Motorsport Team Germany is dedicated to nurturing German motorsport talent. At the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, one of its rising stars, Hugo Schwarze, will be on the grid aiming for class victory.
“Financial support is, of course, important, but even more important are the connections to various manufacturers that Motorsport Team Germany provides,” says 19-year-old Schwarze. “It has given me the chance to prove myself in simulators run by Porsche, BMW, Toyota and Audi. That is ultimately how I became a development driver for Toyota, which means a great deal to me and my career.”
This season, Schwarze is competing in the LMP3 class of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), having won the Michelin Le Mans Cup’s LMP3 standings last year. So when Toyota asked whether he wanted to race the Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo 2 #90 in the 24h event, there was only one answer. “I’ve been coming to the Nordschleife as a spectator since I was five years old, so making my debut here is incredibly special,” he says. His goal for his first outing in a GT race car is clear: “I want to win the class.”
Stronger together for the next generation
Schwarze is just one of the talents supported by Motorsport Team Germany, which currently lists 29 athletes in its programme. “Each year, we accept a maximum of five car racers and five two-wheel athletes,” explains Wolfgang Schattling, who oversees communications for Motorsport Team Germany. The initiative was founded around three years ago to bring talent support under one roof. “In the past, everyone worked separately; today, we take a more focused and coordinated approach.” The organisation looks not only at the very top, but also at every stage on the journey there. “For example, it was important to us to put Germany back on the map in international karting. At the moment, three of our six kart drivers are capable of challenging for top-five finishes in various Italian championships, the pinnacle of the sport.” The team is also proud of Devin Titz, who was recently accepted into the Mercedes-AMG F1 Junior Team. “It is wonderful that we were able to help secure this next step for talents such as 11-year-old Devin,” says Schattling. But he is equally clear about the athletes’ role: “We can open doors, but the young drivers have to walk through them themselves.”
To create as many opportunities as possible, Motorsport Team Germany is backed by a manufacturer pool that includes Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Toyota. One of the key tools in talent development is the simulator. “Some of our supported drivers spend hours in simulators that now come very close to real-world conditions. They are expected to provide feedback and are assessed in return. If they perform well in the simulator, there is every reason to believe they can become strong racing drivers on track as well.” Beyond that, Motorsport Team Germany offers guidance and support in areas such as sports medicine, nutrition, training design, sponsor acquisition, and both mental and media coaching. “We provide 360-degree support because we want to prepare these talents as thoroughly as possible for a professional career in motorsport,” says Schattling.