HubAuto to Run Pro-Class Mercedes-AMG at 24H Spa

HubAuto Racing will return to the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa this year with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo driven by Maximilian Goetz, Maximilian Buhk and Yelmer Buurman.

The Taiwanese outfit will contest its first 24-hour race with Mercedes in a special ‘Legend of Spa’ 50th-anniversary livery referring to the Mercedes 300SEL 6.8 AMG that finished second in the 1971 edition with Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz driving.

HubAuto switched from Ferrari to Mercedes-AMG over the winter and made its debut with the German brand in the Asian Le Mans Series campaign held in February.

The team ran Tom Blomqvist, Marcos Gomes and Toyota FIA World Endurance Championship star Kamui Kobayashi in a Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 at Spa last year.

2013 Spa winners Buhk and Goetz are returning to the race after missing the 2020 edition, as is Buurman who most recently finished third in 2019 with Black Falcon.

“We aim to emulate the success of the 1971 AMG,” said HubAuto Racing team owner Morris Chen.

“A podium finish would be impressive for HubAuto Racing and a fantastic way to build on the AMG history.

“We have spoken with all three drivers and they are equally eager to become part of ‘The Legend of Spa’ success story fifty years on.

“Our team is still relatively new to the Mercedes-AMG GT3, however we have had time to become more familiar with the car since the Asian Le Mans Series in February.

“We took delivery of the AMG only one week before the first race in Dubai and we were immediately at the front of the field. We are expecting to be equally competitive at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.”

HubAuto entered Asian LMS with Mercedes-AMG factory driver Raffaele Marciello headlining the driving squad alongside Gomes and Liam Talbot.

Marciello’s pre-existing Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup commitments with AKKA-ASP mean that he is unable to return to the team.

“Raffaele is unable to join the team for this event due to previous Mercedes commitments, however we are extremely pleased with Maxi B, Maxi G and Yelmer,” added Chen.

“They are all strong, talented drivers with a history of podiums across many endurance championships and we expect they will fit easily into the team.”

It won’t be the first time that a Mercedes entry has sported a 1971 throwback livery at the 24 Hours of Spa.

In 2011 Kenneth Heyer, Stephane Lemeret and Thomas Jaeger reached the podium in a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 fitted with the classic red design on its 40th-anniversary.