The Haupt Racing Team and the Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team are joining forces. The goal of the partnership is to actively support talented drivers starting in karting, facilitate the transition from karting to auto racing, and open up long-term opportunities in professional GT racing. The Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team offers ideal opportunities to get started with its own kart track in Mülsen. HRT complements this foundation with its international GT expertise, which extends all the way to the top-tier DTM series.
- Joint promotion of young talent as part of the “Road to DTM” initiative
- Debut at the DKM in Ampfing with guest appearances by Arjun Maini and David Schumacher
Supporting young drivers has always been a central part of HRT’s philosophy. With comprehensive engineering support and personalized performance coaching, the team from Drees supports up-and-coming talent both on the racetrack and during the off-season. The new partnership with the Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team fits seamlessly into HRT’s development concept and is aligned with the ADAC’s “Road to DTM” program as well as the youth development efforts of the ADAC Stiftung Sport. As an official partner team of Motorsport Team Germany—the joint junior driver development project of the ADAC Stiftung Sport and the DMSB—HRT aims to systematically support promising young talents throughout their careers. Together, this creates a continuous development pathway that extends from karting through the various GT classes all the way to the DTM.
One successful example of this support program is DTM rookie Finn Wiebelhaus: After his career in karting, he won the 2025 ADAC GT Masters drivers’ championship and the Road to DTM championship in an HRT Ford Mustang GT3. In 2026, the 20-year-old will compete for HRT Ford Racing in the DTM and, as a driver supported by the ADAC Stiftung Sport, serves as a prime example of a successful transition into professional GT racing.
The Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team also brings a wealth of strengths to the partnership. Team principal and coach Niels Tröger, the 2023 Kart World Cup champion, shares his international experience with the young drivers every day. He is supported by Fabian Kreim, the technical director. The former factory driver combines his experience in professional motorsports with in-depth technical expertise, thereby rounding out the team’s training structure.
The partnership will be on display for the first time at the midseason round of the German Karting Championship, taking place July 17–19 in Ampfing. There, Ford factory drivers Arjun Maini and David Schumacher will make a guest appearance in a kart (OK-N class). Maini currently competes for HRT Ford Racing in the DTM as well as in other top series. Schumacher finished as runner-up in the 2017 German Karting Championship. Both have firsthand experience of the path from karting to GT racing and will share valuable insights with the young drivers in attendance.
Niels Tröger, Team Manager Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team: “We want to not only offer our drivers optimal conditions in karting, but also show them concrete prospects for the next step in their careers. With HRT, we have a partner by our side that operates at the highest level in GT racing and knows exactly what it takes to develop young talent. This is a great opportunity for our young drivers.”
Ulrich Fritz, Chief Executive Officer Haupt Racing Team: “Sustainable development of young talent begins in karting. If you want to successfully develop young talent, you need a professional environment and a clear path for the next steps in their careers. That’s exactly what the Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team offers. With its infrastructure, its own racetrack, and high competitive standards, the team creates ideal conditions. We look forward to contributing our experience and working together to support young drivers on their path to professional motorsports.”
About HRT
The Haupt Racing Team (HRT) was founded in 2020 by racing driver and entrepreneur Hubert Haupt, and has firmly established itself in international GT3 sports. Its greatest successes to date include the 2021 DTM Drivers' Championship, the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Drivers' and Teams' Titles (Sprint and Silver Cup), and the Drivers' Title (2025) and three consecutive Teams' Titles (2023, 2024, 2025) in the ADAC GT Masters, as well as class wins and podium finishes in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps. Since the 2025 season, HRT has been running the Ford Mustang GT3 with factory support from Ford in several high-profile racing series and championships. HRT is also actively involved in the promotion of young talent, covering the entire pyramid of driver development, from entry into motorsport in the HRT Kart Team to the highest level of GT racing in the DTM. The joint operations center is the state-of-the-art HRT RACE BASE in Drees, at the Nürburgring, where technical development projects and motorsport events of all kinds are also carried out.
About the Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team
The Arena E Sachsenring Junior Team is dedicated to professional youth development at the highest level. The program is led by Sports Director Niels Tröger, FIA Karting World Champion and German Karting Champion, and Team Manager Fabian Kreim, three-time German Rally Champion. Together, they combine international motorsports experience with modern performance coaching and personalized driver development. Data-driven engineering, athletic and mental training, and personalized support create the ideal conditions for sporting success. With a clear focus on performance and continuous development, we guide young talents on their journey from karting to professional auto racing. Our goal is to provide race car drivers with comprehensive training and prepare them optimally for the next steps in their careers in international motorsports.
