GT: Ellis and Auer join Mercedes-AMG Performance driver squad

Mercedes-AMG has announced its factory driver line-up for the 2022 with a roster of 17 drivers contributing to its global GT racing campaign.

The line-up will consist of ten Performance, four Junior and three Expert drivers.

The Performance roster consists of Maximilian Buhk, Maro Engel, Maximilian Götz, Thomas Jäger, Luca Stolz (all GER), Jules Gounon (FRA), Dani Juncadella (ESP) and Raffaele Marciello (SUI).

The Performance squad will be joined by Philip Ellis (SUI) and Lucas Auer (AUT). 29-year-old pilot Ellis contested the DTM championship in 2021 with Team Winward, taking victory at Lausitzring on the way to finishing 7^th in the standings. Ellis also won the SP-X class at the ADAC Total Nurbürgring 24 at the wheel of the #25 Space Drive Racing entry he shared with Dominik Farnbacher, Darren Turner and Tim Scheerbarth.

Austrian driver Lucas Auer had outings in the Fanatec GT World Challenge in 2021 as well as a full season contesting the DTM championship in the #22 Team Winward entry. Auer finished 5^th in the standings with wins at Assen and Hockenheimring.

The Junior programme sees Patrick Assenheimer, Fabian Schiller and Arjun Maini joined by Mikäel Grenier. Canadian pilot Grenier had a busy 2021 with seasons in the GT World Challenge America with HTP Winward Racing and the Weather Tech Sportscar Championship. Joining Russel Ward in the #33 car, Grenier took victory at ViR on his way to finishing 6^th in the drivers standings.

Adam Christodoulou, Manual Metzger and Daniel Morad complete the roster as Expert drivers. Christodoulou and Metzger will focus on the Nordschleife programmes with Morad is supporting the development of the manufacturer’s sim racing development.

Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Christophe Sagemüller is excited at the talent he has available to him across the factory driver line-up.

“In 2022, we want to be successful in each of the major race series, something that is also reflected by our driver line-up,” said Sagemüller. “Personally, I am also very pleased that not only our new drivers of many years remain loyal to us, but new top-notch drivers who also want to be part of the Mercedes-AMG family.

“All in all, looking at our line-up, coupled with our strong team spirit, makes me very confident for the new season.”

With the 2021 season concluding just last weekend with the Kyalami 9 Hours, SRO competition restarts with the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup on April 1 – 3 at Imola.