HRT TEAMS UP WITH SUNENERGY1 RACING FOR CLASS WIN AT SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS

PRESS INFORMATION | 2 July, 2023 | / Belgium

The Haupt Racing Team supported #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of SunEnergy1 Racing with drivers Nick Catsburg (NED), Chaz Mostert (AUS), Martin Konrad (AUT) and Adam Osieka (GER) claimed class victory in the Pro-Am category at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The #79 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with team owner Hubert Haupt (GER), Arjun Maini (IND), Sébastien Baud (FRA) and Jordan Love (AUS) finished fifth in the highly competitive Bronze Cup.

The 75th edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa was marked by ups and downs for the Haupt Racing Team. Already in the run-up to the race, all the cars entered by HRT suffered damage due to incidents. In particular, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 #75, which had started under the SunEnergy1 Racing entry, suffered irreparable damage to the chassis in an incident in the Eau Rouge- Raidillon area. Driver Kenny Habul (AUS), who was at the wheel at the time, left the vehicle under his own power, but subsequently had to seek medical treatment. However, Hubert Haupt's team left no stone unturned to get the number 75 car into action. A replacement car was brought to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in time for the warm-up. With Adam Osieka, a substitute driver in the bronze category could be found at short notice for Kenny Habul. Due to regulations, the #75 started the race from the pit lane. The quartet of drivers then started a furious race to catch up. Due to a strong and flawless performance by team and drivers, the #75 was already in second position in the Pro-Am category in the morning. In the final phase, the #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finally took the lead in its class, which it did not relinquish until the end of the race. The SunEnergy1 Racing team, supported by the Haupt Racing Team, thus celebrated a well-deserved class victory at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 #79 led by team owner Hubert Haupt was not lucky at first either. In the turbulent qualifying on Thursday evening, the car went off the track on a rain-soaked track and was heavily damaged. However, the time set was enough for the Superpole on the following Friday. The team managed to repair the red Mercedes-AMG GT3 overnight and thus start in Superpole - where Arjun Maini qualified for grid position 18.

Arjun Maini also went into the race over the 24 hours as the starting driver. Initially, the #79 dropped back slightly in the overall standings, but fought its way back to the top of its class over the course of this eventful race. and crossed the finish line in a respectable fifth position in the Bronze Cup after 533 laps. With this finish, the team scored valuable points for the championship in the Endurance Cup of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, where the Haupt Racing Team and its drivers are in second place in the Bronze Cup championship standings after this weekend.

The sister car with the starting number 64 and the drivers Frank Bird, Matt Bell, James Cottingham (all GBR) and Naveen Rao (USA) unfortunately did not reach the finish line. Starting from 44th place overall, the yellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 had to be retired in the pits after several incidents in the morning hours.

The next challenge awaits Team HRT next weekend. At the Norisring, the team from Drees will compete in both the DTM and the ADAC GT Masters with two cars each.

Jordan Love, #79 Haupt Racing Team: "The 24 Hours of Spa is always challenging but we made it to the finish. We were pretty tested and had to keep catching up. To finish in the top 5 in class is a good result. But we know that more would have been possible. It just wasn't our race. We made the best of the circumstances. I can't thank Mercedes-AMG and the Haupt Racing team enough for this programme."

Sébastien Baud, #79 Haupt Racing Team: "It was a very difficult race for us. For me personally, it was the first time I was able to finish the Spa 24 Hours. The team put in a strong performance to bring our car back after the accident. We were hoping for more, but I am personally happy with the result as we take valuable points for the championship. Thanks to everyone."

Chaz Mostert, #75 SunEnergy1 Racing: "We are super happy. It was a very challenging weekend for us. This win is for Kenny, who unfortunately couldn't be here today. He organised a new car for us and we drove from pit lane to win the class. An incredible result!"

Nick Catsburg, #75 SunEnergy1 Racing: "This is super great for the team. They managed to bring a car here that wasn't meant to be here and put a new driver in that wasn't meant to be. They had so much work to do with it, and then we also had to start from the very back of the pit lane. But somehow it all worked out. Hats off to the whole team, to my teammates for doing a flawless job and also to Kenny, who immediately said: I want you to drive. Hopefully we can bring him the trophy to the hospital tonight. It's an incredible feeling."

Kenny Habul, #75 SunEnergy1 Racing: "For us, it wasn't the 24 Hours of Spa but the 48 Hours of Spa. The guys drove passionately, and they rewarded themselves. After Thursday we had to deal with a lot of challenges, but everyone from Mercedes-AMG, HRT and SunEnergy1 Racing worked tirelessly to make this happen. I am very proud that we won the race with Mercedes-AMG. I was really in a lot of pain and even though I couldn't celebrate with the guys today, I'm sure we'll make up for it."

Ulrich Fritz, Chief Executive Manager Haupt Racing Team GmbH: "This weekend has again shown us the dark side of our sport, which we all love. The welfare of our drivers must always come first. A big compliment to the whole team, which showed incredible commitment despite all the setbacks."

 

About HRT
HRT stands for HAUPT RACING TEAM. The motorsport team was founded in July 2020 by racing driver and entrepreneur Hubert Haupt and has firmly established itself in international GT3 sport within a very short time. As well as numerous race wins and top results, HRT’s greatest success came in 2021 when it won the Drivers’ Championship in the DTM. The team’s programme is demanding and diverse: among other things, HRT starts in the DTM, the Nürburgring Endurance Series, the GT World Challenge Europe, and the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps. Many of these race outings are as a Mercedes-AMG Performance Team with extended factory support. HRT is also involved in professional sim racing and is a sought-after partner for technical development projects and motorsport events of all kinds. As of the 2023 season, the team’s new operations centre is the HRT Race Base in Drees, which is located at the Nürburgring. The headquarters of Haupt Racing Team GmbH are in Grünwald near Munich.

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