DTM Team Principal Gottfried Grasser will swap the pit wall for the cockpit when GRT Grasser Racing Team makes two guest appearances in the 2026 ADAC GT Masters.
The 47-year-old Austrian will share a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 with Gerhard Tweraser in the Pro-Am class. The pair will contest the Nürburgring round from 10 to 12 July before returning for GRT’s home event at the Salzburgring from 4 to 6 September.
Grasser last raced in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring in 2013. Since then, he has focused on leading GRT through its GT3 programmes, including its current DTM campaign. However, a series of informal tests reignited his competitive instincts and encouraged him to plan a serious return.
Informal tests develop into two guest starts
The comeback began after Grasser received one of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 cars following the model’s retirement from frontline competition. Instead of allowing the car and its collection of spare parts to remain unused, Grasser and longtime friend Tweraser began testing it during 2025. Each outing increased their enthusiasm and eventually prompted them to search for suitable race weekends.
“After ten years, the Huracán was retired and I personally received one of the cars. It ended up sat at home, and the basement was full of spare parts,” Grasser said. “We decided to do a few informal tests over the course of the year. It was more fun every time, and the next step was to look at the calendar and see when the ADAC GT Masters was not on the same bill as the DTM. With that, the decision was made – particularly the home race at the Salzburgring.”
The separate DTM and ADAC GT Masters schedules created opportunities at the Nürburgring and Salzburgring. Moreover, the latter gives the Austrian team and driver a home appearance that adds further significance to the programme.
Grasser returns to where his ADAC GT Masters journey began
The Nürburgring carries its own importance for Grasser because he made his ADAC GT Masters debut at the circuit in 2011. On that occasion, he drove a Dodge Viper, but a technical problem ended his weekend prematurely. Fifteen years later, he will return with a proven Lamborghini and a team that has accumulated extensive experience in the championship.
GRT last contested the series in 2024 and has spent 13 years competing in the ADAC’s GT3 category. The team will also use the Thursday before the Nürburgring event to test the car and help both drivers prepare for the weekend.
Grasser believes the Huracán gives him a stronger platform than the machinery he drove during his previous racing spell. Nevertheless, his recent tests also reminded him how quickly his competitive mindset returns.
“I have the heart of a racer. I noticed that at the tests. I was battling for every tenth of a second and always trying to improve,” said the 47-year-old. “We also have a very well-developed car with the Huracán, which has enjoyed a lot of success and compete at the front of the field. That is a great basis. We did not have that in 2013. Back then, it was rather hard work.”
Tweraser brings recent racing experience
Tweraser gives the partnership valuable continuity and recent experience behind the wheel of Lamborghini GT3 machinery. The 37-year-old has competed in the ADAC GT Masters since 2012 and has completed 36 races in the championship. He has also represented GRT on several occasions, building a long-standing relationship with Grasser and the wider team.
Most recently, Tweraser made a guest appearance at the Red Bull Ring in 2025 with a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 1. Therefore, he enters the programme with more recent experience of the championship’s racing conditions.
That familiarity should help the crew as Grasser readjusts to starts, traffic and wheel-to-wheel competition after his extended absence.
Grasser leaves team principal concerns behind in the cockpit
GRT has competed in the DTM since 2022 and introduced the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 at the start of the 2026 season.
As team principal, Grasser manages the sporting, technical and financial demands of the programme. He also encourages his drivers to protect the machinery and avoid unnecessary risks. However, he adopts a completely different approach when he climbs behind the wheel.
“It is always the same: as soon as I put my helmet on, I am a racing driver. I am no longer the team principal, who has to consider parts and costs. “It is an incredible challenge, but insanely good fun. Racing is a world of its own, and it pushes you to the limit in every respect. The sport has a brutal fascination. As a team principal, it is good to see that from the other side again.”
His return will also give him a fresh view of the demands his drivers face. Experiencing the car from inside the cockpit can provide insight that data and pit-wall observations cannot fully reproduce.
Wheel-to-wheel competition poses the main test
Although Grasser has enjoyed the testing programme, he recognises that racing against a full GT3 field will present a greater challenge.
Private tests allowed him to focus on braking points, car balance and lap-time improvement. In contrast, the ADAC GT Masters will require him to manage traffic, defend positions and judge overtaking moves while competing against drivers with regular recent experience.
Grasser therefore approaches his return with enthusiasm and respect in equal measure.
“For me, the biggest challenge will be battling with other cars. I still have the jitters a little about that, as it is a long time since I have done it,” revealed Grasser, who will start alongside Tweraser in the Pro-AM class.
The Nürburgring test should help him regain confidence before the competitive sessions begin. However, only the races can recreate the pressure and unpredictability of direct competition.
Salzburgring gives GRT a home appearance
After the Nürburgring, Grasser and Tweraser will return at the Salzburgring in September. The event carries added importance because it gives the Austrian pair and team the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd. It also provides Grasser with a second race weekend after he has completed his initial comeback.
By that stage, the team can use its Nürburgring experience to refine the programme. Grasser should also feel more comfortable with race starts, driver changes and close competition after completing his first ADAC GT Masters event in 13 years.
The Salzburgring’s fast and demanding layout will present a different test from the Nürburgring. Nevertheless, the successful Huracán platform gives the team a familiar foundation for both appearances.
Future return could feature the Temerario GT3
The two guest starts do not necessarily represent GRT’s final ADAC GT Masters appearances. Grasser remains open to returning as a team principal in the future, although he would only pursue a full programme with the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3. GRT currently continues to develop that car through its DTM campaign.
Consequently, the team must complete further work before Grasser considers expanding its programme. Even so, his enthusiasm for the ADAC GT Masters and its combination of emerging talent and experienced competitors remains strong.
“We still have a few areas we are working on with this car, and there is a long way to go. However, I can definitely imagine returning in the future,” said Grasser. “I really like the series and its format. The mix of young drivers and old hands like me adds plenty of spice and excitement. And the environment is great.”
For now, Grasser will focus on his own return rather than a future team entry. His two guest starts combine nostalgia with a genuine competitive challenge as he moves from directing the operation to racing one of its cars.
