Strong winds, heavy rain at times, and temperatures more typical of late autumn set the scene for the second ADAC GT Masters race weekend at Zandvoort. Not exactly ideal conditions for Carrie Schreiner and Alain Valente on the dune circuit along the Dutch North Sea coast.
Still, the German-Swiss duo picked up where they left off in Race 2 at the Lausitzring, qualifying seventh in the opening session. “If things had gone just a bit more perfectly, we might have ended up fifth or sixth,” said Alain Valente, reflecting on his performance. The first race eventually ended in eleventh place. And although they dropped four positions, the team still went home with five championship points.
For Carrie Schreiner, the changeable weather made the second qualifying session the following day even more unpredictable. “It was wet and dry. That meant it took us a while to find our rhythm,” explained the 26-year-old. Unfortunately, from Land-Motorsport’s perspective, it was too late. A sudden downpour at the end of the session left the Formula 1 track, and especially the final sector, partially flooded, halting any chance to push for a better grid position. In the race, held four hours later, the duo brought their Audi R8 LMS GT3 home in 13th, picking up another three points for the championship.
Next up: the Nürburgring. In just over five weeks, the ADAC GT Masters heads to the Eifel circuit. Like Zandvoort, the old Formula 1 track is known for rapidly changing weather and unpredictable conditions.
