Two Aston Martin with two-time European champion and three young talents 25.04.2019: ADAC GT4 Germany #1 @ Oschersleben (Germany) With a two-time European champion and three young talents as well as two newly developed Aston Martin Vantage GT4, PROpeak Performance faces the competition in the new ADAC GT4 Germany. Joerg Viebahn (Ge

ADAC GT4 Germany #1 @ Oschersleben (Germany)



With a two-time European champion and three young talents as well as two newly developed Aston Martin Vantage GT4, PROpeak Performance faces the competition in the new ADAC GT4 Germany.



Joerg Viebahn (Germany), with the team of Christoph Esser 2013 and 2016 European Champion, joins with Finn Joonas Lappalainen in the #18 Vantage, The cockpit of the #19 Vantage is shared by the Frenchman Jérémie Lesoudier and the Swiss Florian Thoma. Both Thoma and Lesoudier are among the 23 selected participants in the Young Driver Academy of Aston Martin Racing (AMR).    



Team principal Christoph Esser: "The official test in Oschersleben has already made it clear how well balanced this new GT4 championship will be from the start. That's why it's so hard to predict the performance of each car. We were quite good at the test, so we would like to build on that at the start."



At the 3.667-kilometer circuit in Oschersleben, 22-year-old Joonas Lappainen, winner of the 2016 Audi Sport TT Cup, did the second-best lap time in the official pre-season test. His new team-mate brings a great deal of experience with different GT4 sports cars, and Joerg Viebahn knows the team from Wiesemscheid, Germany, near the Nürburgring, not least due to their joint successes in the GT4 European Series.



The 54-year-old is considered a contender for winning the Trophy Cup rating for so-called bronze drivers over 35 years. At 23 years of age, Lesoudier and Thoma are already too old for the Junior ADAC Cup, but not for the AMR Young Driver Academy. After all, the winner will receive an official factory contract as AMR Junior.



Joonas Lappalainen (#18/Finland): "I am glad to be back and I cannot wait to start into a full season. Joerg (Viebahn), the team and Aston Martin have created a good basis that we together want to turn into good results."



Joerg Viebahn (#18/Germany): "It itches in almost all limbs. The team is highly motivated, and Joonas (Lappalainen) and I are well prepared. We will do our utmost to make a good debut in the new series."



Jérémie Lesoudier (#19/France): "I'm really looking forward to this first race of the season, the winter break was too long. Now I feel ready and motivated for my debut with the team, with Aston Martin Racing and Florian (Thoma). Together we want to give our best to fight for top results in the championship."



Florian Thoma (#19/Switzerland): "Oschersleben is one of my favorite race tracks. I've already done some good races there, having won in the ADAC TCR series two years ago. Therefore, I also know the environment in the ADAC GT Masters well. It was good for us in the ADAC test, so I am cautious optimistic."



 

Uwe Baldes, photo Gruppe C