Driver Quotes from Day 1 in Adria

FREE PRACTICE 2
Frederic Makowiecki (#4 Hexis Racing AMR Aston Martin DBRS9): "That was a good session.  We worked very hard during free practice and progressed during the two sessions and I'm very happy with the result.  Like Adria at the beginning it is a little bit difficult but now we have found a good balance in the car. In qualifying on new tyres the grip in the car will be a little bit different and we'll make a few changes but not very much.  I hope it stays  dry because the Aston is not very easy to drive on the wet track, so we need it stay dry."

Claudia Hürtgen (#24 Alpina BMW Alpina B6 GT3): "We had a problem in the first session with a little oil leak but we concentrated on the second session.  I drove on new tyres, with a clear track and it was a good time.  It was also for a big step for me to feel that the car is working and all the work in the last few weeks has really improved the performance.  I hope today means we can look forward to tomorrow in qualifying.  It helps us a lot having two cars here this weekend, with two good drivers, to help develop the car.  The whole team is prepared for tomorrow and we will see how fast we are this weekend.  However today was a good step forward and the whole team is motivated."

Sascha Bert (#36 Zakspeed Racing Viper Competition Coupe): "After two weekends where we were really depressed, we need some success now. The first practice was very good and we did a lot of changes ahead of second practice. In my opinion we took a step backwards in the second session but for qualifying we have the right set up. Oschersleben is a really nice circuit, it is my home race as it the only one in Germany. I've had a lot of success in the past with the Saleen and in GT1. I don't mind if it rains; it's no problem, we have a good car!"

FREE PRACTICE 1
Christoffer Nygaard (#28 Fischer Racing Ford GT): "Flo [Florian Gruber] did a very good time during first free practice.  I had a hard time finding out about the softer tyres.  We used the hard tyre here before for the GT Masters so I had a little problem finding how to get the best from the soft tyres, but it went well. I like Oschersleben very much; I've raced here before with the SEAT Cup and the GT Masters, so I know the track and like it. We want to make up for Adria.  We were good on pace there and we want to be here also; German team on a German track, the expectations are high but I think we'll be there."

Florian Gruber (#28 Fischer Racing Ford GT): "First free practice was OK. Oschersleben is my home circuit; I had a good car and not much traffic. I was here earlier in the year with the VW Scirocco, I did a lot of laps here and I hope it is going to be a great weekend for me."

Valentin Hummel (#34 MP Racing BMW Alpina B6 GT3): "At the end of first free practice I got hit in the back by a Corvette, which wasn't so nice. The car is a little more difficult to drive than the other cars I have driven but I can handle it and it is very nice to drive. I've raced in the VLN on the Nordschleife in a BMW M3 GTR, which was a very fast car to. The MP Racing team are very good to work with and it;s very nice to be racing with them."

Christian Mamerow (#25 Alpina BMW Alpina B6 GT3): "I had about 35-minutes in the car this morning and for 50% of the time I had yellow flags so I wasn't really able to go full speed and, to be honest, it was my first session in the car. So I just had to get used to the car and was about half-a-second slower than Jens with yellow flags, so it should be OK.  We're pretty much on the same level and we're working on the set up.  There is a lot of potential in the car and we still have to find a way to use it. The Alpina team is very professional, it is the first time I've worked with them, so I have to get to know them better, but they are very good to work with."

Jens Klingmann (#25 Alpina BMW Alpina B6 GT3): "Fifth fastest was good and from the beginning of free practice the car was very good, but we already had new tyres and I think there were a lot of other cars drove with old rubber.  So we can't say at the moment how quick we were compared to the other cars and we'll see better in second free practice when everyone is trying to set a time with new tyres. This is the second race for me in the car. Before that  I did Formula 3 and Formula BMW so it is quite difficult for me driving a GT car, but the car is good to drive and there is a lot of potential.  We need to work to develop the car but the position at the moment is quite OK."

Walter Salles (#1 Matech GT Racing Ford GT): "Free practice for me was trying to get to know the track! The one thing about doing the European Championship is about learning the tracks and this one is quite technical. Especially the Triple S and respecting the kerbs; so I'm still along way from finding the correct path, so I'm striving and looking at what Thomas [Mutsch] is doing."

BEFORE FREE PRACTICE
Dino Lunardi (#2 Matech GT Racing Ford GT): "Because Oschersleben is a short track and is quite slow, the Ford GT should be good here. The chassis is excellent, I think we will be very fast and the short straights are not a problem for the engine.  We had a good weekend in Adria winning the first race of the weekend but in race 2 I hit some debris on the track, which broke the radiator.  It was very bad for the championship because we were on the podium but we took our first win also, with 10 points, so we are in 4th in the drivers championship and we still have a long way to go."

Luca Pirri (Marc Sourd Racing Corvette Z06R GT3): "The main difference this weekend is about the tyres we will use here.  We will have a harder compound which have been tested by the team and have proven to be roughly one second slower so in order to be safe and competitive the FIA have reduced our weight by 50 kilos and I don't know how that is going to end up in terms of speed. In terms of reliability during the race and we hope to have a more steady performance during the race.  I think we are still a little bit far away from other cars like Ford, Ferrari and Morgan. I won here last year in the Ford and I like the circuit.  The Ford is still the best car for this track, it is very light and has the perfect weight balance.  Oschersleben is a very technical track and we're going to see a very exciting race."

Nicolas Armindo (#32 Team Rosberg Audi R8 LMS): "It was a good race in Hockenheim and it was good to win in the ADAC GT Masters there. It was our first victory with Cesar and was a good result for the team.  We worked well together and it was the all round performance that helped us win the race. The drivers are different in the FIA GT3 Championship but we are getting stronger and stronger and the win in the GT Master will help us here.  We saw in Silverstone that we were quick and we know the track here in Oschersleben.  If we do our job well we can get another good result this weekend."

Cesar Campanico (#32 Team Rosberg Audi R8 LMS): "Oschersleben is a good track, Nicolas and I have some good experience here after racing here in the ADAC GT Masters.  We did a very good job in Hockenheim which has helped us as a team with the set up of the car.  We are getting used to a new car and hopefully we will fight for the win here also."

2009-06-19
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