First win of season for Mercedes-Benz at the NurburgringMaximilian Buhk and Maximilian Gotz celebrate maiden partnership winCorvette one-two in Gentleman classification

Maximilian Buhk (20, Dassendorf) and Maximilian Gotz (27, Uffenheim) of the Polarweiss Racing team are having one of the most successful weeks of their respective careers. Last Sunday, the Mercedes-Benz duo together with Bernd Schneider won the 24 Hours of Spa. Now, six days later and 100 kilometres away, defending ADAC GT Masters champion Gotz and FIA GT3 European champion Buhk have driven their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG gullwing to a first win of the 2013 ADAC GT Masters campaign at the Nurburgring.

Gotz and Buhk crossed the finish line 2.6 seconds ahead of ex-Formula 1 driver Markus Winkelhock (32, Berglen-Steinach), who will still have been pleased to secure his best result to date in the ADAC GT Masters, and Christer Jons (26, Ingelheim) in their Prosperia C Abt Audi R8. Completing a successful day for Mercedes was the second Polarweiss pairing of Sergey Afanasiev (25) from Russia and Andreas Simonsen (23) from Sweden who joined the podium party in third place. I hope that we can carry on riding this wave of success, said a jubilant Buhk after notching up a maiden ADAC GT Masters win.

Key facts, Nurburgring (sprint configuration), Race 1 Length: 3,618 metres/Weather: 24C, cloudy/Pole position for Race 1: Diego Alessi (Callaway Competition, Corvette Z06.R GT3),01:25.920 minsWinner of Race 1: Maximilian Buhk / Maximilian Gotz (Polarweiss Racing, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3)Fastest race lap: Frank Kechele (Lambda Performance, Ford GT GT3), 1:26.499 mins

Corvette spin helps Mercedes-Benz to their first win of the seasonA mistake by Corvette set Buhk and Gotz on the road to victory. In the first half of the race, polesetter Diego Alessi (41, Italy) led Callaway Competition team-mate Andreas Wirth (28) in the Corvette Z06. After Daniel Keilwitz (24) and Christian Hohenadel (28) replaced Alessi and Wirth respectively in the driver changeover, Hohenadel made a game-changing error, as contact with Keilwitz on the first corner caused both Corvettes to spin off the track. Profiting from their misfortune, Gotz in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG moved up from P3 to P1 and cruised away to a first victory of the season in the ADAC GT Masters.

The race as a whole did include a couple of scares for Gotz and Buhk. As Gotz passed Dominik Schwager in the Ford GT, which had a damaged front wheel, there was contact between the two cars. It was only after the stewards judged the collision to be a racing incident that the Mercedes-Benz drivers could celebrate their victory.

I was able to control the lead and tried to maintain my advantage over Markus Winkelhock. However, he put a lot of pressure on me in the last few laps, said Gotz, after securing his second victory in the ADAC GT Masters. Im sorry about the contact with Dominik Schwager, but otherwise the race went perfectly. Our pit stop was great and Maxs strong start laid the foundation for victory.

This was Buhks first win in the ADAC GT Masters: I had a good start; I was sitting right behind the two Corvettes and couldnt find a way past despite being quicker than them. I didnt want to make any rash moves. In the end, the Corvettes did us a favour and we went on to take victory.

Excellent tactics enabled Markus Winkelhock and Christer Jons to finish second. By making a late compulsory pit stop, the Audi drivers were able to improve on their position, Winkelhock emerging in second place after the driver changeover. I drove every lap as if it were a qualifying session, but there was no chance of catching the Mercedes, said Winkelhock. In a thrilling second half of the race, Sergey Afanasiev and Andreas Simonsen also demonstrated excellent tactical awareness to record their best result of the seasona third-place finish made it a perfect day for Polarweiss Racing.

After spinning off half way through the race, Alessi and Keilwitz still managed to finish fourth ahead of Mario Farnbacher (21) and Philipp Frommenwiler (23, Switzerland / Farnbacher Racing) and Michael Christensen (22, Denmark) and Robert Renauer (28, Tonino powered byHerberth Motorsport) in the Porsche 911s. Max Sandritter (24) and Jrg Mller (43, PIXUM Team Schubert) brought the quickest BMW Z4 home in seventh place. Championship leaders and winners of the last ADAC GT Masters race weekend at the Sachsenring Christopher Mies (24)and Rene Rast (26, Prosperia C Abt Racing) took one point with a tenth place finish. Seiler & Bleekemolen win as Corvette take a one-two in the amateur classification

There was no stopping the Corvette Z06.R in the Gentlemen classification at the Nurburgring. Swiss Corvette driver Remo Lips (31) led compatriot Toni Seiler (55), both entered by Callaway Competition, in the first half of the race. After the compulsory pit stop, though, the roles were reversed as Seilers co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen (31, Netherlands) took the lead to secure a superb victory for the Swiss driver in the Gentlemen classification. Second place went to Remo Lips, ably assisted by ADAC Sports Foundation protege Lennart Marioneck (24). ChristinaNielsen (21, Denmark) and Sean Edwards (26, GB) driving a Farnbacher Racing Porsche 911 took the third podium place.

Second chance for Corvette in Sundays raceAfter Saturdays bad luck, the Corvette drivers have another chance to record a decent finish in the second race today. Jeroen Bleekemolen starts on pole ahead of Dominik Baumann (20, Austria) of PIXUM Team Schubert in the BMW Z4. Sean Edwards in a Porsche and Christian Hohenadel in a Corvette make up the second row. Saturdays race winners Buhk and Gotz start the ADAC GT Masters eighth race of the season from eleventh on the grid.

Result of Race 1:1. Maximilian Buhk / Maximilian Gotz (Polarweiss Racing, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3), 41 laps2. Christer Jons / Markus Winkelhock (Prosperia C Abt Racing, Audi R8 LMS ultra), +2.641 sec3. Andreas Simonsen / Sergey Afanasiev (Polarweiss Racing, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3), +10.704 sec4. Diego Alessi / Daniel Keilwitz (Callaway Competition, Corvette Z06.R GT3), +12.526 sec5. Mario Farnbacher / Philipp Frommenwiler (Farnbacher Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 R), +15.718 sec6. Michael Christensen / Robert Renauer (Tonino by Herberth Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R), +18.691 sec

The 2013 ADAC GT Masters season consists of 16 races staged over eight weekends. All 16 ADAC GT Masters races are shown live to TV audiences in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Coverage on commercial channel kabel eins commences at 12 midday on both the Saturdayand the Sunday of the race weekend.