ADAC GT Masters Oschersleben: SSR Performance with Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart wins driver and team championship after a heartbeat finale

• In an exciting season finale of the ADAC GT Masters 2020, Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart won the driver and team championship for the German crew of SSR Performance
• Of in total 14 races SSR Performance was the only team to win three
• Stefan Schlund, Managing Director SSR Performance GmbH: “That was really not for the faint of heart – I congratulate our drivers and the whole team on this sensational achievement!”

Oschersleben/München, 8 November 2020 – Game, set and match! The season finale of the ADAC GT Masters 2020 was not for the faint of heart! In the end, the SSR Performance team with Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart celebrated overall wins in driver and team classification. With three wins during the 14 races season, SSR Performance also was the most successful team.

Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart, who share the steering wheel of the up to 550 hp SSR Porsche 911 GT3 R during the ADAC GT Masters race weekends, started the season finale in Oschersleben in impressive style: During qualifying for the Saturday heat, as always, the first of two races over the weekend, Michael Ammermüller powered the SSR Porsche 911 GT3 R to the second pole position of the season for the Munich-based newcomer team. “It cannot get any better. It is particularly important in Oschersleben, to start the race from first place on the grid, because overtaking is extremely difficult on this track. We already recognized in the free practice, that our Porsche works very well, and we were able to make use of it. Now, of course, we want to win the race too,” the experienced racer said happily.

Come race day, Ammermüller got off to a good start in bright sunshine in Oschersleben. He was able to defend the lead and continuously expanded it lap by lap. But after an accident between two competitors, who subsequently got stuck in a gravel bed, the race was interrupted after 13 laps for safety reasons. At the restart, Ammermüller was able to control the lead again. After a late mandatory pit stop without any issues, he handed the leading Porsche over to team mate Christian Engelhart. He was able to maintain the lead until a safety car period again caused an interruption. Engelhart stayed cool and was able to defend his lead at the restart, eventually achieving a much-acclaimed third win of the season. With this success, Ammermüller/Engelhart took the overall lead as well as SSR Performance conquering the lead of the team championship.

Stefan Schlund, Managing Director of SSR Performance GmbH from Munich, said: “That was really a sensational performance, I’m proud of our drivers and the whole team. Our car was performing great as well!” Christian Engelhart added:” For today we can say: mission accomplished! Michael did a tremendous job. I took over the car with a lead of more than a second. But then it got tricky. There was so much dirt on the track, a lot of cars lost fluid, it was extremely slippery and I had to be extremely careful.”

During the qualifying for the Sunday heat, Christian Engelhart achieved third place on the grid. Due to the team’s victory on Saturday, an additional 30 kilograms of success ballast had to be loaded to the SSR Porsche 911 GT3 R for the second race of the weekend.

The last race of the season got off to a turbulent start. While Engelhart’s Porsche was bumped into a spin, one of his championship rivals, Audi’s Patric Niederhauser, collided somewhere down the field. As a consequence, the race was temporarily stopped. After the restart, Engelhart defended third place despite the additional 30 kilograms on board the SSR Porsche 911 GT3 R. He knew that fourth place would be enough for the championship. After a smooth mandatory pit stop, Michael Ammermüller took over and was able to secure exactly this fourth place for winning driver and team championship of the ADAC GT Masters 2020! Stefan Schlund, Managing Director SSR Performance GmbH: “That was really not for the faint of heart – I congratulate our drivers and the whole team on this sensational achievement!”

“I am totally relieved and super happy. We worked hard all year and made less mistakes than the competition. We had a great team spirit, everyone could rely on each other,” said Michael Ammermüller happily. Team mate Christian Engelhart added: “What an incredible season, we made it. Together with Michael I managed to have a great season. The team provided us with a perfect car, we didn’t have the slightest technical problem during the whole season”. Team boss Wolfgang Hatz emphasized: “We came to Oschersleben and said to ourselves: We will win the championship. This plan really worked out!”

ADAC GT Masters, result round 13, Oschersleben (D):

1. Michael Ammermüller/Christian Engelhart, SSR Performance, Porsche 911 GT3 R, 1:24:12.847 h
2. Luca Stolz/Maro Engel, Toksport WRT, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, + 3.887 sec.
3. Philipp Ellis/Raffaele Marciello, Knaus Team HTP-Winward, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, +4.488
4. Max Hofer/Christopher Haase, Montaplast by Land Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS GT3, +5.948
5. Robert Renauer/Mathieu Jaminet, Precote Herbert Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R, + 7.492
6. Patric Niederhauser/Kelvin van der Linde, Rutronik Racing, Audi R8 LMS GT3, + 10.248

ADAC GT Masters, result round 14, Oschersleben (D):

1. Philipp Ellis/Raffaele Marciello, Knaus Team HTP-Winward, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 1:23:55.182 h
2. Rolf Inneichen/Mirko Bortolotti, Team WRT, Audi R8 LMS GT3, +17.699 sec.
3. Robert Renauer/Mathieu Jaminet, Precote Herbert Motorsport, Porsche 911 GT3 R, + 20.609 sec.
4. Christian Engelhart/Michael Ammermüller, SSR Performance, Porsche 911 GT3 R, + 22.752 sec.
5. Luca Stolz/Maro Engel, Toksport WRT, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, + 25.447 Sekunden
6. Mick Wishofer/Dorian Boccolaci, Team Zakspeed BKK Mobil Oil Racing, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, +28.242

Final Championship standings:

Drivers:

1. Michael Ammermüller und Christian Engelhart, 181 points each
2. Robert Renauer, 172 points
3. Maro Engel und Luca Stolz, 167 points each
4. Kelvin van der Linde 160 points

Teams:

1. SSR Performance, 189 points
2. Precote Herberth Motorsport, 179 points
3. Toksport WRT, 177 points
4. Rutronik Racing, 164 points

The young and dynamic, Munich based SSR Performance GmbH was founded by a motorsport and car enthusiast.  The exclusive car conversion company had an exciting start into the year 2020. After moving into a new high performance automotive centre in the north of the Bavarian capital, where six floors with around 10,000 square metres of usable area are available, SSR Performance’s motorsport division is competing the ADAC GT Masters 2020. During the two-race format weekends of ADAC GT Masters, the fast and proven GT-racers Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart share the cockpit of the up to 550-horse power strong SSR Porsche 911 GT3 R.

“For us, this high-profile race series is the best possible showcase to demonstrate our competence in motorsports and sports cars,” says Stefan Schlund, CEO of the SSR Performance GmbH. Michael Cap, Head of Motorsports & Events adds: “We are happy to have with Michael Ammermüller and Christian Engelhart two extremely fast and experienced GT-specialists driving for our team.” Wolfgang Hatz is the Team Director of SSR Performance for ADAC GT Masters season.

For the SSR Performance GmbH, motorsport is an essential part of its DNA. The company has already made itself a name with building, enhancing and optimizing sports and classic cars and now takes on the challenge of the ADAC GT Masters 2020. 

At a glance: Michael Ammermüller

In 2007, today 34 years old Michael Ammermüller was very close to landing a seat in Formula One. But when he broke his scaphoid, this dream went down the drain – and a certain Sebastian Vettel was signed by Toro Rosso. But to give up was never an option for Ammermüller. He put his focus on GT racing. In 2008, he made his debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup, in 2012 followed by ADAC GT Masters. After two second places in the German Porsche series in 2014 and 2018, he started to shine in the international Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. He dominated the series in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and set a title hat trick. Ammermüller lives in Rotthalmünster in the very south of Germany in Bavaria.

At a glance: Christian Engelhart

33 years old Christian Engelhart from Starnberg started his motorsport career in kart racing, before he competed in the German Formula BMW series and had two successful years in the Austrian Touring Car Championship. Then, he changed to GT sports and entered the German Porsche Carrera Cup, becoming three times vice champion. In 2012, his first full season in the ADAC GT Masters, he finished third overall. In 2017, Engelhart became champion of the Blancpain GT Series, two years later he came second in ADAC GT Masters. In his career, the professional GT race driver and driving coach achieved 43 victories and 166 podium positions. Among his career highlights are, besides the title wins in the Blancpain GT and GT Endurance Championship, victories at the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona and the 24 hours races in Dubai and Zolder.

At a glance: Wolfgang Hatz

Just in time before the season’s start, the young and promising motorsport team of SSR Performance GmbH could secure the services of one of the most experienced top-managers in motorsports. Wolfgang Hatz is not only the mastermind behind the successful Porsche LMP1 projects, which led to three victories at the legendary 24 hours race in Le Mans and three World Endurance Championships in a row. He also collected in other motorsport categories up to Formula One vast experience and multiple successes. From 1983 up to 1989 Hatz worked as an engineer for research and development in the powertrain department of BMW and was responsible as project leader for the development of the legendary M3 engine S14. After that, he joined Porsche and until 1993 led the Formula One development. After several leading positions with different car manufactures, he returned to Porsche in 2011 as Board Member for Research and Development and led the LMP1 program of the Stuttgart based brand.

For its maiden ADAC GT Masters season, the young team of SSR Performance can rely on the support of the experienced specialists from Manthey Racing.

At a glance: The drivers of SSR Performance for the ADAC GT Masters 2020

Driver:               Michael Ammermüller                                          Driver:               Christian Engelhart

Born:                14/02/1986                                                        Born:                13/12/1986

Age:                 34                                                                   Age:                 33

Lives in:             Rotthalmünster (DEU)                                         Lives in:             Starnberg (DEU)

At a glance: The SSR PORSCHE 911 GT3 R 991.2

 Based on the 991.2 series, Porsche developed the 911 GT3 R for GT racing. Compared to the successful predecessor, the model features even more advanced aerodynamics and kinematics. The six-cylinder boxer engine with a displacement of 4.0 litres delivers up to 550 hp, depending on the respective race series’ rules. The power is transferred to the rear wheels by a six-speed gearbox operated by paddle shifters. The car weighs in at 1,235 kgs.

The calendar of the ADAC GT Masters 2020

31 July – 02 August:               ADAC GT Lausitzring (D)

14 – 16 August:                     ADAC GT Masters Nürburgring (D)

18 –  20 September:               ADAC GT Masters Hockenheim (D)

02 – 04 October:                    ADAC GT Masters Sachsenring (D)

16 – 18 October:                    ADAC GT Masters Red Bull Ring (A)

30 October – 01 November:     ADAC GT Lausitzring 2 (D)

06 – 08 November:                ADAC GT Masters Oschersleben (D)

Download link: https://ssr-performance.de/presse/presseportal/ Passwort: ssrmedia