ADAC GT Masters: The Main Racing Team confirms the squad / ADAC GT Masters

After a successful first year in the ADAC GT Masters, which ended with HRT winning the team championship, the team from Drees is further expanding its participation in the lineup for the 2024 season. The team fields a total of three top-class Mercedes-AMG GT3s. With Jannes Fittje, a familiar face also returns to the HRT family.

The 24-year-old will drive the number 3 car alongside Finn Wiebelhaus (GER). Jannes Fittje started for the Haupt Racing Team in 2022, then in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup run by AWS. Despite his young age, he can recall years of experience in GT racing, from which his new teammate and GT3 racer Finn Wiebelhaus will also benefit. At the beginning of the year, 17-year-old Finn Wiebelhaus took advantage of the GT Winter Series race to get his first experience with the Mercedes-AMG GT3. In nine race starts, the youngster was on the top step of the winner’s podium seven times.

The No. 5 Mercedes-AMG GT3 is driven by South African Kwanda Mokoena, who also made several podiums in the GT Winter Series with the Haupt Racing Team. With young German Max Reis, he has another GT3 newcomer as his partner. 17-year-old Max Reis comes from single-seater racing and has already secured podium positions in the French Formula 4 championship.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 #2 drivers have been known for a month now: German duo Salman Owega and David Schumacher should help bring another trophy to Drees. Owega was crowned ADAC GT Masters driver’s champion last year with an impressive performance. DTM-experienced Schumacher also attracted attention in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, where he finished third overall in the Gold Cup with two more podium finishes.

The ADAC GT Masters will have a new class structure this year, which is aimed mainly at young talents and inexperienced drivers. With the Pro-Am Cup, Silver Cup and Am Cup, the race series creates an attractive platform for drivers with an FIA Silver or Bronze classification. Cash and non-cash prizes as well as support from ADAC through the “Road to DTM” concept for the best young drivers to complete the impressive package. The Haupt Racing Team competes in the “Silver Cup” with all three pairs of drivers.

This year, the ADAC GT Masters once again includes a total of twelve races in six events. The ADAC GT Masters runs alongside the DTM four times. The official test days will take place from April 9 to 11 at Hockenheimring. The main racing team would like to make the final adjustments there in order to properly prepare for the mission to defend their championship. The protagonists of the ADAC GT Masters will have their first real exchange of blows at the season opener at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben from 26 to 28 April. The season finale will again take place at the Hockenheimring from October 18 to 20.

Ulrich Fritz, Managing Director of the Haupt Racing Team: “After our successful debut in the ADAC GT Masters 2023, we are now entering our second season in this highly competitive championship, where we are expanding our commitment to include three Mercedes-AMG GT3s. I think we’ve managed to attract a strong line-up of drivers to HRT with a good mix of GT3 experience and young ambition. In our opinion, the ADAC GT Masters is the best series to give young, talented and aspiring drivers a platform for their development. With this in mind, we naturally want to contribute as a team and are motivated to fight for the championship.