ADAC GT Masters teams and drivers prepared for the new season with two days of testing in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. The Mercedes-AMG set the best lap times, as three of the Swabian GT3 sports cars took the top three positions overall. The ADAC GT Masters season opener will be held on the weekend of 13th – 15th April in Oschersleben.

Things are about to get serious. With just under two-and-a-half weeks to go before the first race, all 23 teams contesting the Super Sports Car League used a total of five test sessions to gather important data and vital experience. 35 vehicles from eight different brands were in use. Overall fastest was Nicolai Sylvest (20, DK) in the Mercedes-AMG prepared by Team Zakspeed BKK Mobile Oil Racing which he shares with Kim-Luis Schramm (20, DEU), who has moved up from the ADAC Formula 4. The Danish driver’s best time which he set in the fifth and final session was 1.23.320 minutes. “We struggled with set-up in the first few sessions,” said Sylvest. “But we made some more adjustments to the car before the final session, and then it was fine. I went out on fresh tyres towards the end, which is reflected in the result.”

The second-fastest lap time in testing was posted by Markus Pommer (27, DEU) & Maximilian Götz (32, DEU, both HTP Motorsport) in another Mercedes-AMG. Pommer not only achieved second-best time overall with a 1.23.548 minutes but was also quickest in the fourth session on Tuesday morning. “The tests went really well. I had a couple of problems on the first day, getting used to the Mercedes-AMG which I was driving for the first time this year. We went through the data again in the evening and I was much better sorted for Day 2. I was quick even on used tires, and things were better still on fresh boots. I now feel quite at home in the car and am confident about the season opener.”

Luca Stolz (22, DEU) and Sebastian Asch (31, DEU, both Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing) completed the trio of pairings out in front in ‘the car with the star’. They missed best time by 0.256 seconds. With a 1.23.580 minutes, the three drivers Ivan Lukashevich (26, RUS), Nicolaj Møller Madsen (25, DK) and Jake Dennis (22, GB) secured the fourth-best lap time of testing in the fastest Audi R8 for Phoenix Racing, who are now back in the ADAC GT Masters. They came home ahead of fellow Audi drivers, Florian Spengler (30, DEU) and Dries Vanthoor (19, B, both EFP by TECE).

Lamborghini dominated proceedings on Monday. Andrea Caldarelli (28, I) and Mirko Bortolotti (28, I, both ORANGE1 by GRT Grasser) were the fastest on the opening day and also in two of the first three sessions. The two brothers Sheldon van der Linde (18, ZA) and Kelvin van der Linde (21, ZA) also set a best time on the first day in an Audi R8 prepared by Montaplast by Land-Motorsport.

The Honda NSX GT3 made its ADAC GT Masters debut at Oschersleben. Honda Team Schubert Motorsport and the young driver pairing of Giorgio Maggi (20, CH) and Christopher Dreyspring (19, DEU) were keen to gain as much experience as possible in the Japanese car. Ferrari are back in the ADAC GT Masters for the first time since 2012 with the 488 GT3 fielded by HB Racing. Dominik Schwager (41, DEU) and Luca Ludwig (29, DEU) worked hard at posting laps in their red racing car. They managed to make it into the Top Ten in the fourth session at the Motorsport Arena.

Results from testing in Oschersleben

Test 1 (Monday)

1. Andrea Caldarelli & Mirko Bortolotti, ORANGE1 by GRT Grasser-Lamborghini,

1:23.592 minutes

2. Rolf Ineichen & Christian Engelhart, GRT Grasser Racing Team-Lamborghini,

1:23.646 minutes

3. Luca Stolz & Sebastian Asch, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing-Mercedes,

1:23.947 minutes

4. Ezequiel Perez Companc & Franck Perera, GRT Grasser Racing Team-Lamborghini,

1:24.204 minutes

5. Robert Renauer, Precote Herberth Motorsport-Porsche, 1:24.396 minutes

Test 2 (Monday)

1. Andrea Caldarelli & Mirko Bortolotti, ORANGE1 by GRT Grasser-Lamborghini,

1:23.742 minutes

2. Ivan Lukashevich & Nicolaj Møller Madsen & Jake Dennis, Phoenix Racing-Audi,

1:24.095 minutes

3. Mikkel Jensen & Timo Scheider, BMW Team Schnitzer-BMW, 1:24.184 minutes

4. Indy Dontje & Maximilian Buhk, HTP Motorsport-Mercedes, 1:24.212 minutes

5. Philip Ellis & Max Hofer, Phoenix Racing-Audi, 1:24.323 minutes

Test 3 (Monday)

1. Sheldon van der Linde & Kelvin van der Linde, Montaplast by Land-Motorsport-Audi,

1:23.682 minutes

2. Nicolaj Rogivue & Frédéric Vervisch, Aust Motorsport-Audi, 1:24.008 minutes

3. Markus Pommer & Maximilian Götz, HTP Motorsport-Mercedes, 1:24.080 minutes

4. Andrea Caldarelli & Mirko Bortolotti, ORANGE1 by GRT Grasser-Lamborghini,

1:24.139 minutes

5. Adrien de Leener & Klaus Bachler, KÜS Team75 Bernhard, 1:24.262 minutes

Test 4 (Tuesday)

1. Markus Pommer & Maximilian Götz, HTP Motorsport-Mercedes, 1:23.548 minutes

2. Ivan Lukashevich & Jake Dennis, Phoenix Racing-Audi, 1:23.580 minutes

3. Florian Spengler & Dries Vanthoor, EFP by TECE-Audi, 1:23.589 minutes

4. Indy Dontje & Maximilian Buhk, HTP Motorsport-Mercedes, 1:23.720 minutes

5. Philip Ellis & Max Hofer, Phoenix Racing-Audi, 1:23.769 minutes

Test 5 (Tuesday)

1. Kim-Luis Schramm & Nicolai Sylvest, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing-Mercedes,

1:23.320 minutes

2. Luca Stolz & Sebastian Asch, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing-Mercedes,

1:23.576 minutes

3. Rolf Ineichen & Christian Engelhart, GRT Grasser Racing Team-Lamborghini,

1:23.619 minutes

4. Ezequiel Perez Companc & Franck Perera, GRT Grasser Racing Team-Lamborghini,

1:23.974 minutes

5. Mikkel Jensen & Timo Scheider, BMW Team Schnitzer-BMW, 1:24.032 minutes

Combined best times, Monday and Tuesday

1. Kim-Luis Schramm & Nicolai Sylvest, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing-Mercedes,

1:23.320 minutes

2. Markus Pommer & Maximilian Götz, HTP Motorsport-Mercedes, 1:23.548 minutes

3. Luca Stolz & Sebastian Asch, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing-Mercedes,

1:23.576 minutes

4. Ivan Lukashevich & Jake Dennis, Phoenix Racing-Audi, 1:23.580 minutes

5. Florian Spengler & Dries Vanthoor, EFP by TECE-Audi, 1:23.589 minutes

Calendar for the 2018 ADAC GT Masters

13/04/18 – 15/04/18 Motorsport Arena Oschersleben

27/04/18 – 29/04/18 Autodrom Most (CZ)

08/06/18 – 10/06/18 Red Bull Ring (AUT)

03/08/18 – 05/08/18 Nürburgring

17/08/18 – 19/08/18 Circuit Zandvoort (NL)

07/09/18 – 09/09/18 Sachsenring

21/09/18 – 23/09/18 Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg

Source. ADAC GT Masters