Winward Increases Involvement with HTP Motorsport

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Winward Racing has increased its involvement in HTP Motorsport, with the American team set to merge operations with the GT3 championship-winning organization to become one of the largest Mercedes-AMG customer racing teams in the world.

The Texas-based operation, owned by Russell and Bryce Ward, initially took on a technical partnership with HTP in 2017 that primarily focused around Mercedes-AMG GT4 entries in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition.

That cooperation will expand next year to include ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany under the HTP Winward Motorsport banner, along with VLN outings and a potential test program in GT World Challenge.

The target of campaigning a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo in America has also in the works, with longtime driver Christian Hohenadel taking on a senior management position.

No word has been given if Winward will return to Pilot Challenge next year, on the heels of its first career win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

“I’m delighted that we are taking successful cooperation between HTP Motorsport and Winward Racing to the next level, setting the course for a promising future for both partners,” said HTP team principal, Norbert Brückner.

“After two successful, very enjoyable years working together, we are now combining synergies and, starting next year, will also join forces in Europe where Christian Hohenadel will use his enormous experience to provide valuable support.

“Together, we will do our utmost to ensure that HTP Winward Motorsport are one of the top outfits with our Mercedes-AMG GT3s and GT4s wherever we compete.”

The merger of the two operations follows a failed bid by GruppeM Racing to take over HTP last year.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John