The Zakspeed motor racing team from Niederzissen (Germany) decided to add another motor sports event to its racing calendar this season. During the coming weekend in the final race of the Blancpain Endurance Cup at Nürburgring, the Peter Zakowski team together with the reigning ADAC GT Masters Champions Luca Ludwig and Sebastian Asch and junior Zakspeed pilot Nikolaj Rogivue will dominate the line-up.
Once again and two weeks ahead of the ADAC GT Masters final, the Zakspeed team pulls out all the stops: ‘All or nothing’ is the motto. In the home stretch, the team racing the Mercedes AMG GT3 wants to be on top of the podium. Local matador Luca Ludwig leaves no doubt: “We are glad to be in another race here on our home turf. This gives us the opportunity to go all the way out toward the first Zakspeed victory at Nürburgring. According to the Bonner, “It is about time!” The most recent Zakspeed drivers on the podium were the two junior drivers Nicolai Sylvest and Nikolaj Rogivue. They came in third at the GT Masters at Nürburgring.
The long-track strategy in the GT Masters is history
The Zakspeed team has its work cut out for them. Fifty-five cars will be at the start of the three-hour distance race. Aside from going at the proper speed, having the right strategy will decide the outcome. “The focus is mostly on endurance. That means watching the number of tire changes and pushing just a little less”, strategises Zakspeed’s Ludwig and Sebastian Asch ads: “The competitors are good, hopefully not as good as we are. A top-5-result would be satisfied.”
On the 5.148 kilometre-long racecourse (3.2 miles), the Zakspeed trio will meet familiar acquaintances. Jules Gounon as well as Daniel Keilwitz will race alongside the Zakspeed drivers for the leadership in the GT Masters. “The competition will be fierce. Nothing comes easy in this race“, realizes the 20 years young Nikolaj Rogivue in anticipation of his Blancpain debut. Still, he has his mind set on a clear goal: “In my first several-hour race, I would be quite happy placing third“.
Peter Zakowski: “We are using the race as preparation for 2017″
For Peter, the participation in the three-hour race is not just one more event on the Zakspeed calendar: “We are using this race as preparation for next year. At that time, we want to make a clean sweep of the Blancpain Series. We already participated in this year’s official test in Paul Ricard and on the Monza track.”