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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.”