It is the scene of the day that Jan Marschalkowski involuntarily delivered at the ADAC GT Masters in Zandvoort. The young German was already eliminated in the warm-up lap with his ZVO-Mercedes #8.
Marschalkowski spun on a wet track with slick tires when he briefly accelerated and the wheels spun. After the race, however, he knew himself in an interview with ‘Nitro’: “It must not happen and I am so sorry, also for [Teamkollege] Daniel [Juncadella].”
He cannot explain himself how he was able to take off in turn 2. He told ‘Motorsport-Total.com’: “I accelerated a bit on the straight section and felt what it was like. It was slippery. I really thought that I would take it a little easier now. Then came the oversteer and the snap. There was nothing I could do about it. Black day.”
ZVO team boss protects Marschalkowski
Team boss Philipp Zakowski defended him at the ‘Nitro’ microphone a few minutes after the fatal accident: “The conditions are really difficult. I think he wanted to warm up the tires. In the end, unfortunately, he turned right. We have to see now [wie es dazu kam]. It’s very disappointing because he had a great starting position.”
And his teammate and mentor Daniel Juncadella also tried to help him through the situation: “Of course he tried to cheer me up. It’s happened to every great racing driver before. It’s not really helping at the moment. He’s a great teammate and always helps you. I’ve never heard anything bad about him or seen a nerve.”
The weather gods presented themselves moody on Saturday in Zandvoort. Even qualifying for the German GT Championship was hit by the onset of rain. And the track was also damp on the descent towards the warm-up lap. However, as conditions looked to be drying up, many teams played gambles and put on slicks.
“Slicks were definitely the right choice because it dried out so quickly,” confirms the 19-year-old. “You could see that the vehicles on rain tires dropped back very quickly. You had to take the risk. We probably wouldn’t have scored any points on rain tires.”
Reicher: “You have to be there 100 percent”
The later race winner Mick Wishofer describes how difficult the conditions were at the beginning: “When I came to the pre-start, I said that we would stay on slicks. When I sat in the car and saw how it was on the windshield rain, I wasn’t so sure anymore.”
Simon Reicher agrees: “It was really difficult on the first lap because it was still very wet. But it dried up very quickly on the second lap.”
According to Reicher, when you start on a wet track, the most important thing is to use your head. “You can see in the warm-up lap how fast it can go if you’re not careful,” he says in an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.com’, looking at Marschalkowski’s crash. “Then you really have to be there 100 percent.”
A realization that Marschalkowski will now write behind his ears. He and the ZVO Mercedes team have the next chance on Sunday. Marschalkowski will then drive the final stint, while team-mate Juncadella will be chasing times in qualifying and then contest the start.
“The car is repairable and the lads are getting there. Dani was really strong, he’ll definitely knock one out tomorrow, then we’ll go further up the field. I hope I can pay the team back.”