Our customer racing teams in the DTM and ADAC GT4 Germany braved the weather conditions last motorsport weekend in the Eifel. However, the organizers were able to count 62,500 spectators on site. In the end, the customer race cars equipped with our KW Racing dampers go home with a total of eight podium places:

First and third place in the DTM for Schubert Motorsport, while in both races the ADAC GT4 Germany was twice on the podium in the hands of the BMW M4 GT4, Mercedes-AMG GT4 and Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, which we also equip with our KW Racing racing dampers. But first things first.

It was raining cats and dogs at the Nürburgring and it was really a challenge on the wet Grand Prix circuit in the Eifel. Saturday’s race of the ADAC GT4 Germany even had to be interrupted twice, although the race was started behind the safety car.

When the green flag was finally waved after the third restart, pole-sitter Gabriele Piana initially broke away in the BMW M4 GT4 (#2) of Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport. His closest pursuer was Philipp Gogollok in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 (#55).

Over the course of the race, the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 (#55) was even able to overtake the BMW M4 GT4 and take the lead. Shortly before the pit stop window opened, the two collided in the area of the AMG Arena. The victim was Philipp Gogollok in the Aston Martin Vantage, who was thrown back into the midfield as a result.

Ivan Ekelchick (#91) in the Wimmer Werk Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 took advantage of the situation without compromise and took the lead. Behind him, Gabriele Piana rejoined the ranks with his BMW M4 GT4 (#2). At the pit stop, Ferdinand Winter switched to the cockpit of the Wimmer Werk Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, who ultimately won Saturday’s race with a lead of four seconds.

Second place went to the BWT Mücke Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 (#6) of Luca Bosco and Mattis Pluschkell after a strong fightback. The third podium place also went to a Mercedes-AMG GT4. The #85 car was shared by the two CV Performance drivers Alexander Connor and Jan Philipp Springob.

Leyton Fourie and Max Rosam crossed the finish line in fourth place in the BMW M4 GT4 (#46) fielded by FK Performance; while Gabriele Piana and Michael Schrey finished fifth in the Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport M4 GT4 (#2).

It is understandable that Gabriele Piana and Michael Schrey were more than dissatisfied with their fifth place on Saturday on race Sunday. That’s why the two Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport racers really turned up the heat in their BMW M4 GT4 (#2) over the course of the race.

In the end, the BMW M4 GT4 duo had a lead of over 7.5 seconds over the rest of the field. It was their fifth victory in the eighth race of the season.

Hendrik Still, sharing his Avia W&S Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 (#30) with Max Kronberg, initially let the race. In the course of the race, however, a big mishap happened to him. He missed the pit stop window. As a result, his teammate was only able to swap driver’s seats at the end. The penalty for the #30 then placed the Porsche in 17th place.

Second place went to Enzo Joulié and Marc de Fulgencio from BWT Mücke Motorsport (Mercedes-AMG GT4, #18). Josef Knopp and Finn Zulauf finished third with their Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 (AVIA W&S Motorsport).

Markus Eichele and Philip Wisskirchen (BMW M4 GT4, #66, ME Motorsport) finished fourth. The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Zakspeed ESM #55 (Philipp Gogollok and Jan Marschalkowski) drove home in fifth place.

In Saturday’s DTM race at the Nürburgring, the field had to start behind the safety car, just like the ADAC GT4 Germany. Pole-setter Kelvin van der Linde (#3, Abt Sportsline) was also the winner of the ninth DTM race.

Mirko Bortolotti (#92, SSR Performance) and Maro Engel (#130, Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) crossed the finish line in second and third place. While not much happened at the front – places one to five – over the entire race, there was a lot of action in the midfield.

There were tough wheel-to-wheel fights and, to the delight of the spectators, a lot of battles for position. In the middle of it all are our KW Motorsport customers Manthey, EMA and Schubert Motorsport.

“DTM veteran” Marco Wittmann made up a total of five places in his BMW M4 GT3 (Schubert Motorsport, #11). In the end, he finished sixth.

Thomas Preining in the yellow-green Porsche 911 GT3 R (#91) fielded by Manthey EMA also danced through the rain. He piloted Grello so confidently through the field that he moved up eight places. He crossed the finish line in seventh place.

Schubert Motorsport drivers René Rast (#33) and Sheldon van der Linde (#31) crossed the finish line in eleventh and 13th place. Ayhancan Güven finished 17th (Porsche 911 GT3 R, #90, Manthey EMA).

Schubert Motorsport’s Sheldon van der Linde celebrated his first win of the season at the Nürburgring on Sunday, securing BMW’s 100th race win in the DTM!

The 2022 DTM champion even started the race from eighth on the grid and delivered a wonderful duel with Maro Engel. The Mercedes driver (#130, Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) finished second, while Marco Wittmann (#11) finished third in another Schubert Motorsport M4 GT3.

With the fastest race lap and fifth place overall, Ayhancan Güven from Manthey EMA ended his race weekend with his Porsche 911 GT3 R (#90).

The Manthey driver also provided the biggest catch-up race of the weekend. He improved by 14 places.

On his way to a podium finish, reigning DTM champion Thomas Preining of Manthey EMA (#91) was unlucky. His Porsche 911 GT3 R collided with the Ferrari of Jack Aitken (#14). In the end, he finished seventh.

René Rast (#33) was even more unlucky. Upon returning to the track with cold tires after the mandatory pit stop, he collided with his BMW M4 GT3 with Mercedes driver Maro Engel. René Rast was punished with three penalty laps and finished last in 17th place at the end of the race.

In the current DTM championship, our KW Motorsport customers are in the following positions in the team standings:

Position 1 Schubert Motorsport with 242 points / Position 6 Manthey EMA with 124 points.

In the manufacturers’ standings, BMW is in third place with 253 points, Porsche in fifth place with 152 points.

With 100 points in the drivers’ standings, Sheldon van der Linde (#31, Schubert Motorsport) is now fourth. René Rast (#33, Schubert Motorsport) has 98 points and is fifth. Thomas Preining (#91, Manthey EMA) has 93 points and is sixth. Marco Wittmann (#11, Schubert Motorsport) is eighth with 86 points and Ayhancan Güven (#90, Manthey EMA) is 17th with 29 points.

Photos: ADAC Motorsport, Group C Photography