Following a dramatic final phase, Audi Sport Team Land won the 45th ADAC Zurich 24h Race with their Audi R8 LMS #29. Second place was secured by the BMW M6 GT3 #98 for Rowe Racing and Audi Sport Team WRT’s #9 came third.
1 – Engel / Christodoulou / Buurman / Metzger (Mercedes-AMG GT3)
14:40 Uhr Mo driver swap. Engel will drive the final stint.
15:12 Uhr Accident at the Metzgesfeld.
8 – Alzen / Arnold / Götz / van der Zande (Mercedes-AMG GT3)
14:44hrs Lance David Arnold to drive the final laps.
9 – Müller / Fässler / Frijns / Rast (Audi R8 LMS)
15:08 Uhr Pit stop: slicks for Rene Rast.
15:22 Uhr Comes in for another stop..
19 – Klingmann / Müller / Edwards / Onslow – Cole (BMW M6 GT3)
15:25 Uhr Cruises following a crash in the Tiergarten area with heavily
damaged rear along the Döttinger.
22 – Weiss / Kainz / Keilwitz / Krumbach (Ferrari 488 GT3)
14:40 Uhr Krumbach for Keilweitz.
29 – De Phillippi / Mies / Winkelhock / van der Linde (Audi R8 LMS)
15:11 Uhr Pit stop. The team initially opts for slicks to then review its decision and equip the car with wets. Background: In the refuelling hectic Team Land lost second by second, thus allowing Rowe Racing #98 to pass them. Now Team Land hopes to be able to make up for the lost ground and re-gain the position in the wet sections
15:19 Uhr The Land Audi is virtually flying. Thanks to the decision to opt for wets, the Land Audi R8 LMS can go flat out while #9 already had an off-track moment..
15:20 Uhr Maximum attack of the Land Audi. Passes the sliding Rowe BMW #98 .
15:22 Uhr Takes the lead while #9 pits.
15:23 Uhr Land is back in the lead. Thanks to the switch to wets the team was able to strike back on the crucial l lap while the WRT Audi #9 and the Rowe BMW #98 had to come in for tyre changes. Pure drama.
30 – Abbelen / Schmitz / Ziegler / Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
15:01 Uhr Klaus Abbelen for: Sabine Schmitz.
31 – Christensen / Bachler / Siedler / Luhr (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
14:44 Uhr Klaus Abbelen: “This was our final stop. Klaus was replaced by Lucas,. #30 currently is raced by Sabine but I will drive the final stint in this car. If we finish as it currently looks I will be really happy.”
33 – Dumbreck / Imperatori / Dusseldorp / Seefried (BMW M6 GT3)
14:59 Uhr The Falken BMW pits for splash&dash.
15:02 Uhr Driver swap: Dusseldorp for Dumbreck.
42 – Wittmann / Blomqvist / Tomczyk / Farfus (BMW M6 GT3)
15:07 Uhr The team gets a set of wets ready.
15:15 Uhr Is driving with damaged rear.
15:17 Uhr Switches to wets
48 – Heyer / Schneider / Dontje / Assenheimer (Mercedes-AMG GT3)
15:25 Uhr Switches to wets
50 – Baumann / Buhk / Mortara / Sandström (Mercedes-AMG GT3)
14:44 Uhr Maxi Buhk to drive the final stint.
15:10 Uhr Loses it on the wet track at the entry Adenauer Forst and hits the crash barriers.
98 – Palttala / Catsburg / Sims / Westbrook (BMW M6 GT3)
14:30 Uhr Rowe Team Principal Hans-Peter Naundorf: “We haven’t got any chance of winning the race and the battle for second place is tough, in particular as the team have opted for different strategies. I think it will be really close, in the end.”
14:44 Uhr Pit stop. Nick Catsburg remains in the car and gets a fresh set of tyres. For the time being, the car is passed by the Land Audi #29.
15:22 Uhr Pits for wets.
15:27 Uhr At the Adenauer Forst the Rowe BMW passes the WRT Audi #9 for second place and finishes in this position.