiny in either the drivers' standings or the team standings. 

In the drivers' standings Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) are in third place, 46 points off the top. To win the title, they would need to win both races and hope that their rivals don't finish. In the team standings “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer is in second place, 18 points behind the leading Audi team. 

Given the situation in the championship, the drivers and team management are focusing on finishing the season successfully. This will be helped by the 15 kilograms of extra weight, that has been slowing down the two BMW Z4 GT3s since the race weekend at the Slovakia Ring (SK) as part of adjusting the Balance of Performance, being removed from both vehicles. The two races in Hockenheim both start at 12:00 local time on Saturday and Sunday. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Principal Schubert Motorsport): “We're pleased that we can contest the two races in Hockenheim without the 15 kilograms of extra weight. Unfortunately it looks like those in charge realised that it was a mistake to change the Balance of Performance after the races at the Slovakia Ring too late for us in the battle for the championship. At least we now have a better chance of finishing our season with a good result. Since we can no longer win the championship by ourselves, we'll just do our best and see what happens.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Our chances of winning a title are minimal. That's why I'm pretty relaxed going into the race weekend. As far as teamwork, performance and consistency are concerned, we've had a good season overall, which we can be pleased with. It's important to recognise that those who win the title in Hockenheim have deserved it. My aim is to get another two good results.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “We don't do giving up, even when we have to be realistic and see that our chances of winning the team standings are very low. However, since we have now offloaded the 15 kilograms of additional weight, I think that we will be able to get another two top ten results in Hockenheim, even if the track doesn't really suit our vehicle. We will definitely give it our all as usual.”

The penultimate race weekend in the ADAC GT Masters season at the Sachsenring (DE) is crucial for “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer. The team from Oschersleben (DE) is eager to follow on from the successes it had there last season and in doing so secure a good starting position for the title fight at the season finale in Hockenheim (DE). 

In 2013, the team achieved a one-two in the second race at the Sachsenring. Jens Klingmann (DE) – back then a guest starter for the injured Jörg Müller (DE) – and Max Sandritter (DE) were victorious, beating Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE). This time, in terms of the prospect of winning the title in the drivers' championship, the aim is to pick up as many points as possible in the car number 19 BMW Z4 GT3. Baumann and Hürtgen are third in the overall standings with 136 points, and are 19 points off the top. In the team standings, “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer has a narrow lead with 168 points. The two races at the Sachsenring on Saturday and Sunday both start at 12:00 pm CEST. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Principal Schubert Motorsport): “Our motto for this weekend is full attack. If we want to be in with a chance of winning the title in the drivers' championship, we need to get as much out of Dominik and Claudia's vehicle as possible. In terms of the team standings, it will also be important for our number 20 car to be up near the front. The track should suit our vehicle, but, as a result of the Balance of Performance, which means we will have 15 kilos of extra weight, I don't think we will be the clear favourites. The winding track also suits the Audi down to a T.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, number 19): “It's crucial for us to come to terms with the disappointment at the Nürburgring and go on full attack – without any lapse in concentration. From my perspective it would be a mistake to draw too many conclusions from our strong results last year. We've already seen that the balance of power can shift on the individual tracks a few times this year. We will definitely give it our all and see if that's enough to finish at the top.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, number 20): “Naturally I enjoy looking back on my guest start last year, which was extremely successful with a win and a third place. I'm really looking forward to returning to the Sachsenring and am extremely excited about the race. My aim is to repeat last year's victory. We'll have to wait until after qualifying to see whether that's possible.”

After a perfect start to the Blancpain Sprint Series, with second place in Zandvoort (NL) and the win at the Slovakia Ring (SK), BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert travels to the next race in Portimão (PT) full of optimism, but also with great respect. The circuit on the Algarve represents another completely new challenge for the team from Oschersleben (DE). The last time Schubert Motorsport lined up there with the BMW Z4 GT3 was in 2011, when the team claimed a one-two in the first of two races in the FIA GT3 European Championship. 

About three and a half years later, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Thomas Jäger (AT) return with the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3. While Baumann is already familiar with the circuit, Portimão is new territory for Jäger. The qualifying race gets underway at 13:45 local time (14:45 CET) this Saturday. The main race then starts at 14:45 local time (15:45 CET) on Sunday. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We did not expect such a dream start to our involvement in the Blancpain Sprint Series. The first two races went fantastically well for us, but we cannot now assume that things will automatically continue this way. After all, this is not a playground, but an ultra-professional racing series, in which the opposition is very strong. We may have very fond memories of Portimão, but that was a long time ago. As far as the set-up of the car is concerned, we must start virtually from scratch. That is a major difference to the previous circuits, at which we had raced relatively recently. It means, unlike on previous race weekends, we will have to take full advantage of all the practice time to work on the set-up of the BMW Z4 GT3, and cannot afford to use that time for fine-tuning and working out how best to use the Pirelli tyres, which are new to us. As such, it will be difficult to finish at the very front of the field again. I would be satisfied if we were to be in contention for a place on the podium.” 

Dominik Baumann: “I’ve already raced on this track in 2011. It’s a lot of fun to drive there. We are getting to know the Pirelli tyres better and better, and have had two good races so far. Now we have to improve in qualifying. I’m looking forward to the weekend.” 

Thomas Jäger: “The track is completely new to me. However, I have familiarised myself with the layout and am sure I will have enough time during the practice sessions to learn all the details. As far as the set-up of the car is concerned, I still benefit very much from the experience of the team and my team-mate Dominik. We’ve had a good run so far, so we travel to Portimão in a really good mood.”

Following the successful ADAC GT Masters weekend at the Slovakia Ring (SK), “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer now heads to round six at the Nürburgring (DE) leading both the Drivers’ and Team Championships. 

After winning the race on Saturday and finishing third on Sunday in Slovakia, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) now have 134 points to their name, putting them four points clear of their closest rival Jaap van Lagen (NL). Last year, Hürtgen and Baumann won one of the two races at the Nürburgring. This time, however, they will carry more than just the ten kilograms of additional weight as a result of their third place at the Slovakia Ring. A further 15 kilograms of ballast must be loaded on board their car as a result of an adjustment to the Balance of Performance (BOP). That makes an additional 25 kilograms of weight, which will have a clear negative influence on the performance of the BMW Z4 GT3. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE), in the second BMW Z4 GT3, will also suffer the consequences of the adjustment to the BOP. Despite this, they still have their sights set on continuing the positive trend the entire Schubert team has enjoyed in recent weeks. “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer tops the Team standings with 154 points. The two races at the Nürburgring both get underway at 12:00 on Saturday and Sunday. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “I am disappointed about the adjustment to the BOP. Over the course of the season, it has been clear to see that the success weight specified in the regulations already slows us down quite enough to ensure we are not in a position to win the following race. Therefore, I just cannot understand the decision to burden us with a further 15 kilograms on top of that. The good results we have enjoyed in recent weeks are in no way down to any technical advantage the car may have, but the hard work we have put in. We earned the good results thanks to partners like KW and meticulous work on the set-up of the cars. This kind of additional weight will undo all that hard work. However, we are on a good run at the moment as a team, and have fond memories of last year’s races here at the Nürburgring. We will once again work hard in the practice sessions, in order to make up for the disadvantage of the additional weight.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Firstly, I am pleased for the team that the last few weeks have produced the kind of success that they deserve for the work they put in over the course of the year. Despite our great weekend at the Slovakia Ring, the balance has shifted completely again. Given the new BOP, we can do nothing more than try to set the car up as well as possible, and to make the right decisions all the time.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “After the good results of recent weeks, I am absolutely determined to continue this run at the Nürburgring. Unfortunately Jens and I can no longer challenge for the title in the Drivers’ Championship, but we will do everything in our power to win a race this season. Furthermore, we obviously want to help the team and our team-mates as much as possible in the title race.”

Schubert Motorsport is at the Slovakia Ring (SK) for the second time in two weeks. After their extremely successful appearance with “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer in the ADAC GT Masters, which finished with two pole positions, a one-two victory on Saturday and the lead in the drivers' and team standings, the BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert will be taking part in its second race weekend of the Blancpain Sprint Series this weekend. 

In the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Thomas Jäger (AT) will go on the attack in the qualifying race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday. The duo celebrated a sensational debut with second place in the main race in Zandvoort (NL) when the team made its first appearance in the series. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “The entire team is feeling positive on their return to the Slovakia Ring. We celebrated fantastic results here almost two weeks ago and are motivated to perform well once again this time. Dominik Baumann will also no doubt be able to benefit from his recent driving practice on this track. The vehicle might be the same as in the ADAC GT Masters, but we are pretty much back to the start with regards to the set-up. This is because Pirelli is a different tyre partner, and one which is relatively new to us. We will use the practice sessions to get more used to the tyres. Despite our good start we are basically still in the learning phase in this series that is new to us. But we know that the Slovakia Ring suits our BMW Z4 GT3 and are appropriately optimistic about the weekend.”

The eight-minute barrier on the VLN version of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE) has been broken. The man to crack the magic mark at the sixth round of the season was Jens Klingmann (DE) at the wheel of the BMW Z4 GT3 fielded by BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. He tore through the “Green Hell” in a time of 7:59.045 minutes on lap two of the four-hour race to set the new lap record in the VLN Endurance Championship. Never before had a GT3 car completed this version of the circuit so quickly. 

Klingmann had already flirted with the eight-minute mark in qualifying and on the opening lap of the race, but came up just nine and three tenths of a second short. After making history in his first stint – the first of the race – Klingmann handed the car over to team-mates Max Sandritter (DE), Thomas Jäger (AT) and Dominik Baumann (AT). At the end of the race, the quartet crossed the finish line in second place. The race was Jäger’s first on the Nordschleife in a GT3 car. 

Stefan Wendl (Teammanager Schubert Motorsport): “Right from the outset, our goal was to break the eight-minute barrier. We worked towards this goal with Jens Klingmann and Dominik Baumann, who are both quick and experienced. It is nice and important for the team to have set this record. We were able to show what our total package is capable of, and that victory at the 24-hour race would certainly have been possible. I find it remarkable that the BMW Z4 GT3 had a full tank of fuel when Jens broke the record. Respect for that performance. The priority for our two younger drivers, Max Sandritter and Thomas Jäger, was to have fun and learn from the race. They did their job very well. Second place is a great result. On a weekend like this, it is not so tragic that we did not quite manage to get the win.” 

Jens Klingmann: “What a lap! I am proud to be the first to break this magical barrier. We knew we had the basic speed to go under eight minutes. However, you cannot plan to beat this record on such a long and demanding track as this. We saw this in my failed attempts in qualifying and on the opening lap of the race. Even the lap on which I broke the record was not absolutely perfect. I had to overtake a few cars right at the end. I had to take quite a few risks, but fortunately it all worked out very well. After the bad luck we suffered at the 24-hour race, this is a very nice reward for our team.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert enjoyed a more than successful start to life in the Blancpain Sprint Series. The team from Oschersleben (DE) competed with a BMW Z4 GT3 for the first time on the third race weekend in Zandvoort (NL). In Sunday’s main race, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Thomas Jäger (AT) made it onto the podium at the first attempt: in a spectacular race in fluctuating weather conditions, the duo crossed the finish line in second place. 

Following the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE), Schubert Motorsport decided to expand its programme for 2014 and contest the remaining races in the Blancpain Sprint Series, as well as the second half of the ADAC GT Masters. Stefan Wendl’s (DE) team made its first appearance in the series at the iconic “Circuit Park” (NL) on the North Sea coast. 

Baumann and Jäger attracted attention for the first time in Saturday’s qualifying race, which took place in difficult weather conditions. Starting from 12th, they launched an impressive fightback. After 20 minutes, the onset of rain made the race a real challenge for drivers and teams alike. However, Baumann and Jäger mastered the task superbly and came home fifth in the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3 after two safety car periods. 

Sunday’s main race was no less dramatic. A crash in turn one resulted in the safety car taking to the track. A few laps after the restart, Jäger pulled off a courageous overtaking manoeuvre to move into fourth place. He then came into the pits at the halfway point of the race. Baumann took over at the wheel of the number 76 BMW Z4 GT3 and made up another position in the pit lane. Baumann then profited from a spin by the car in front of him to move into second place. With the rain falling, the Austrian was able to gain up to 1.5 seconds per lap on the leader. However, with the track drying out he was unable to launch a decisive attack and eventually crossed the finish line in second place.

The next race takes place at the Slovakiaring (SK) on 24th August. That is followed by races in Portimao (PT), Zolder (BE) and Baku (AZ). 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “I am extremely happy with this success. Nobody could have predicted such a fantastic start coming into the race. We were still struggling with a minor technical problem in the qualifying race, which prevented us from getting the result we had possibly hoped for. In the race itself, however, everything went superbly in fluctuating conditions. Dominik Baumann produced an outstanding display of driving. However, I must also compliment Thomas Jäger. He is relatively unexperienced in a GT car, but improved from lap to lap. His performance this weekend was superb. The mechanics also deserve a lot of praise. They executed superb pit stops. This was a success earned by the entire team.” 

Dominik Baumann: “We are all totally happy. We could not have had a better debut in the series. We were not quite able to match the pace of the opposition in dry conditions. However, when the drizzle set in, we were able to take full advantage of the qualities possessed by the BMW Z4 GT3. Because of this, I was able to gradually close in on the leaders in the final phase of the race. Unfortunately the track then dried out slightly, meaning I was unable to launch a decisive overtaking manoeuvre. However, second place is a superb basis on which we can build for the next race.” 

Thomas Jäger: “I could hardly have had a better first weekend in GT3. I am mega happy and very satisfied with the result. We had a small technical issue at the start, but our mechanics did a great job of solving it. After that our car was really quick. I made a good start – my first in a GT3 car – and managed to make up a position immediately. However, I had to let a rival through in turn one and dropped back into fifth. A few laps later, I regained fourth place and then handed the car over to Dominik. He did a superb job and secured a spot on the podium for us.”

Following the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE), Schubert Motorsport is extending its programme for 2014. In addition to the second half of the ADAC GT Masters season, the team from Oschersleben (DE) will also contest the remaining races of the Blancpain Sprint Series. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Austrian junior driver Thomas Jäger will be behind the wheel of the BMW Z4 GT3 that the team will be using. The duo will make their first appearance in Zandvoort (NL) on 6th July at the third race of the season. This will be followed by additional races on the Slovakia Ring (SK), in Portimao (PT), Zolder (BE) and Baku (AZ). 

While Baumann is already well known in Team Schubert, Jäger is a talented newcomer. The 19-year-old has been successful in the junior formula classes so far. He has now decided to make the switch to GT sport. He took part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) in a BMW M235i Racing to help him acclimatise. 

Stefan Wendl (team manager of Schubert Motorsport): “We already started working on getting involved in the Blancpain Sprint Series in the winter. However, we were initially unable to implement the project due to issues with timing and budget. We were extremely busy preparing for the 24 Hours event and the ADAC GT Masters. Now the six-month programme in this new series suits us perfectly. The same is true for Thomas Jäger, which is why we are all looking forward to the coming months. Thomas completed a test for us in the BMW Z4 GT3 last year and caught our attention. We are not aiming for the championship as we have already missed so many races. We want to fight for individual victories and develop further as a team.” 

Dominik Baumann: “From the start of the year I wanted to take part in another championship alongside the ADAC GT Masters. I've always done that since the more time you spend on the track, the quicker you develop further. I'm really looking forward to the new series. The vehicle is the same, but we will have to get used to the standard Pirelli tyres. Thanks to my time in the FIA GT championship, I know most of the tracks already.” 

Thomas Jäger: “Last year I realised that the only way to get to the top of formula racing is if you have a lot of money. This is why I decided to change paths. Motorsport isn't restricted to Formula 1, there are plenty of other options. All of the major manufacturers are involved in GT sport and they offer excellent opportunities to young drivers like me. I had many offers of a cockpit for this year, but I chose BMW because I grew up with this brand. I'm delighted that it has worked out with Team Schubert.”

The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE) is in full swing – and BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert has eventful hours in the “Green Hell” behind it. Claudia Hürtgen (DE), Jens Klingmann (DE), Dominik Baumann (AT) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) go into the night running third in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 shortly after midnight. An incident-packed start phase saw Hürtgen involved in a collision, as a result of which she lost valuable time. However, the quartet has consistently worked its way up the field since then, and has established itself in the top five. 

In stark contrast, the race is already run for their team-mates Dirk Werner (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB). Suspension damage resulted in Sims crashing in the fourth hour of racing. A part of the chassis damaged the oil pump of the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3, causing irreparable damage to the engine. 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I drove through dusk and into the night. That is actually one of the nicest moments of a 24-hour race. On the whole I am very happy with my stint. I was able to make up some time. The car is running superbly. I will take a short break now and be back in the car at about three o’clock.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “The incident with the other BMW Z4 GT3 was very frustrating and unnecessary at this early stage of the race. Fortunately I was then able to work my way back through the field until we were relatively close to the front-runners. As such, we were able to do a decent job of damage limitation. All in all, things are looking good now.” 

Lucas Luhr (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “We actually made a good start to the race, and managed to stay out of all the mayhem. It is obviously a great shame that we have had to retire so early in the race. Everyone in the team was really committed and had worked very hard. Personally, I had hoped my first big race for BMW would pan out differently, but at least I made a good start. The car was running superbly until the incident. We will now keep our fingers crossed for the remaining BMWs.” 

Dirk Müller (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “The retirement is hugely frustrating. I am extremely disappointed. I also feel sorry for young Alex Sims, who was in the car at the time. Thank heavens nothing happened. I’m back in action next week in a USCC race. But I obviously wanted to head off to America on the back of a good result. Hopefully the number 20 car can come up with a good result for our team.”

A spectacular Top-30 Qualifying ahead of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) saw Dirk Werner (DE) secure fifth place on the grid for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. The BMW works driver clocked the fastest time of 8:14.848 minutes, meaning his BMW Z4 GT3 will start the race from the third row at 16:00 on Saturday. Werner will share the cockpit with Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB) over the course of the 24 hours. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) qualified eleventh in the second Schubert car (number 20). He and his team-mates Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) are thus well-placed going into the race. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We reached our target and are happy with the result. You could see that the battle for the front of the grid was a very close affair. Despite this, we did not set the car up for one flying lap, but used the normal race set-up for qualifying. We are fully focussed on the race and looking forward to getting started. We are really up for this.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Thank you to my team for allowing me to drive in qualifying. This is the only time you ever get two free laps of the Nordschleife. The car was superb and I was able to push really hard. The starting positions of all the BMW Z4 GT3s give us a lot of confidence going into the race.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “It is great fun to have a free lap of the Nordschleife. Eleventh is okay and we completed our programme as planned. Unfortunately I had some traffic and a yellow flag on my fastest lap. That is why we are not starting from a higher position.”

“PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer scored valuable points on the fourth race weekend of the ADAC GT Masters in Spielberg (AT), and is well-placed in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ competitions at the halfway point of the season. 

After a difficult race on Saturday, when they took to the track carrying an extra 30 kilograms and subsequently failed to finish in the points for the first time this season, Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) raced from eighth on the grid to finish fourth on Sunday. This result ensured they remained third in the Drivers’ Championship with 94 points. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) produced consistently strong displays in both races at the Red Bull Ring, which does not actually suit the strengths of the BMW Z4 GT3 as much as other circuits. The duo came home fifth on Saturday and Sunday to pick up valuable points. With 42 points to their name, they have now climbed into the top-ten in the Drivers’ Championship, where they currently lie ninth. “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer goes into the summer break second in the Teams’ competition. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “This weekend has been running better than expected. Besides Oschersleben, the Red Bull Ring was the circuit that gave us the worst headaches before the season. Especially in qualifying all our drivers did perfect jobs. The races also went very well, except for Saturday’s race for our number 19 car. Unfortunately it has been pushed off the track twice on the first lap. All in all we can very pleased with the first half of the season, as we are right in the mix in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ competitions.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “All in all we can be happy with our points haul this weekend. We were fourth on Sunday and hardly lost any ground in the championship – and that on a circuit that, on paper, does not actually suit us and which we left empty-handed last year. Unfortunately we lost too much ground at the start on Saturday. With the extra weight on board, we could not make up what we lost.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “After three difficult race weekends, it was nice to get back to successful ways with these two fifth places. The team’s decision to change the engine in our BMW Z4 GT3 after the race at the Lausitzring paid off. We had far more performance at our disposal and were able to compete on a par with the team’s other car. The two fifth places felt like podiums to me. I now go into the summer break in a positive frame of mind and am looking forward to racing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in a BMW Z4 GT3 – something I have dreamt of for a long time – and to the second half of the ADAC GT Masters.”

The spell has been broken: “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer claimed its first victory of the season on the third weekend of the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring (DE). Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) dominated Sunday’s second race to come home first in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3, 2.694 seconds ahead of René Rast (DE) and Kelvin van der Linde (ZA) in their Audi. 

Baumann had previously secured the first pole of the season in Friday’s qualifying, but was passed by the Corvette of Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL) at the rolling start. He soon regained the lead, courtesy of an impressive overtaking manoeuvre, and had opened up a lead of over seven seconds by the time he pulled into the pits to swap drivers. Hürtgen then brought the car home first to claim the pair’s maiden win of the year without any major problems. Having finished fourth to narrowly miss out on the podium in Saturday’s opening race, the duo is now third in the overall standings with 82 points. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) endured a less successful weekend in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3. A technical problem caused them to retire on Saturday. However, they did produce a strong performance to climb from eighth on the grid to finish sixth in race two, picking up eight points towards the Drivers’ Championship in the process.  

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “Congratulations to the entire team, who did a superb job. We have been knocking on the door of the podium all season, and finally everything came together and we were able to score our first win of the season. Everyone is hugely relieved. We knew that we would surrender the lead to the Corvette at the start, as it accelerates much better. With that in mind, our goal was to defend second place in turn one. That worked well, and Jeroen was then very fair when Dominik went on the attack. Dominik was then able to open up a lead on fresh tyres. That was all part of our tactics, and Claudia then did a very good job of maintaining that lead through to the finish on older tyres. Both drivers were brilliant this weekend. Our number 20 car was not far off in terms of performance, but it is a very different story when you have to start from the middle of the pack after an unfortunate qualifying, rather than being able to pull clear at the front of the field. We will now take a close look to determine whether the number 20 suffered any engine damage when it retired on Saturday, in order to ensure that we can compete with both cars in perfect condition again in Spielberg.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Another great weekend for us – and finally the first win and first pole position. I am delighted. I was well aware that I would not stand a chance against the Corvette next to me at the start. Therefore, I just focussed on what I had to do. After that I knew I had to get back in front of the Corvette nice and early, because I was considerably quicker and would otherwise have lost a lot of time. The subsequent overtaking manoeuvre was very important in the context of the entire race.” 

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “As on the first two race weekends of the season, we got the maximum out of the BMW Z4 GT3. The fact that this was enough to win this time around is obviously very nice for the entire team. For me, it was very comforting to take over the car with such a large lead on Sunday. Dominik really did an outstanding job. I was able to concentrate on bringing home the win.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “All in all that was a disappointing weekend. We were slower than our other car, which is obviously not satisfying, as that car is our first and most important reference. The aim now is to work hard together with the team to ensure we improve this situation by the next race weekend in Spielberg. Sunday’s sixth place was a half-decent way to end the weekend. The situation behind the Corvette, which held everyone up, was a difficult one. I then benefitted from the collision between the Mercedes and the Corvette, and was able to make up three places on the final lap. On Saturday I had to swerve onto the grass to avoid another Corvette, which had spun. The grass clogged up the radiator on the BMW Z4 GT3 and the engine overheated. That is why I had to retire from the race.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert put in another good display at the final test ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (DE). Dominik Baumann (AT), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Jens Klingmann (DE) recovered to finish fourth in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 after being spun by a rival at the start, meaning they had to fight their way through the entire field. 

Lucas Luhr (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Alexander Sims (GB) and Dirk Werner (DE) were also well-placed until the number 19 car suffered a puncture upon entering the Nordschleife, so dashing any hopes the quartet may have had. They eventually had to settle for 19th place. The fourth round of the VLN Endurance Championship was suspended after just over three of the four hours scheduled following a crash. The highlight of the endurance season – the Nürburgring 24 Hours – will take place on 21st/22nd June. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “The big challenge throughout the entire preparations for the 24-hour race has been to adapt to the tyres from one race to the next. They have behaved differently every time and constantly demanded a lot of set-up work. We will also have to deal with this topic over the five weeks in the run-up to the big race. Generally speaking, however, we are very happy with our preparations – although we were unlucky at the start of today’s race, and then again with the late puncture on the number 19 car. The fightback produced by the number 20 car was fantastic. Our great first pit stop, in particular, put us right back in the race for a place on the podium.” 

Alexander Sims (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “I was unlucky in both of my stints today. First I suffered a slow puncture at the start of the Nordschleife just three laps in, and had to driver very slowly for a complete lap. That was a set-back, after which we did not have a chance. Then, shortly after I returned to the track after the tyre change, the race was suspended. Because of this, I hardly got to do any driving today. That makes me all the happier that I was able to use the races beforehand to gain as much experience with the car and on the track. I feel well prepared for the 24 Hours.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “I got an awful lot out of this race again. I had loads of duels on the Nordschleife – more than in all the races up to that point put together. That was obviously also down to the fact that we had to work our way through the field after the early spin. However, we did that very well. The performance of the car is good. I think we are ready for the big day in five weeks.”

Two races, two water fights: the second race weekend of the season in the ADAC GT Masters was a slippery affair for the drivers in action for “PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer. Heavy rain and strong wind made both races a huge challenge. Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) mastered the conditions superbly in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3, as did their team-mates Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) in the number 20 car. Both duos finished in the points on Saturday and Sunday. 

The way both cars fought back on Saturday was particularly impressive. A difficult qualifying meant Hürtgen started the race from down in 18th place. However, she coped so well with the rain that she was able to pass one car after another in the opening stages of the race. When she handed the car over to Baumann in the middle of the race, they were baring down on a podium finish. They eventually came home fourth. The duo in the number 19 car finished fifth in Sunday’s second race, which was also dominated by rain. 

Sandritter was actually in line to start Saturday’s race from sixth after an impressive qualifying. However, a technical problem on the car meant he had to start from the very back of the grid. Like Hürtgen, Sandritter set off on a spectacular fightback and had nearly progressed into the points by the time Klingmann took over the driving duties. He was then able to bring the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 home in seventh place. The duo then matched that result on Sunday. 

Hürtgen and Baumann are fourth with 45 points in the Drivers’ Championship. Klingmann and Sandritter, meanwhile, picked up their first points of the season after an unfortunate opener in Oschersleben (DE). 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “I am very happy with this weekend’s results. In those difficult conditions, to score points with both cars in both races was the most we could hope for. The fightback on Saturday was absolutely fantastic. The BMW Z4 GT3 was as swift as a weasel, and our drivers did a flawless job. Thanks to the dampers provided by our partner KW, we were able to set up both cars superbly for the circuit and conditions. We scored valuable points, but are also well aware that we need to finish on the podium in the future if we are to stick with the front-runners in the championship. Unfortunately it is difficult to stay with Porsche and Audi, who are incredibly quick even with their performance weights.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “The conditions were extreme. We always looked very good when there was not too much water on the track, but as soon as the rain became heavier we had to fight hard. That was particularly the case on Saturday. Claudia was able to make up an awful lot of places when the track was not too wet at the start. All I could do then in heavier rain was defend my position. I am very happy with the points we scored. However, it is tough to compete with Porsche and Audi with the current Balance of Performance.” 

Max Sandritter (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “Twice in the points – that is a start. We are not yet where we want to be, but the performance of the car is already good now. I was obviously angry at first to have to start from the pit lane on Saturday, but the fightback was great fun. Some of the duels were really special. The track conditions were much more difficult on Sunday. There was a lot of aquaplaning. That is what caused my spin, but fortunately there were no major consequences.”

“PIXUM Team Schubert” powered by Jochen Schweizer finished the opening weekend of the ADAC GT Masters season in their home town of Oschersleben with a podium place in the race on Sunday. Dominik Baumann (AT) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) in the number 19 BMW Z4 GT3 made up a place to finish third after starting from fourth. In the first race on Saturday, Baumann and Hürtgen started eighth, but lost a lot of places at the first corner. After a strong recovery they managed to finish sixth to secure some vital points. 

Jens Klingmann (DE) and Max Sandritter (DE) in car number 20 were extremely unlucky in both races and didn't manage to finish in the points in Oschersleben. Klingmann experienced a moment of terror on Sunday when he was involved in a serious accident at the start. In a chain reaction he was hit by another vehicle in a pile-up and was forced into the wall. Fortunately Klingmann was relatively unscathed. However, the BMW Z4 GT3 was badly damaged and was unable to restart the race. On Saturday, Sandritter was hit by another competitor in the first few metres of the race, which broke a rim on his car. He managed to make it back to the pits, but after being lapped neither he nor Klingmann stood a chance. They only managed to finish in 20th. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “Overall I'm very pleased with the performance of the BMW Z4 GT3. We knew the track in Oschersleben wasn't going to be ideal for the car, so did a lot of testing to work hard on our weaknesses. It paid off. Both cars had the same speed and showed that they can be at the sharp end of the field. With number 19 we did the best we could on this track. I'm delighted with the podium at our home race. Unfortunately we were terribly unlucky with number 20 in both races. That type of accident at the start on Sunday is common in the ADAC GT Masters. The competition is so strong that it is always extremely close. All the team bosses agree that the lights should have gone green earlier.” 

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “Before the weekend we said that the key to this season would be to score points in every race. We did really well here in Oschersleben. Unfortunately on Saturday Claudia was forced into the gravel and fell back to 19th. It was an amazing achievement that we managed to finish sixth from there. On Sunday I was lucky at the start. I glanced in my rear mirror and saw a giant dust cloud right behind me. I didn't manage to get my tyres to the perfect temperature for the restart so fell back from second place to third. However, we were able to bring home third place comfortably.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “Everything hurts after the severe crash, but the medical centre gave me the all-clear. Apart from a few bruises, I'm fine. I started well and beginning to make up places. Suddenly the Audi came crashing into me from the left-hand side at a right angle. I couldn't do anything and just tensed all my muscles and waited for it to be over. It was a really unlucky starting accident. The rest of our weekend was also unfortunate. Max was hit at the start on Saturday, which broke a rim. At least the qualifying sessions showed us that we are among the front runners in terms of speed. That's encouraging for the coming races.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert took 6th and 10th at the third race weekend on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Martin Tomczyk (DE) quickly worked themselves up the field from 11th on the grid, but constantly became embroiled in two-car battles in what was an extraordinarily close race. They finished up in 6th as a result of this. Their sister car, with Alexander Sims (GB) and Dirk Werner (DE) behind the wheel, was still on track for a podium spot just before the finish, but then fell back into 10th due to a tyre failure.

The scheduled four-hour race had to be stopped after less than 60 minutes because of a serious accident that fortunately resulted in no serious injuries. The race was continued approximately three and a half hours later after the heavily damaged crash barriers were replaced in the Pflanzgarten section of the track. The total race time was reduced to three hours.

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager, Schubert Motorsport): “The race was chaotic and very difficult to plan out due to the interruption and the resulting reduced running time. The field was very close and we didn’t manage to break away from our opposition on the Nordschleife. That meant we were put under pressure again and again in slipstream duels on the Döttinger Höhe. Nevertheless, our number 19 car was still on track for a podium place shortly before the end of the race, but then unfortunately we had a tyre failure. It’s a shame.”

Alexander Sims (BMW Z4 GT3, Number 19): “It’s a shame that I could only drive one stint because the race was shortened, but it’s still really helped me prepare for the 24 Hour race. In contrast to the qualification races, I was able to learn a lot today about driving and overtaking on the Nordschleife.”

Claudia Hürtgen (BMW Z4 GT3, Number 20): “The race unfortunately had to be interrupted due to a serious accident – that made it pretty hectic. Nevertheless I think we managed to make the best out of the day. Once again, we didn’t have any technical problems, and we were able to gain some more important experience. The anticipation for the 24 Hour race in June is growing with every kilometre we drive.”

The qualifying race for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE) finished with two podium spots for BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert. Jens Klingmann (DE), Claudia Hürtgen (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished second in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3, directly ahead of their team-mates Dirk Werner (DE), Dirk Müller (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB). First place in the one-two-three-four for BMW Motorsport went to BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS. Maxime Martin (BE), Marco Wittmann (DE) and Uwe Alzen (DE) were victorious in the number 25 BMW Z4 GT3. 

In qualifying on Sunday morning the two cars from BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert finished tenth and 11th. Thanks to finishing tenth, the number 19 car secured a place in the top 30 qualifying at the 24-hour race in June. The sister car narrowly missed out on this early qualifying. However, there are still more chances to obtain a place in the top 30. The next one being next weekend at the second race in the VLN Endurance Championship. 

Stefan Wendl (team manager Schubert Motorsport): “We couldn't have expected such a result after qualifying. In qualifying one of our cars narrowly missed out on a top ten spot, which was due to the fact that we focussed our set-up strongly on the race. Overall BMW Motorsport did a fantastic job with the BMW Z4 GT3. The vehicle runs extremely reliably. 

That is what's most important on the Nordschleife. We held on while our rivals had all manner of technical problems. We can be proud of that.” 

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “We concentrated on a set-up that worked better in the race than in qualifying. In qualifying we saw that we had a lot of work to do. But we were consistent and reliable, which is what counts on the Nordschleife. We were also fortunate that our rivals had to battle with various problems.” 

Dirk Werner (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “It was an important test for us. Being able to drive so many laps with relatively little traffic on the track and to get into the swing of things was invaluable with regard to the 24-hour race. The car held up very well, but it's quite difficult to say what this result means. So many top cars had problems or didn't start with their best drivers. But the most important thing is that we qualified in the top ten and are therefore in the top 30 qualifying in June.”

BMW Sports Trophy Team Schubert made a successful start to the new racing season on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). Martin Tomczyk (DE), Jens Klingmann (DE) and Dominik Baumann (AT) finished third in the number 20 BMW Z4 GT3 at the opening race of the VLN Endurance Championship. A good strategy and some impressive driving saw the trio fight through the field from eleventh on the grid to claim a well-deserved podium.

The second BMW Z4 GT3, with drivers Dirk Werner (DE), Lucas Luhr (DE) and Alexander Sims (GB), was also on course for a podium until shortly before the end of the race. However, the number 19 car failed to finish the 60th ADAC Westfalenfahrt following a crash with Sims at the wheel. Victory went to Audi drivers Frank Stippler (DE), Marc Basseng (DE) and Laurens Vanthoor (BE).

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “All in all that was a positive start to the Nordschleife season. It was a very tactical race for us. We did not qualify as high up as we would have hoped, so we sent both cars into the race with different strategies. The aim was to stay out of traffic. We were then able to work our way through the field bit by bit. Unfortunately we missed out on an impressive team result of third and fourth when Alexander Sims crashed out in the Aremberg section of the circuit shortly before the end of the race. Despite this, we are obviously pleased with the podium.”

Martin Tomczyk (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “It feels good to start the season with a podium. The focus for us was obviously on continuing our preparations for the 24-hour race. As a racing driver, however, you always want to get a good result. And we did exactly that today. The team did a great job and I now head to next week’s DTM tests in Budapest with plenty of momentum.”

Dominik Baumann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “This third place shows that both the team and drivers have done a good job so far. Knowing that you are in the frame right from the start of the season gives everyone in the team a lot of confidence. My stint went to plan, and there were not too many yellow flags. The final phase was far more complicated for Jens Klingmann. We are happy with this result – and will now continue to work hard.”

Jens Klingmann (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 20): “Personally, I did not find it very easy to get into a good rhythm at the end. There was one yellow flag after another, and it would have been easy to lose track of what was going on. With that in mind, we can be very happy with the result. Our car is running well and we covered the distance without any technical problems. There was also a good chemistry between the drivers. It all fills me with optimism for the challenges ahead.”

Lucas Luhr (BMW Z4 GT3, car number 19): “It was actually impossible to tell that that was my first race in the BMW Z4 GT3. I feel right at home in that car. We had a slight problem in qualifying, which meant we started from quite a long way back. However, we then made good progress. After the start I was able to overtake several cars on the outside in Querspange. That was definitely a good decision. It is obviously a shame that the crash meant we were not rewarded with a good result. However, we will hopefully have a few more opportunities over the course of the year.”

For over twelve hours, it looked as though SX Team Schubert could possibly win the 24 Hours of Dubai (AE) for the second time, having previously triumphed in the desert emirate in 2011. However, two collisions in the early hours of morning saw the number 76 BMW Z4  GT3 drop back down the field. The team eventually came home tenth after 583 laps. 

Drivers Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US), Paul Dalla Lana (CA), Dane Cameron (US) and Claudia Hürtgen (DE) showed consistently good speed throughout the first half of the race, lapping among the leading group right from the word go and actually leading the race for a long period. However, shortly before five in the morning local time, two collisions with slower cars in quick succession resulted in SX Team Schubert dropping back down the standings. 

The subsequent repair work caused the car to lose several laps on its rivals, and the gap to the leaders proved too much to overcome at the end of the race. 

Racingdivas Team Schubert had more reason to celebrate. Natasja Smit-Sø (NL), Gaby Uljee (NL), Sandra van der Sloot (NL), Paulien Zwart (NL) and Shirley van der Lof (NL) recovered from problems early on in the race to produce a magnificent charge in their BMW 320d. They stormed through the field in the A3T class to snatch the class victory. In doing so, they were able to repeat last year’s success – this time against far stronger opposition. 

Stefan Wendl (Team Manager Schubert Motorsport): “We paved the way to a good result in the first half of the race. We did not take too many risks and kept out of trouble. That worked very well and, after lapping consistently and a few problems for our rivals, we found ourselves at the head of the field. Unfortunately we then had our share of misfortune. We had to repair the car twice after collisions. Despite the excellent and fast work performed by our team, this cost us a lot of time. Despite this, the race was generally encouraging for the remaining endurance races this year, as the BMW Z4 GT3 ran without any technical problems from practice right through to the finish – and that despite all the stresses and strains. Our drivers were also magnificent. Paul Dalla Lana, in particular, was extremely consistent. Congratulations to our Racingdivas, who produced an energetic performance to pick up the class win despite several collisions.” 

Dirk Werner: “It is a real shame that we were not able to convert the good performance of our car into a place on the podium. It could have been so much better, so you are obviously going to be disappointed after such a tiring race. I was in the car for the first of the two collisions. A Ferrari drove into my rear wheel when turning into the corner. That broke the wishbone. We were very unlucky, as it was not such a hard contact on the rear axle. Despite everything, I still really enjoyed being able to work with Team Schubert. I met a lot of familiar faces and the BMW Z4 GT3 is a very good car to drive. Those are the positives I will take away with me from Dubai.”