He has been a pacesetter behind the wheel for six years now. It all started when I was fourteen years old, when the family set off from Obertshausen to the small racetracks with a used kart on the trailer – and often returned home with trophies in the trunk. “A three-person team,” remembers Finn Wiebelhaus with a smile: “Mom, dad and a mechanic.” Wiebelhaus is now 19 years old and knows all the big race tracks from Spa to the Nürburgring to Monza inside out. No longer in screaming karts, but in roaring cars. When he sits in the cockpit and starts the 550 hp of his Ford Mustang, three mechanics, a tire man, a data man, a racing engineer and other crew members from the renowned Haupt Racing Team (HRT) are virtually on board. “So many good people help me drive in circles quickly,” says Wiebelhaus, “it’s crazy.” But now also necessary at the level at which the Hessian newcomer has arrived in full throttle mode. “That was crazy” The Sunday before last, the Obertshausen native raced across the finish line of the Hockenheimring with his index finger raised in triumph. In front of thousands of spectators, Wiebelhaus gave another taste of his driving skills. In the finale of the ADAC GT Masters racing series, the second Bundesliga of sports cars, he took over the wheel from his teammate in fourth place. In the end, he overtook the three cars in front of him, achieved his third win of the season along with four further podium places and underlined that the strongest team had won the racing series. It had already been clear the day before that the Wiebelhaus/Owega duo could no longer be pushed out of the top spot. “That was crazy. Ending the season with this victory felt incredible,” says Wiebelhaus. In the pictures that show him surrounded by the HRT crew (all wearing T-shirts with the young drivers’ portraits) and sitting on the roof of the Ford Mustang with the trophy, you can see his pride in what he has achieved. A milestone in the young career of the late starter – many competitors started karting at the age of six – which could now open further doors. Activate external content There is tough competition not only on the slopes, but also off the race tracks. Classes like kart, Formula 4 (in which he drove in 2023) and GT should always be a stopover for young pacemakers like him. Anyone who circles around in one class for too long is quickly seen as left behind in a big competition. “There are many good, young drivers in the world, including other Germans,” says Wiebelhaus. His next goal: promotion to the German Touring Car Masters (DTM). If possible, with a contract as a works driver for one of the major manufacturers in your pocket. He would like to stay at Ford, where he feels comfortable and currently has a contract as a junior driver. Negotiations about how things can go further or higher will take place in the coming weeks.The chances of a Formula 1 startThe question that quickly arises in this country: When will we see you in Formula 1? Wiebelhaus answers it like this: “The chances are zero-point-something percent. This requires an immense amount of money and luck. The formula route has become very expensive.”A significant dowry from private funds and sponsorship is a basic requirement and not within reach for the Wiebelhaus family business. Especially since the nineteen-year-old “finds GT and DTM races more fun to drive or watch. That’s more action, and in close duels an outside mirror can sometimes fly off.” Talented: Finn WiebelhausPrivateHis rise to fame within just a few years is of course helpful for his future path. The fact that he could be ready for the DTM is also demonstrated by the bycatch of winning the GT Masters: victory in the “Road to DTM” classification, with which the ADAC wants to prepare aspiring drivers for the next step. Added to this is the praise that Wiebelhaus receives from the management of the HRT racing team for his steering skills, but also for his understanding of the car and therefore the fruitful collaboration with the mechanics and engineers. Compared to his teammates and also to drivers of comparable cars, he has usually proven to be the stronger one. His luck: At HRT, Manuel Reuter took on him as a kind of mentor. “A legend of our sport,” as Wiebelhaus calls the former DTM and Le Mans champion. And who teaches him “an incredible amount” about auto-understanding and mental strength. And also emphasized the importance of physical performance. Wiebelhaus has hired a fitness trainer who writes him the training plans for the home weight room in the basement (in Obertshausen) and during the many travel days (somewhere in Europe) as well as measures his progress at regular meetings (in Austria). Even after victories like the one recently in Hockenheim, Wiebelhaus is not a party animal. He often says racing bike instead of Remmidemmi. On rides with zero horsepower but the strength of his two legs, he regularly wears himself out. “When it’s 40 to 50 degrees in the car during an hour of racing, it helps if you have reserves,” he says. Every small driving mistake can be decisive for the race. This also applied to his first two appearances in 24-hour races this year. In one, he was the toughest of his team of four and sat behind the wheel for a total of eight hours. On Tuesday, two days after the race at the Hockenheimring, Wiebelhaus was back on the track. Short-term test drives in Barcelona. Wiebelhaus also drives a Ford Mustang at the same time in the GT World Challenge, a series that sends 60 cars onto the course at the same time and thus programs seemingly spectacular chaos. Just like on Sunday, when there was a crash right in front of Wiebelhaus and he avoided a crash by just centimeters. When everything slowed down, he accelerated decisively, sped past everyone on the outside and gained over ten places. With care and acceleration – Wiebelhaus’ mix with which he has already come a long way.
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