Wendl: Mercedes-AMG “Well-Prepared” for Expansion into GT2

Mercedes-AMG’s head of Customer Racing feels the manufacturer is “well-prepared” to enter SRO Motorsports Group’s GT2 platform with a car that will debut later next year.

The German marque has developed a racing car based on the Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series, the limited-edition track day vehicle that was launched this year as part of Mercedes-AMG’s 55th-anniversary celebrations.

The Mercedes-AMG GT2 will be powered by the same 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine as the Track Series. It is yet to be homologated, although the version presented in renders this month is a vision of what the final competition model will look like.

Mercedes-AMG previously explored an early entry into GT2 without committing, however it reconsidered its participation after strong feedback on the limited-number Track Series, which has in turn been developed from the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

“We made our first attempt in 2019, to check the market and make a benchmark for GT2,” Customer Racing boss Stefan Wendl told Sportscar365.

“We knew the Black Series was coming and thus could be the right car [to use] as a base. COVID brought this [GT2] project to a halt.

“Finally, the 55 years anniversary was this year and the track-only car was, internally for AMG, our possibility to use what we already had and put it into one car and sell it to customers as one of the limited-number cars.

“We feel more than overwhelmed about the prospects. After selecting the first 55 new customers for the Track Series, we said we want to go ahead and offer something to the other prospects who are left without a car and can go racing with it. This was the story.”

The Track Series quickly drew the attention of SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel, who has been trying to attract new manufacturers to his young GT2 formula.

While the Track Series was not developed for racing, its 734 horsepower output sits close to the rough 600-700 hp range of current GT2 cars. Mercedes-AMG has adapted the GT2 version to make 707 hp.

“When Stephane saw the Track Series, he said this was something to add to the roster of GT2,” Wendl said.

“It was a perfect fit, in the end. Stephane pushed since he had the chance to drive the car at the Red Bull Ring. It was more or less our final test of the Track Series to prove it.

“It’s a very difficult track for a heavy, powerful car on the brakes. It was additional support [from Ratel].”

Wendl explained that Mercedes-AMG aimed to “take over as much as possible” from the Track Series to the GT2, although some notable adaptations needed to be made.

One of those was the introduction of the first swan-neck rear wing design on a Mercedes-AMG racing car.

“On the Track Series we use a double rear wing, and this would not fit into the ruleset,” Wendl noted.

“This is why we had to develop another rear wing assembly, providing the right level of downforce and still fitting into the regulations.

“And we had a significant change for the wheel hubs and wheels, with a central locking system which is fitted to make tire changes faster.”

Mercedes-AMG has also developed endurance racing options for the GT2 which will be eligible to race in the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli from 2024.

“Coming from the Track Series, we have experience after using it and delivering the first cars into the hands of customers for our track week in Barcelona [last month],” Wendl said.

“We saw the first 12 cars in the hands of those customers. We tried to take over as much as possible and felt really comfortable with what we had.

“We focused on the finer bits and details: what you need to make a track day car meet the full homologation. And thinking ahead to Stephane’s plans to integrate those cars into endurance races with a drinks system and illumination inside and outside for the number panels.

“And also to make sure that, for example, the brakes and the available sets of discs and pads are fitting well.

“We have a car with enough performance potential for the next few years. I think we are well-prepared with this car to succeed, even expecting no evolution in performance.”

Supply Issues Dictate Timing of GT2 Debut

Mercedes-AMG has not specified the Fanatec GT2 European Series round at which its GT2 car will debut.

Wendl explained that supply chain issues have impacted the development and consequently prevented the car from taking the start of the 2023 campaign.

“The car will be introduced during the season,” he confirmed.

“Based on the current status of supply chains, developing cars is a bit slower than in pre-COVID times. Because, for some particular parts, you really have long lead times of about nine months which breaks the development.

“Even if everyone wants to go testing and finish the car, we cannot get the parts in this timeframe. It means we are fighting on a supply chain thing to get the car [out] as early as possible.

“I am not in a position to commit to a date or month. But we try to make it as early as possible.

“So far, we are really happy with what we have developed. It’s just a matter of how to have enough parts for production and after-sales.

“If you are committed to racing for a season, there is a clear expectation from those customers that they want to have the parts within one week, at the latest two weeks.

“This is the responsibility we have to take, together with our partner HWA. It’s not an easy task. We prepare as well as possible.”

According to Mercedes-AMG, the GT2 “bridges the gap” between the manufacturer’s top-end GT3 Evo and entry-level GT4 cars with a view to being raced by amateur drivers.