The German veteran has contested six races in previous Super Sports Car League campaigns, each time on the final weekend at Hockenheim: 2007 at the wheel of an Apex Jaguar XKR GT3, 2016 in an Aust Audi R8 LMS and 2017 for Audi Sport racing academy. Last year, the former DTM driver was also mentoring the drivers of the Audi Sport racing academy throughout the season. This will be the first time that he competes in all 14 races of the championship. “I’m looking forward to my first full year as a contestant in the ADAC GT Masters and to this opportunity to drive in a German series again after such a long time,” says Pierre Kaffer. “I think the format of the ADAC GT Masters is great. The field is very impressive. There are a lot of strong cars, teams and drivers in the line-up.”
The winner of the 2004 Sebring 12 Hours does not regard the fact that he has contested relatively few races in Germany over the past few years as a disadvantage: “Although I haven’t driven on some of the tracks for a long time, I’ve competed in a wide range of racing series in Germany in the past – from Formula Ford to Formula 3 and from the Porsche Carrera Cup to the DTM. Consequently, I’ve driven on all these circuits at one time or another.”
Pierre Kaffer’s team, EFP by TECE, were established only during the current winter break. They will be entering two Audi R8 LMS, one of which Kaffer will share with Elia Erhart. The second will be driven by Dries Vanthoor and Florian Spengler. “With our experience as Audi Sport drivers, Dries and I want to build up the team and help it progress. We aim to put in a creditable performance. It’s not easy for any new team joining such a competitive series. But I am very confident, not least because we have a good and experienced service provider for vehicle care in the shape of the Holzer Group.”
Pierre Kaffer is impressed by the qualities of his co-driver Elia Erhart, having already worked with the 29-year-old in the Audi Sport racing academy team in 2016. “Elijah is highly motivated and eager to learn. I will be supporting him from both a theoretical and practical angle during the season and helping him to achieve his objectives. All in all, I think we have two equally promising driver pairings. We are all relieved that the season will be starting soon.”
