Haupt Racing Team press release
• #79 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Hubert Haupt, Sébastien Baud and Arjun Maini
• Frank Bird and Jordan Love will race in the sister car #77
Since the founding of the Haupt Racing Team, the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe has been an essential part of HRT's motorsport program. In 2023, HRT will be represented in this highly competitive racing series with two Mercedes-AMG cars again.
The #79 Mercedes-AMG GT3 comes in a classic red and black design. Here, team owner Hubert Haupt (GER) and Sébastien Baud (FRA) will share the wheel. In the Endurance Cup races, which include the legendary Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa, the duo will be joined by Arjun Maini (IND). The #79 car will compete in the Bronze Cup, which is held at three Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe sprint events in addition to the Endurance Cup rounds.
In the blue sister car with the starting number #77, Frank Bird (GBR) and the new Mercedes-AMG junior driver Jordan Love (AUS) will contest the entire Sprint Cup season in the Silver Cup classification. The British-Australian duo already competed for HRT last season and will now battle for championship points in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe.
The opening round of this year's Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe season will take place in Monza, Italy, from April 22 to 23. The final event will be the weekend of October 14-15 on the dune circuit at Zandvoort in the Netherlands.
Hubert Haupt, team owner HRT / #79 Haupt Racing Team: "For the new season, everyone is highly motivated to compete again for the championship in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe. We have been able to bring together a good line-up, which is capable of winning. Our goal, of course, is to be at the top in the end."
Arjun Maini, #79 Haupt Racing Team: "Already last year we showed a strong performance, but didn't have the necessary race luck to convert our performance into results. For the new season we have a very strong line-up again. I think we will be strong enough to have a word for the championship."
Sébastien Baud, #79 Haupt Racing Team: "For 2023, I am very happy to have joined HRT because I appreciate the professionalism and the human side that the team shows. We are on the same wavelength and this allows me to feel 100% integrated in the project. My goals for this year are to learn as much as I can in this professional and ambitious team and to win as many races as possible to take both Endurance and Sprint Cup championships.
Frank Bird, #77 Haupt Racing Team: "I think we have been able to assemble a good combination. We want to drive as far up front as possible in both the Silver Cup and the overall standings. The Sprint Cup is a short championship where you can't lose any points. I'm really looking forward to the first race, which is also my home race."
Jordan Love, #77 Haupt Racing Team: "This is my first time competing in Sprint Cup, which is an unfamiliar format for me as I've only ever raced in Endurance Cup. But I'm looking forward to the shorter race format. With Frank I have a good partner and in combination with HRT we are well set up for the Silver Cup. Frank and I already successfully competed in a few races last year. My personal goal is to compete for podium positions in our class and take home a trophy as often as possible."
Sean Paul Breslin, team principal Haupt Racing Team: "In the new season of the Fanatec GT World Challenge, we have set our goal to compete for victory in the classes again. Last year we already showed good performances, but couldn't convert them into appropriate results. The competition will be very strong as always, but we have the potential to prevail against our rivals."