Showing posts with label sls amg gt3. Show all posts

AMG Customer Sports in the 24 Hours Nürburgring: Third place for the SLS AMG GT3

By | Published Sunday, 27 May 2012

After 24 hours and 155 driven laps the AMG customer sports teams crossed the finish line with three of the six entered SLS AMG GT3. The gullwing car with race number 66 of the Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport, which finished the race with the highest position and was driven by Lance David Arnold (GER), Christiaan Frankenhout (NL), Pierre Kaffer (GER) und Andreas Simonsen (S) ended the endurance race in the third overall position after a commanding finish. The sister car with race number 65, which was driven by double starter Lance David Arnold (GER), Kenneth Heyer (GER), Alexandros Margaritis (GER) and Bernd Schneider (GER), had to end the race in the 152nd lap in the third position approximately 15 minutes prior to the end of the race because of an engine cooling circuit failure.

The SLS AMG GT3 of ROWE RACING with race number 21 which was driven by Mark Bullitt (USA), Marko Hartung (GER), Roland Rehfeld (GER) and Michael Zehe (GER) finished tenth. The sister car with race number 22 and Klaus Graf (GER), Thomas Jäger (GER), Alexander Roloff (GER) and Jan Seyffarth (GER) as drivers had to end the race on Sunday morning while being in the front position because of problems with the right wheel suspension at the rear.

The Team Black Falcon came 14th with race number 16, which was driven by Christian Bracke (GER), Andrii Lebed (UA), Hannes Plesse (GER) and Reinhold Renger (GER). The sister car with race number 15, which was driven by Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Sean Edwards (GB), Manuel Metzger (GER) and Ralf Schall (GER) started in the third position and had to end the race already towards the end of the fourth lap at Döttinger Höhe because of a tyre failure.

In the commanding race with only slight discrepancies between the leading cars in the GT3 category, numerous changes in the lead took place. The SLS AMG GT3s with race numbers 65 and 66 of the Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport as well as number 22 of ROWE RACING were able to quickly establish themselves among the front runners and all of them took over the lead at different times of the race.

Ola Källenius, chairman of the board, Mercedes-AMG GmbH: „We are proud of all three of the customer teams which took part in the 24 Hours Nürburgring with the SLS AMG GT3. Congratulations to the entire Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport for finishing third.“

Uli Fritz, head of AMG customer sports: „With the third place for the customer team Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport we finished with respectable results with our AMG customer sports programme compared with numerous teams which are supported by their company. Due to various problems, we were unfortunately not able to cross the finish line with three cars, which had proved competitive in the qualifying as well as the race.“

Pierre Kaffer, Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport, race number 66: „We are happy that our strategy to put our direct competitor under pressure towards the end of the race was successful, so that it was possible for us to finish among the top three. However, it is a pity that our sister car had to end the race 15 minutes prior to time. I want to thank my team colleagues and the Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport for the perfectly prepared car.“

Norbert Brückner, team manager Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport: „It was a narrow and commanding 24 hours race. We are satisfied with the third place – however, it is clearly very disappointing that our sister car had to end the race only 15 minutes prior to end. I want to thank all members of the Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport.“

Thomas Jäger, ROWE RACING, race number 22: „We are obviously disappointed by the fact that being in the front position, we had to abandon our chances to win prior to the end of the race because of technical difficulties with the rear wheel suspension. Until 10 o'clock today, our SLS AMG GT3 ran without any problems. Especially when it rained on early Sunday morning the gullwing car with the Dunlop rain tyres ran fantastically. My team colleague Klaus Graf drove by far the fastest laps in the field. After the race is before the race and that is why I am already looking forward to the 24 Hours next year. I want to thank the entire team of ROWE RACING. Congratulations to the Hankook Team HEICO Motorsport for the third overall position.“

Anniversary edition: Fortieth jubilee of the famous endurance race

For many motorsports fans, the 24 Hours Nürburgring is the annual highlight in the motorsports season. 235,000 spectators came to watch the famous endurance race in the Eifel, which was held for the fortieth time in 2012. The anniversary edition of the race which is 24 hours long was held at the 25 kilometres long combination of the Nürburgring Nordschleife ("north loop") and the Grand Prix track. 169 cars and 650 drivers from 34 nations faced the competition, while 31 cars were entered in start positions in the most efficient and popular GT3 category.

Six Instructors of the AMG Driving Academy employed in the race

The six instructors of the AMG Driving Academy supporting the SLS AMG GT3 customer teams in the 24 Hours Nürburgring were Lance David Arnold, Thomas Jäger, Roland Rehfeld, Reinhold Renger, Bernd Schneider and Jan Seyffarth. Chief instructor Reinhold Renger is responsible for the entire programme and the specific course of instruction. It is part of the AMG Driving Academy's philosophy that the participants profit from the knowhow of the professional drivers – this is perfectly implemented in the MASTERS SLS AMG GT3.

MASTERS SLS AMG GT3: The highest level in the AMG Driving Academy programme deploys the racing version of the gullwing model as a training vehicle. With Bernd Schneider and Thomas Jäger as competent partners, the instructors, which were also responsible for all development and test drives of the SLS AMG GT3, are employed in the race. The AMG Driving Academy participants benefit from the modular design of the MASTERS SLS AMG GT3: four complementary stages guide the aspiring racing drivers to the finishing line – EXPERIENCE, WARM-UP, TRAINING and COMPETITION. Participants can take part in all MASTERS events in their own SLS AMG GT3 vehicles or in corresponding cars provided by AMG.

British GT Championship as framework programme at the Nürburgring

The third and fourth of the British GT Championship took place on May 18th and 19th of 2012 as framework programme of the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Both of the races were 60 minutes long and were held at the Grand Prix track of the Nürburgring. The British AMG customer sports team Preci-Spark with the twins David und Godfrey Jones as drivers of the SLS AMG GT3 with race number 22 finished sixth and tenth.













* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in , , , , , | Leave a comment

AMG Customer Sports Seasonal Outlook 2012: The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - more than 45 start positions around the globe in 2012

By | Published Sunday, 1 April 2012

Customer Sports Programme of AMG vigourously starts the 2012 season. Altogether, more than 45 SLS AMG GT3s will be entered for more than 15 race series on four continents. The German team ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport will enter two SLS AMG GT3 for the new FIA GT1 World Championship. Six gullwing cars are expected to fight for the overall win in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Eight SLS AMG GT3s will be entered in the German ADAC GT Masters. The newly-formed French team, which the eight-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb is part of, will participate in the French GT Championship. The cooperation team and defending winner HEICO-GRAVITY CHAROUZ TEAM will face the competition in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

Commanding fights for the lead, top-class drivers and the who's who among sports car brands – this is what national and international race series, in which customer teams enter the SLS AMG GT3 as racing car, have in common. Inspired by 26 race wins in 2011, the 1-2-3 in the Dubai 24-hours race (12th to 14th January 2012) and the second place in the Bathurst 12 Hour Race in Australia (26th February 2012), the gullwing car from Affalterbach has proved that it is a serious rival for competitors. In mid-March, many of the customer teams took advantage of the opportunity to optimally prepare for the season in test drives and setting drives on the race track of Paul Ricard in Le Castellet in Southern France.

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board, Mercedes-AMG GmbH: "Mercedes-AMG is proud of the fact that the SLS AMG GT3 is given such a positive feedback by customer teams. In the motorsport season of 2012, AMG takes part with a team of three: With the gullwing car in the customer sports programme, the new Mercedes-AMG C-Coupé in the popular DTM and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team in Formula 1 we are active all over the world. As AMG celebrates its 45th birthday, the best conditions for an exciting anniversary year are provided!"

Uli Fritz, head of AMG Customer Sports: "We want to thank the teams, which are already with us for the second year, for their confidence in us and we appreciate the new teams in the family of AMG Customer Sports. The fact that more than 45 SLS AMG GT3s are meanwhile taking part in races around the globe does not only show the great performance of the gullwing car but also proves our philosophy of using the SLS AMG GT3 merely for customer sports, not for factory entries."

Thomas Jäger, coordinator of AMG Customer Sports: "The popularity of the SLS AMG GT3 is based on four factors: Performance, reliability, its uncomplex driveability and a good parts supply. We are working hard to continue improving all of those factors in the new 2012 season as well. The gullwing car is also appreciated for its exceptional safety level with the carbon safety cell for the driver, known from the DTM cars."

Eight SLS AMG GT3s in the ADAC GT Masters

With the first ADAC GT Masters held in 2007, the racing series has meanwhile become very popular. Not only is the number of 44 inscripted sports cars from 13 brands impressing, but also the fact that eight SLS AMG GT3s will be fighting for the title in 2012. HEICO Motorsport will enter four cars (Alex Margaritis / Lance David Arnold, Kenneth Heyer / Christiaan Frankenhout, Harald Proczyk / Dominik Baumann and Andreas Simonsen / Maximilian Buhk). Thus HEICO Motorsport has the former Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Alex Margaritis, who is the current champion of the GT Masters, among their drivers.

In a cooperation, the teams HEICO Motorsport and Gravity-Charouz Racing will enter another gullwing car. The drivers for the HEICO-GRAVITY CHAROUZ TEAM will be Erik Janis / Jan Stovicek. MS Racing will enter two SLS AMG GT3s (Maximilian Götz / Sebastian Asch and Daniel Dobitsch / Florian Stoll). Seyffarth Motorsport (Jan Seyffarth / Maximilian Meyer) will enter one car. The ADAC GT Masters begins on 31st March in Oschersleben and comprises 16 races. Per racing weekend, two races are held and the private television station Kabel 1 will show live broadcasts of all races in full length.

VLN on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife with ten races

The Nürburgring VLN endurance championship came into existence more than 30 years ago. The race series is traditionally held on the legendary Nordschleife ("north loop") and the short layout of the Grand Prix track. The teams of Black Falcon, HEICO Motorsport and ROWE RACING will each enter two cars for the VLN. Black Falcon Team Manager Sean Paul Breslin: "We have already known the SLS AMG GT3 since 2010. It is a fast, reliable car with a level of security which is currently unmatched by any other race car. The first of a total of ten VLN races will take place parallelly to the ADAC GT Masters on the 31st of March. About 200 cars are expected.

24h race Nürburgring - highlight of the season

The motorsport scene is awaiting this year's 24h race Nürburgring with much excitement. The event will already take place from 16th to 20st of May and is defined as the highlight of the 2012 season by many German motorsport fans. As in the VLN, the teams of Black Falcon, HEICO Motorsport and ROWE RACING will be facing the traditional Eifel marathon with two cars each. Bernd Schneider (HEICO Motorsport) and Thomas Jäger (ROWE RACING) will be supporting the customer teams as part of the AMG support programme and will actively take part in the race. More than 700 drivers and almost 200 race cars will be entered for the traditional endurance race.

FIA GT1 World Championship with two SLS AMG GT3s

None of the races of the new FIA GT1 World Championship will take place in Germany. However, there are many indicators that the World Championship will be offering exciting motorsport: Each car brand will have two cars in start positions and nine teams of the international sports car elite confirmed their participation with cars of different manufacturers. Due to the change in regulations from the GT1 to the GT3 category, even an increase in the number of excellent performances can be expected.

The German team ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport will participate with two SLS AMG GT3s. The gullwing cars will be driven by Marc Basseng / Markus Winkelhock and Thomas Jäger / Nicky Pastorelli. As part of the AMG support programme, Thomas Jäger will be supporting the team during the beginning of the season.

Team manager René Münnich: "We want to win the World Championship this year. We fought for the drivers' and the team title for a long time in 2011. The new SLS AMG GT3 is a fast and reliable race car – the conditions for the new season could hardly be better." The FIA GT1 Championship comprises ten races in nine countries, among which you can also find emerging markets such as China, India and Russia. The first race of the season will take place in the French location Nogaro on 8th April 2012 and the final is scheduled for 2nd December 2012 on Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi.

FIA GT3 European Championship with defending winner in start position

The FIA GT1 World Championship and the FIA GT3 European Championship will start at the same time. The first six of a total of 12 races will be held on the same tracks. Every weekend, two races will take place. The defending winner HEICO Motorsport will participate with two SLS AMG GT3s in cooperation with Gravity-Charouz Racing here as well. The cockpits of the HEICO-GRAVITY CHAROUZ TEAM will be shared by Dominik Baumann / Maxi-milian Bukh as well as Max Nilsson / Mika Vähämäki.

The team of the eight-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb forms a new part of the 2012 season. Sébastien Loeb Racing will face the competition in the French GT Championship with one gullwing car (Frédéric Gabillon / Gilles Vannelet).

Blancpain Endurance Championship with four teams from four countries

Four teams from four countries will participate in the Blancpain Endurance Championship: The Belgian team Viage KRK-Racing will enter two gullwing cars driven by the teams Karl Wendlinger / Anthony Kumpen / Koen Wauters und Raf Vanthoor / Dennis Retera / Marius Ritskes. Black Falcon will also enter two gullwing cars. As in 2011, the British team Preci-Spark with the twins David Jones, Godfrey Jones and Mike Jordan will also participate in the Championship. Premium Motorsports Poland will participate for the first time with one car.

In face of the Blancpain Endurance Championship's starting field with 50 cars, it will definitely be an event with commiting motorsport. The first race will take place in Monza, Italy on 15th April 2012. The highlight of the season will be the 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on 28th July 2012. An endurance race from the Blancpain race series is also scheduled for Germany: The penultimate race out of a total of six races will be held on the Nürburgring on 23rd September.

From Malaysia to Brazil and as far as Australia

Besides the big Championships, which are mainly held on European tracks, customer teams will also be driving the SLS AMG GT3 on the continents of Asia, South America and Australia as well as in smaller national race series.

- Malaysian Super GT International Series: Petronas Syntium Team

- Brazilian GT Championship: AMattheis Motorsport, BVA Racing

- Australian GT Championship: Erebus Racing

- Spanish and Portugese GT Championship: Sports & You

- British GT Championship: Preci-Spark, Eurotech Racing

- French GT Championship: Graff Racing

- Austrian GT Series and Touring Car Series: Lechner Racing

- Super Touring Car Trophy: Land Motorsport

- DMV-TCC: ANTeam

- Italian Endurance Race Championship ECC: G-Private Racing 

AMG Driving Academy: SLS AMG GT3 driving for sports car enthusiasts

The AMG Driving Academy paves the way for sports car enthusiasts who want to drive the SLS AMG GT3 and offers race track training adjusted for the individual person. The participants of MASTERS SLS AMG GT3 profit from the modular concept with four levels adjusted with one another: EXPERIENCE, WARM-UP, TRAINING and COMPETITION. The participation in all MASTERS events is possible with a provided or one's own SLS AMG GT3. Among others, AMG brand ambassadors like Bernd Schneider, Karl Wendlinger and Thomas Jäger, Coordinator of AMG Customer Sports, will be functioning as personal instructors providing moral and practical support. The MASTERS programme of the AMG Driving Academy is directed to private customers as well as to hobby race car drivers and customer teams.
Credits: Mercedes-AMG GmbH

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AMG clinches second podium position in a row: Second place for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in the Bathurst 12 Hour, Australia

By | Published Tuesday, 28 February 2012

In today's Bathurst 12 Hour Race in Australia, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 has finished in the second place. The Australian customer team of Erebus Racing with its drivers Peter Hackett (AUS), Tim Slade (AUS), Jeroen Bleekemolen (NED) and Bret Curtis (USA) came home second after having driven 270 race laps. Having started from 6th place on the grid, starting number 20 took over the lead for the first time in the third hour of the race on a wet track. In an exciting battle against other GT3 cars, the gullwing car of the customer sports team of Erebus was able to constantly hold on to a position no lower than the top three. The Bathurst 12 Hour remained a narrow decision until the very end. The two leading cars remained in the same lap and the time difference with which they crossed the finish line was only 1.13 minutes.


The endurance race on Circuit Mount Panorama, which is 6,213 kilometres long, was marked by the difficult weather conditions, a large number of incidents and many safety car phases. The traditional hilly track is located in the State of New South Wales, with a distance of approximately 200 kilometres west of Sydney, the biggest city in Australia.

Peter Hackett (AUS): "I am very happy about the second place. Our SLS AMG GT3 delivered a convincing top performance facing the wet conditions on the track. The car ran like clockwork and was completely reliable. We did not get involved in any of the incidents and drove a constant race with a great race strategy and fantastic pit stops. The co-operation with Black Falcon from Germany worked very well since both teams complemented each other perfectly."

Tim Slade (AUS): "It was a great challenge with a narrow finish here on Circuit Mount Panorama in Bathurst. During the entire race we competed with the other GT3 cars on a high level. I want to thank the whole team for this cohesive performance."

Black Falcon’s SLS AMG GT3 retired from race after accident

The second SLS AMG GT3 of the customer team Black Falcon with Rob Wilson (NZ), Sean Patrick Breslin (GB), Sean Paul Breslin (GB) and Vimal Mehta (TZA) started from 9th place on the grid and had no difficulties in claiming one of the top positions among the fastest cars in the race. After an hour, starting number 21 had to make a pit stop because of a problem with the rear suspension. After having been repaired successfully, the gullwing car of Black Falcon carried on driving. However, due to an accident in the 52nd lap, the race came to an end after three hours. Thanks to the exemplary safety level, which is currently not reached by any other GT3 car, the driver Sean Patrick Breslin was unharmed.

Most successful newcomer in the 2011 motor sport season

The Bathurst 12 Hour was the second podium position in a row for the AMG Customer Sports programme. In the Dubai 24 Hours race (12th to 14th January 2012) the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3 scored a commanding 1-2-3 with Abu Dhabi by Black Falcon at the top.

In its debut year of 2011, the Gullwing became probably the most successful newcomer in the 2011 motorsport season: from March 2011 on 40 race cars were delivered to international customer teams that took part in races on four continents and won a total of 26 races. The success story was crowned by the team title of the FIA GT3 European Championship for HEICO Motorsport and its two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – the first title for the Gullwing in its first full racing season.
Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A perfect start of the season for AMG Customer Sports: A 1-2-3 for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in Dubai 24 Hours

By | Published Monday, 16 January 2012

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 scored a commanding 1-2-3 in the Dubai 24-hour race (January 12th till 14th, 2012). The Abu Dhabi Black Falcon team claimed victory with Thomas Jäger (GER), Sean Edwards (ENG), Jeroen Bleekemolen (NED) and Khaled Al Qubaisi (UAE). After setting a new distance record of 628 race laps, final driver Al Qubaisi drove the Gullwing with starting number 3 across the finish line. This first place was also the maiden victory for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in a 24-hour race.


The first of HEICO Motorsport’s Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3’s came home second, two laps down. Driving duties in the car with starting number 6 were shared by Maximilian Buhk (GER), Christiaan Frankenhout (NED), Max Nilsson (SWE), Andreas Zuber (AUT) and Bernd Schneider (GER). Schneider, the five times’ DTM champion and AMG brand ambassador, drove in both of HEICO Motorsport’s cars as a part of AMG’s Customer Sports driver support programme. In the team’s sister car with starting number 16, he had been entered to partner Kenneth Heyer (GER), Andreas Simonsen (SWE) and Rodolfo Gonzalez (VEN). In a dramatic finish, final driver Simonsen managed to bring a small margin home to round out the clean sweep of the podium by finishing third.

The fourth of the four SLS AMG GT3s that were entered for the race also finished among the front-runners. The Gravity Charouz Racing team with Vincent Radermecker (BEL), Loris de Sordi (BEL), Eric Lux (LUX), Gerard Lopez (ESP) and Tomas Enge (CZE) was classified seventh to complete the good overall performance for the Gullwing cars.

All four Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3s put their mark on the Dubai 24-hour race by showing a commanding performance from the very beginning. In the field of the 72 cars, the Gullwings were among the fastest entries right away. Having started from 15th place on the grid, the Abu Dhabi Black Falcon SLS AMG GT3 moved up into the lead for the first time after two hours. Consistently fast lap times also allowed the other Gullwings to move up quickly into the ranks of the front-runners as well.
During the night, the teams from the AMG Customer Sports programme continued their largely trouble-free run on the 5.39 km long Grand Prix circuit, maintaining their fast lap times and partly alternating in the lead. After one third of the race, the Gullwing with starting number 3 finally took over the lead and held on to it until it crossed the finish line.

Thomas Jäger: “This is an optimal result for the Abu Dhabi Black Falcon team. It shows in an impressive way how performant and reliable the SLS AMG GT3 is. The driver changes went perfectly and, admittedly, we also had the necessary bit of luck: we didn’t get involved in any collisions, which isn’t self-evident with so many cars on such a short track. I want to thank the entire team for a great performance.”

Marc Schramm, managing director Black Falcon: “We came to Dubai to win. That is what we have said prior to the race and we lived up to it thanks to a strong team performance. As usual, the focus of our strategy was on consistency and that worked out in a fantastic way. Of course, I am also happy with having covered a new record distance of 628 laps. Thanks to the entire team and, of course, also to Mercedes-AMG and HWA for the support.”

Bernd Schneider: “During the night, we had a minor problem, that’s why we stood in the pits for a couple of minutes. Had it not been for that, it could even have been slightly better. To be honest, I now feel a little bit knocked out after having raced with both cars, but the success more than makes up for this. After all, finishing second and third at the same time doesn’t happen every day. Congratulations also to the Abu Dhabi Black Falcon team for this well-deserved race win.”

Ola Källenius, chairman of the board, Mercedes-AMG GmbH: “This is a great success! Especially considering that the participation in Dubai was only the fifth 24-hour race for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. Today’s clean sweep of the top three is a great reward for our efforts. I sincerely want to thank our customer teams, drivers and everyone involved. I am looking for a great 2012 motor racing season!”

Most successful newcomer in the 2011 motor sport season

This year's Dubai 24-hour race marks the beginning of the second racing season for the SLS AMG GT3. In its debut year of 2011, the Gullwing became probably the most successful newcomer in the 2011 motorsport season: from March 2011 on 40 race cars were delivered to international customer teams that took part in races on four continents and won a total of 25 races. The success story was crowned by the team title of the FIA GT3 European Championship for HEICO Motorsport and its two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – the first title for the Gullwing in its first full racing season.

The race car: performance and safety

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 is the racing version of the SLS AMG for the customer sport. It is designed for sprint and endurance races and is developed and produced by Mercedes-AMG in close cooperation with HWA AG. HWA is responsible for the development and deployment of the AMG-Mercedes DTM racing team on behalf of and in constant consultation with Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. The near-production SLS AMG GT3 provides not only an athletic performance but an exemplary level of safety that is unmatched by any other current GT3 car.







Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mika Häkkinen to make comeback as guest driver in Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

By | Published Saturday, 22 October 2011


For the first time in four years, former Formula One and DTM driver Mika Häkkinen will climb into the cockpit of a racing car for the season finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup on 13th November in Zhuhai (China). Häkkinen will be driving a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 for the six-hour race along with 2010 Mercedes-Benz DTM driver CongFu Cheng and Lance David Arnold of Germany. The Finn is making an appearance in his capacity as a Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador and this will be the first time the gullwing SLS has raced in China. The car has been entered by an independent team, Customer AMG Sports Team China.


Häkkinen’s most recent race appearance took place on 14th October 2007 when he drove an AMG Mercedes C-Class in the DTM season finale at Hockenheim. Between 2005 and 2007, he competed in 31 DTM races for Mercedes-Benz, securing three wins, three pole positions and eight podium finishes.

In the period between 1991 and 2001, the Finn contested 161 Grands Prix, signing for McLaren-Mercedes in 1995. At the wheel of the Silver Arrow, Häkkinen claimed the Formula One world championship twice (1998 and 1999), won 20 Grand Prix races, secured 26 pole positions and posted 44 podium finishes (51 overall). Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard (who drives the Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class in the 2011 DTM season) hold the record for the longest team-mate partnership in the history of Formula One; they drove together from 1996 to 2001.

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 is the competition version of the legendary gullwing, designed for customer motorsport. The car contested its first full racing season in 2011, including the ADAC GT Masters, the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring and the FIA ​​GT3 European Championship. In its debut season, the SLS AMG GT3 scored victories in all three of these series; in the FIA ​​ GT3 European Championship, customer outfit Heico Motorsport won the team title, the first trophy for the gullwing.

Mika Häkkinen: “It’s a great honour for me to be able to contest the first SLS AMG GT3 race in China. Although I’ve visited China many times, I’ve never raced there, which is why I’m really looking forward to Zhuhai. It will be a tough race in a competitive field, but I’ll do my best for Customer Sports Team AMG. Of course, being a guest driver in such a line-up should be a lot of fun, especially in the SLS AMG GT3. It’s a great customer motorsport vehicle which is both fast and extremely good-looking.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “Mika Häkkinen is one of the most successful, best-known and best-liked racing drivers in the world. He won back-to-back Formula One world championships in 1998 and 1999 with our McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team and later had a successful career in the DTM. For over fifteen years, he has been a prominent, world-famous member of the Mercedes family. Mika enjoys enormous popularity, especially in China, and that’s also why he was so willing to play an active role in the race debut of the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 at Zhuhai. Lining up on the grid for us is more than just a great gesture by Mika – he still possesses the same competitive spirit as in the days of his great Formula One battles with Michael Schumacher in the late 90s and early 2000s.”

Ola Källenius, Chairman and CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: “We are very proud that a fan favourite like Mika Häkkinen will be a guest driver in the SLS AMG GT3 at Zhuhai. His participation is unique, and we want to use his appearance to inspire race fans in China both for the vehicle and for the AMG customer sports programme. The GT3 version of the gullwing was designed for customer sport and will be raced in China – as in all other markets – by private teams. Experience gained from over 40 years of motor racing is encapsulated in that vehicle. As the first complete in-house development and production car from the AMG factory, the SLS AMG embodies all our expertise in developing high-performance vehicles.”

Klaus Meier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz China Ltd.: “Although AMG first came to China in 2007, the brand has already proved to be a great success. By 2010, China had already become AMG’s third-largest market, and sales to August of this year are already 50% up on 2010. Chinese customers appreciate the incomparable blend of speed, handling, driving dynamics, exclusivity, design and exhaust note of the AMG. The commitment to customer motorsport with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 as a style icon will further contribute to increasing Chinese enthusiasm for AMG.”


* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Posted in , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Swedish Greys - a WordPress theme from Nordic Themepark. Converted by LiteThemes.com.