Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing has concluded the 2022 ADAC GT Masters season with yet another victory. Jules Gounon (FRA) and Fabian Schiller (GER) of Drago Racing Team ZVO claimed the leading position in the opening stages of the Sunday race at Hockenheimring already and went on to score their fourth victory of the season. Having finished in fifth place on Saturday, Mercedes-AMG driver Raffaele Marciello (SUI) had already been confirmed as the new drivers’ champion prior to the final race of the season. His MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF concludes the season in runner-up spot of the teams’ standings.
After the early decision in the battle for the drivers’ title in Raffaele Marciello’s favour, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams aimed at a successful end of the season in the final race of the ADAC GT Masters season. Moreover, the new teams’ champion still had to be determined in the one-hour race at Hockenheimring on Sunday. Prior to the final race, MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF ranked in second place, seven points down.
With third place on the grid, the #4 Drago Racing Team ZVO was the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with the best perspective. Starting driver Jules Gounon quickly claimed first place by virtue of an impressive response time at the start of the race and a successful braking manoeuvre going into turn 2. Subsequently, he led the field in a commanding way until handing over the car to Fabian Schiller. Schiller then continued the strong performance by his teammate and brought the fourth victory of the season with the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 home. As a result, the duo ends up in third place of the final drivers’ standings.
A suspension issue on the #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 just after the halfway point of the race was the reason MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF was no longer in contention for the teams’ title. The #84 sister car incurred a puncture just a litte bit later and was forced to retire as well. As a result, MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF no longer played a decisive role in the battle for the title, but still celebrated runner-up spot. Moreover, celebrations on Sunday also included the official presentation of the trophy for the best driver to Raffaele Marciello.
Raffaele Marciello, driver, MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF #48:“Sadly, the damper broke today. That is very unfortunate, but that is part of racing. Now, we are second in the teams’ standings, but it would have been very difficult today anyway as we have one car less in the race, Nevertheless, we can still be happy with the drivers’ championship.”
Jules Gounon, driver, Drago Racing Team ZVO #4: “We have had a great season. Scoring five wins between the two cars as a new team in the debut season is something we can be really proud of. Even though one or two more perhaps would have been possible. Today, I had a good start and I then saw the gap in the second corner and just tried it. That brought us victory.”
2022 final drivers’ standings, ADAC GT Masters*:
|
POS |
Driver |
Car |
Team |
Points |
|
1. |
Raffaele Marciello (SUI) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF |
191 |
|
2. |
Christian Engelhart (GER) Ayhancan Güven (TUR) |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Team Joos Sportwagentechnik |
178 |
|
3. |
Jules Gounon (FRA) Fabian Schiller (GER) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
Drago Racing Team ZVO |
151 |
|
… |
||||
|
11. |
Daniel Juncadella (ESP) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF |
103 |
|
17. |
Jan Marschalkowski (GER) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
Mercedes-AMG Team ZVO |
74 |
|
18. |
Jonathan Aberdein (RSA) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF |
56 |
|
19. |
Frank Bird (GBR) Elias Seppänen (FIN) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF |
52 |
|
20. |
Maro Engel (GER) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
MANN-FILTER Team LANDGRAF |
51 |
|
22. |
Marvin Dienst (GER) |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
Mercedes-AMG Team ZVO |
48 |
|
… |
* excerpt subject to confirmation by the organiser