The Formula 1 racing team Mercedes has promised a massive support in the talent search in German motorsport: “We want to help find the best German talent,” said the CEO of the Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Ola Källenius, on Saturday in Zandvoort.The Formula 1 team of the German Group has been a cooperation with the ADAC Foundation Sport, which was discussed in cooperation German Motor Sport Bund tries to promote talent. Under the direction of Wolfgang Dürheimer, formerly the development board at Porsche, the foundation in the kart classes is to “identify” outstanding drivers. The selected ones would then be tested for their perspectives in international competition. If special skills are discovered, costs for the training would be covered. “The talent, his parents, would then no longer have to worry about the financing,” said Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff.Schon the participation of a child in the entry series, a karting championship, is hardly for average parents. 250,000 euros are sometimes invested in the strongest categories – per year. In the formula classes, the required amounts in the millions increase. “We understand our commitment as a motivation to all talents,” said Källenius, “we want to ask you to get in and understand that there is a chance to end up with us one day.” “The selection process is brutal” in the Schumacher era drove up to seven German drivers in Formula 1. After Mick Schumacher was last not taken into account when choosing the driver of Cadillac for 2026 Nico Hülkenberg as the only pilot in the field from Germany. The 38-year-old Rhinelander will be started for Audi (so far cleanly). Wolff made it clear that the group’s commitment is not a “charity event”. If in doubt, the Austrian is more important to the Austrian with a view to the goal and the international stage of Formula 1 the tax art of a pilot than the passport. “We only continue when we see potential. The selection process is brutal.” More on the Silver arrow pilot George Russell (England) and Kimi Antonelli (Italy) have been funded by Mercedes. “But everyone knows that Mercedes was born on the race track,” said Källenius, “that is why it would be a great thing if it made a German talent.” The project will take a few years until the hoped-for success, but Mercedes wants to check two German talents in a “shoot-out” with international competition in autumn. This includes 16 -year -old Elia Weiss, the son of Claudia Hürtgen. It was considered one of the largest German talents in motorsport. A serious hand injury, suffered in a racing accident with a Formula racing car in Monaco, took the chance to exploit her full potential.
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