Vettel, Ellis Confirmed as New HTP Mercedes Pairing

Fabian Vettel, the younger brother of four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel, will make his ADAC GT Masters debut this season with HTP Motorsport.

The 20-year-old will partner Philip Ellis, who joins HTP from Audi squad Phoenix Racing, in the team’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the full season.

Vettel made his race debut in 2017 contesting the Audi TT Cup before going on to appear in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe last year with Konrad Motorsport.

Ellis, meanwhile, scored a victory on his GT3 race debut at Oschersleben last season before going on to finish 16th in the standings with Phoenix co-driver and fellow rookie Max Hofer, who recently signed for Montaplast by-Land Motorsport.

The 26-year-old Munich-based Brit was also one of Vettel’s opponents in Audi TT Cup and went on to win the 2017 title with five victories.

“In Philip Ellis and Fabian Vettel, we have secured the services of two of the best GT Juniors in the field,” said HTP team manager Nortbert Bruckner.

“Philip has proven that he has what it takes to be up there among the frontrunners in the highly competitive ADAC GT Masters.

“Fabian is embarking on only his third season in motor racing, but he made a big impression on us during the test drives.

“He is talented, ambitious and eager to learn; he, therefore, has all the qualities to succeed at the enormously high level of the ADAC GT Masters.”

HTP entered two cars last year with its crews finishing fourth and fifth in the drivers’ championship.

Maximilian Goetz and Markus Pommer were one of four pairings capable of winning the title on the final weekend at Hockenheim, however their bid was ended by a first-corner accident.

The German team has yet to confirm whether it will return with two cars for the 2019 season.