Maniack-Racing GmbH is set to become the first team from Liechtenstein to make its 24H SERIES debut at the upcoming Hankook 12H HOCKENHEIMRING.  

The brand-new outfit will compete in the GT4 class at Hockenheim alongside Britain’s Valluga, doing so with a Mercedes-AMG GT4. For its endurance racing debut, Maniack-Racing will be supported by Autorama Motorsport, the Overall TCE Teams’ champion three years in succession from 2019 to 2021. 

This marks Autorama Motorsport’s first series start since finishing 3rd in-class at the season-opening Hankook 24H DUBAI. Hockenheim will also be the Swiss team’s first entry in the GT divisions after three years competing with a Volkswagen Golf GTi, and, in its earlier guise as Stanco&Tanner Motorsport, a SEAT León Cup Racer.

“We are delighted to have Autorama Motorsport joining us with their enormous know-how,” Maniack team manager Dario Pergolini explains. “We are ambitious and have set ourselves big goals for the next few years. In this racing series, experience makes the difference between victory and defeat. This partnership has great potential to internationally, as a small motorsport country, stand up to the big [teams].”

"We, too, have started anew and after a few years and great successes, we are now ready to pass on our knowledge,” Autorama Motorsport team boss Stefan Tanner continues. “We are happy to accept the challenge, and are looking forward to supporting Maniack Racing on its debut in the 24H SERIES."

Maniack-Racing has also confirmed that reigning Overall TCE Drivers’ champion Constantin Kletzer will partner team manager Pergolini and Leichtenstein’s Martin Wachter in the #412 Mercedes. Klezter, a long-time 24H SERIES competitor with five class wins already to his name, most recently competed with Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing, securing his title alongside fellow champion Miklas Born last November in Sebring. The Austrian driver’s most recent start was also earlier this year in Dubai. 

Wachter meanwhile has most recently competed in historics. Prior to that, his most high-profile program was a part-campaign in ADAC GT Masters in 2008, during which he competed at the Nürburgring, the Lausitzring and the Sachsenring. Wachter made a one-off return to the series two years later in Assen, just two months after making his Nürburgring 24 Hours debut. 

Free Practice and Qualifying for the Hankook 12H HOCKENHEIMRING will take place on Friday 13 May, with the first half of the 12-hour race set to begin at 13.55 hrs on Saturday 14 May. After CREVENTIC’s traditional overnight intervention, the remaining 5.5 hours of the 2022 Hankook 12H HOCKENHEIMRING will run uninterrupted from 14.05 hrs on Sunday 15 May.