How Ralf Schumacher argues his son’s move from the DTM to the ADAC GT Masters and why he is not a fan of David Schumacher’s Nordschleife plans
After two years in the DTM with Winward, David Schumacher is leaving the traditional series to contest the ADAC GT Masters with the HRT team in 2024. But what prompted the 22-year-old and his father to rethink their career plans and no longer compete in the DTM?
“Firstly, Mercedes reduced the number of cars and the team David was driving for was no longer an option for me. That left only one team – and there was no option there in terms of space,
Background: The withdrawal of Landgraf means that there will only be four Mercedes-AMG GT3s in the DTM in 2024 – and while the separation from Winward was clear, HRT continues to plan with Luca Stolz and Arjun Maini.
Ralf Schumacher: Rising DTM costs as an obstacle
“Secondly, the GT Masters has now developed back into a platform where there are more starters and where the quality is also good,” says Schumacher, seeing an upward trend after last year’s weak starting field. “That’s why – and in order to stay within the framework and the ADAC environment – we have decided to enter the GT Masters next year.”
Schumacher also argues that the willingness of some teams to spend a lot of money in the DTM ultimately spoke against his son staying. “If people suddenly start spending an excessive amount of money to squeeze out the last bit, then it becomes difficult for the other teams. The DTM is currently in this phase,” says Schumacher. “We are certainly not going to join this race.”
Partner Mercedes is not prepared to do so either, “because we are running GT racing the way it should be run,” says Schumacher. The ADAC is currently trying to counteract this with a test restriction so that costs do not get out of hand.
HRT team boss Fritz: “David undervalued in DTM “
HRT team boss Ulrich Fritz, meanwhile, believes that David Schumacher would benefit from a fresh start in the ADAC GT Masters. “I believe that he can do something and that he has been undervalued in the DTM over the last two years,” said Fritz. “And I’m not saying that it was down to the team or David – he’s better with us. But it’s good for him to make a change now. The move is a fresh start.”
Apart from that, a “reset” has already helped other prominent drivers. “I just remember Maro Engel, who drove in the DTM for many years and was not really competitive,” said Fritz, referring to Engel’s five-year break from the DTM until 2017. “Then he came back and won his first race.”
In the ADAC GT Masters, Fritz believes that Schumacher, who completed the young driver test at HRT in 2021 and, according to the team boss, was also a candidate for the 2022 season at HRT, has a lot to offer, partly because of his team-mate Ben Green. “He was looking for a competitive line-up. And when you drive with the reigning champion, you can assume that you can be competitive. “
Ralf Schumacher is skeptical about David’s Nordschleife plans
Apart from his involvement in the ADAC GT Masters, other long-distance races are planned – including on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Next weekend, David Schumacher will take the so-called “permit” – the Nordschleife racing license – in the GT4 Audi from Teichmann Racing.
Ralf Schumacher admits that he was initially skeptical about this. “David is old enough,” he says. “If it were up to me, he wouldn’t do it, but he decided to do it. Of course, this is a very important part of the GT sector – and especially the GT3 sector – for many racing drivers. That’s why I’m curious.” Postscript: “Personally, it would be too dangerous for me. “
