Drago Racing Team ZVO are a new team with some familiar names involved, targeting ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 in 2022.
The team has been founded by Philipp Zakowski previously at Zakspeed, and the former DTM race winner Jörg van Ommen.
“I decided to do something new and got in touch with Jörg. We have known each other since I was a child because our parents are friends. Jörg also drove for Zakspeed in the 1990s and I later in his kart series.”
Van Ommen has had his own racing team JvO Autosport since 2005 and has also made a name for itself with the organization of events.
“The last time we worked together was last winter when we took over races for Zakspeed due to scheduling conflicts.” From this basis, ZVO Racing was born. “I wouldn’t have done the ADAC GT Masters on my own,” says van Ommen. “I’m already the old generation, but the younger generation has to be there for a project like this. And Philipp is exactly the right person for that.”
The team headquarters will remain in Hangar Zero at Mendig Airport, where JvO Autosport was already based. “The hangar is ideal and a unique selling point for us,” van Ommen is certain. “We can organize events there and offer show runs or taxi rides through the adjacent test track, but we can also do rollouts.”
Last week the team picked up their vehicles for the coming season from AMG in Affalterbach.
“It was a logical step for us to rely on vehicles from Mercedes-AMG,” said Zakowski.
“I’ve been working with Mercedes-AMG for many years and have good contacts there. The cars are competitive on all routes and, thanks to their construction, are also very safe. They are now being carefully prepared.”
“We want to test several days in Portimão with our GT4 team before Christmas. For the GT3 car, a first test at the end of January or beginning of February is realistic. Then we want to complete several days in a row in southern Europe and play through an entire racing weekend, from setting up the pit to racing simulations with pit stops. ”
In the debut season, there are plans for one car each in the ADAC GT Masters and the ADAC GT4 Germany, as well as a commitment in the GT4 European Series.
While the driver line-up for the German GT Championship cannot yet be announced, Gabriela Jilkova and Robert Haub will be racing in the ADAC GT4 Germany. “We know that we are entering the GT3 Bundesliga with the ADAC GT Masters. We approach the matter with humility but want to be among the front runners. Otherwise, all the effort we put into is not justified. We also want to set highlights in the ADAC GT4 Germany. With Gabi and Robert, we have a strong driver duo. Gabi is the fastest female racing driver I’ve ever seen, ”Zakowski is sure.
