NEWS

After the successful start of the HRT eSports Team with two podium finishes in the FCP Euro GT Word Challenge America Esports Championship, the team will face its next challenge this weekend. Two virtual Mercedes-AMG GT3s will participate in the season opener of the Digital Nürburgring Endurance Series presented by Goodyear at the digital version of the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

The #5 Mercedes-AMG GT3 run by Haupt Racing Team with team owner Hubert Haupt (GER), Michele Beretta (ITA) and Sergei Afanasiev (RUS) showed a strong final dash of their debut season, claiming the second and third position in the overall Silver Cup driver category of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and a podium finish in Le Castellet, the second podium after the Total 24 Hours of Spa. The sister car #4 was the best-placed Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the final stage of the season, ending the race in 6th place.  

At the Circuit Paul Ricard, the debut season of the HAUPT RACING TEAM in the GT World Challenge Europe will come to an end this weekend. The six-hour race, which is also the finale of the Endurance Cup of the series, will once again feature two Mercedes-AMG GT3s run by HRT: the #4 with extended works support will be competing under the entry Mercedes-AMG Team HRT and will see Maro Engel, Luca Stolz and Vincent Abril sharing driving duties. The #5 car will be driven by team owner Hubert Haupt, Sergei Afanasiev and Michele Beretta.

The HRT eSports Team will enter its first race on November 8th. In the FCP Euro GT World Challenge America Esports Championship two Mercedes-AMG GT3s will contest the race at the Nürburgring under the banner of the HRT eSports Team.

Following its successful start at the racetrack, the HAUPT RACING TEAM is now set to reach the next milestone in its young history. Even whilst setting up HRT, the idea of an independent Esports team was firmly on the agenda. HRT is now expanding its activities into virtual motorsport with the HRT eSports Team, and has put together a promising team for this latest venture. Initial plans include outings in the Digital Nürburgring Endurance Series powered by VCO and the SRO E-Sports GT Series.

The #5 Mercedes-AMG GT3 run by HAUPT RACING TEAM with Hubert Haupt (GER), Sergei Afanasiev (RUS), Michele Beretta (ITA) and Gabriele Piana (ITA) secured the Silver Cup victory in the 72nd edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa. Team owner and driver Hubert Haupt had the honour of crossing the finish line at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchams after demanding 520 laps. The #4 Mercedes-AMG Team HRT entry claimed 7th place overall, as the eventful race was characterized by drive-through penalties and safety car phases towards the end of the Endurance classic.

The Mercedes-AMG Team HRT has secured the third position for the start of the iconic Total 24 Hours of Spa. While placing the #4 on fifth place in the qualifying last night, Maro Engel ensured a start from the second row in tomorrow’s race at Spa-Franchorchamps. The second Mercedes-AMG GT3 will head into the action from P34.  

It is the season highlight of this year's GT World Challenge Europe: the Total 24 Hours of Spa. The debut race of the HAUPT RACING TEAM at the endurance classic in the Belgian Ardennes is a special one. Due to its late date (22-25 October), the race will be held at night for a much longer time.

At the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, the HAUPT RACING TEAM finished the championship on the overall fifth position in its debut season. The #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Maro Engel and Luca Stolz competing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya showed an initial strong on-track performance with a fifth position in the first race but ran out of luck on Sunday.

The finale of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup will be taking place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend with HAUPT RACING TEAM ranking in a promising championship position: Maro Engel and Luca Stolz are only 6.5 points shy of the leaders in the drivers' sprint classification despite having missed the races at the Circuit Zandvoort. With three races to go in Barcelona, the duo driving the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 still has excellent chances of crowning the HRT debut season with the sprint title in the renowned SRO series. Engel / Stolz will once again be chasing points under the entry Mercedes-AMG Team HRT: with a good result, the duo could also collect valuable points in the teams' sprint championship where HRT currently ranks fourth overall.