Home race in the ADAC GT Masters at Red Bull Ring for team based in StyriaAustrians intend to field three Lamborghinis and new driver pairings
From newcomers to championship contenders in just five years. GRT Grasser Racing have quickly become a winning outfit in the ADAC GT Masters. After three of seven race weekends, the team from the Red Bull Ring in Austria are in the Top Four in all four standings. They have certainly come a long way since the 2011 season when team principal Gottfried Grasser used to tow his Dodge Viper that he raced to circuits on an open trailer. Five years later, the team are now one of the mainstays of customer sport racing worldwide at Lamborghini and are among the top contenders to win races in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring (22nd - 24th July) with their three Lamborghini Huracáns. Grasser Racing last caused a stir at the Red Bull Ring about a year ago, when, as Lamborghini's official test and development team, the Austrians competed as guest entrants to test the GT3 version of the Lamborghini Huracán that was unveiled in early 2015 under race conditions. Adrian Zaugg (29, ZA) and Mirko Bortolotti (26, I) drove to a surprise victory from fourth place in the second race. After occasional forays in the past, GRT are now contesting their first full season in the Super Sports Car League in 2016 - and with some success. Rolf Ineichen (38, CH) and Christian Engelhart (29, DEU) went straight out and secured a win at the season opener in Oschersleben. As previously at the Motorsport Festival Lausitzring, Grasser Racing will deploy three Huracáns in their home race but with different driver pairings. Nicolas Pohler (20, DEU) will get a new team-mate in ADAC GT Masters newcomer Michele Beretta (21, I), while Luca Stolz and Gerhard Tweraser (27, A) will race together as they did at the first two race weekends. Engelhart has a clash of dates, so will not be taking part. Ineichen will share a Lamborghini with Lamborghini works driver Bortolotti, who won last year. Can they repeat last season's success again this year? "We never enter races without really trying to win," said team principal Gottfried Grasser. "However, the Red Bull Ring has a completely fresh covering of tarmac, so it's essentially a new race track and there's no comparison with 2015. However, we certainly have the potential to compete way up front." There is hardly another team apart from Grasser's that can draw on such a wealth of experience with the Lamborghini. The team are busy around the world on Lamborghini's behalf, supporting customer sport activities worldwide for the Italians. "Our engineers support customer teams in America and Asia, acting as consultants with regard to technical details and set-up issues but can also take over completely sometimes at certain races." said Gottfried Grasser. The team have no worries about planning their trip to the ADAC GT Masters in Austria. Grasser: "The circuit is located just five minutes away from our workshop. 80 percent of our team members are from the area, so of course, many of them will be inviting friends, family and sponsors to come along. Each day, we will play host to around 150 people in our hospitality facility." Gottfried Grasser has his feet firmly planted on the ground as regards objectives for his first complete season in the 2016 ADAC GT Masters: "It would be presumptuous of us to say that we intend to be championship contenders in our first full season. Rolf Ineichen and Christian Engelhart are currently third in the drivers' standings. Christian will not be racing at the Red Bull Ring and will not be in a position to score any points. Rolf is only in his third season as a pro. Consequently, we would be very satisfied to finish third at the end of the season. That also applies to the team standings." Fans wishing to experience the ADAC GT Masters live at the racetrack can purchase tickets for all fixtures for the price of 20 euros, which includes access to the paddock, from www.adac.de/motorsport.
