"We want to continue to be in contention for the championships": W&S Motorsport team bosses Patrick Wagner and Daniel Schellhaas take stock of the 2023 season

Question: "With victory in Cup 2 as well as second place in Cup 3 at the season opener of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) and the 'mission title defense' in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN), the motorsport year for the team started off perfectly in March. Then the second round of the NLS didn't go quite as hoped, what happened?" 

Daniel Schellhaas: "Our AVIA racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup #120 unfortunately crashed and we left without points in Cup 2. We were even more pleased with the victory in Cup 3 with the AVIA racing Porsche Cayman GT4 #960 and the third place for the CMS Cayman GT4 #962 at the second round. Both cars also already scored plenty of points in PETN at the season opener." 

Question: "In addition to the Porsche quartet in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring (PETN), another Porsche from the team made a guest appearance at NLS 3. What was the reason for that?" 

Patrick Wagner: "In addition to the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup and the three Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, the RODOPI Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport made a guest appearance in the endurance race in SP10, which was very successful with a fourth place in class. The big difference was that the four regular Porsche cars were competing against identical cars in the cups and GT4 cars from different manufacturers in the SP10."

Daniel Schellhaas: "Our regular driver Max Kronberg, who is driving the car in the GT4 European Series and in the ADAC GT4 Germany this year, wanted to prepare for the upcoming season in both series not only with the test drives but also with participation under racing conditions. In doing so, we were able to collect initial data with the car. Also with the thought of possibly competing with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in SP10 in the endurance series on the Nordschleife in 2024."

Question: "This race in the Green Hell also saw the first setback after a serious accident that heralded a black week for W&S Motorsport. What happened before the start of the GT4 European Series season in Monza and what happened after that?"

Daniel Schellhaas: "Charles Dawson accidentally crashed into Max Kronberg's car during the test session on Thursday and the chassis of both Porsche Cayman GT4s were irreparably damaged. As a result, after only twenty minutes on track and even before the first official session of the series on Friday, we no longer had a running car on site in Monza. But of course we didn't want to pack up before the start of the season and leave without points. So, without further delay, we sent a replacement car to Monza on Thursday. This was then made ready for use overnight and was able to take part in the free practice sessions on Friday. In qualifying on Saturday, the car unfortunately crashed on an oil slick and the weekend was definitely over."

Question: "Busy days followed days full of bad luck. How had the team managed to rebuild the first car within three days in order to be at the start of the GTC Race season opener with a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport already the following weekend?" 

Daniel Schellhaas: "On the very day of the accident, we started on site to dismantle the three destroyed cars and use the remaining parts to build a fresh car. The biggest challenge about the accidents was certainly the timing at the beginning of the season. During the course of a season, you can discuss with the drivers whether it makes sense to sit out a race. In addition, the drivers in the GTC Race would also have been left without points in that case, without having anything to do with the accidents. If there had been nothing more to be gained here towards the end of the championship anyway, we probably wouldn't have dared such a huge effort."

Patrick Wagner: "On the Monza weekend, I was on a race event at the Nürburgring. We were able to pick up a new body shell from Manthey right away and bring it to Ofterdingen. As soon as the parts arrived from Monza on Monday afternoon, we started work with five men to rebuild the first Porsche 718 Cayman GT4. We worked without a break and after three days it was ready to go. The other days and weekends we were then busy, with the help of many hardworking hands, getting the two other chassis ready."

Question: "This very Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport in the GTC Race is a special car."

Patrick Wagner: "Our driver Tim Horrell from the USA is paraplegic. To enable him to race, a special throttle ring was installed on the steering wheel in cooperation with PARAVAN GmbH. He operates the brake mechanically via a lever with his right hand. This allows his cockpit colleague to steer the car as usual at any time. The whole project is also new for us. We're still learning and further optimizing the system with every race. We've already cooperated with PARAVAN GmbH in the past on the development of steer-by-wire technology, but we're breaking new ground with the deployment for Tim Horrell."

Question: "Probably the biggest challenge for man and material every year is the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, where W&S Motorsport entered three Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS cars. The team experienced just how merciless the Green Hell is this year." 

Patrick Wagner: "The first car, the AVIA racing Porsche Cayman GT4, was cleared and destroyed by another car during the night due to a completely unnecessary maneuver. Fortunately, the driver was fine. Until then we were very well in the race, so of course it's annoying when you get shot down. Three hours before the end of the time, the second Porsche Cayman GT4 had a serious accident after a mistake by the driver. That shows how merciless the 24-hour race in the Green Hell is. One carelessness and you're out after 21 hours. Fortunately, it also turned out that the driver was uninjured. As a consolation, the third car in fourth place in Cup 3 saw the checkered flag." 

Question: "End of May also finally saw the start of the ADAC GT4 Germany season as part of the legendary DTM. With the GT4 European Series, the ADAC GT4 Germany is probably one of the most fiercely contested series with GT4 cars from different manufacturers. After the season opener at Oschersleben, with points for the three crews, there was cause for AVIA W&S Motorsport to celebrate at the second race weekend at Zandvoort." 

Daniel Schellhaas: "In Zandvoort, we were able to convert the existing performance, fought for the overall victory and were on the podium a total of six times. The performance was identical at Oschersleben, but we were unable to do anything against the BMW competition there due to the Balance of Performance of the Porsche Cayman GT4. We followed up on some of the results from Zandvoort at the Nürburgring and Finn Zulauf and Daniel Gregor climbed onto the podium. Max Kronberg also scored strongly again in the Trophy and won the Trophy classification on Sunday. Unfortunately, the driver duo of the GEDORE Porsche Cayman GT4 slipped down the championship standings after a mistake. This must not happen again and we will go full throttle in the second half of the season so that David Jahn and Jannes Fittje climb back to the top of the championship."

Question: "Competing in four race series with dates all over Europe over the course of a season is a big program. How does the team manage this full calendar?" 

Daniel Schellhaas: "You first need enough skilled personnel. We have assigned cores for different championships, which can focus almost exclusively on these. If necessary, we also help out among the crews. However, so many operations can of course only be carried out with sufficient personnel. Furthermore, it also requires equipment in sufficient numbers. Especially when several events take place on one weekend, in order not to compromise, but to work professionally." 

Question: "At the headquarters in Ofterdingen, another project was created to once again upgrade the offer for the drivers."

Daniel Schellhaas: "In cooperation with KW, we offer a race simulator with an integrated workstation for engineers as an added value for our drivers. The focus of the project is to provide extensive training for young up-and-coming drivers, as well as career changers and amateur drivers, and to prepare them for work in the real cockpit. With this all-round package, you can familiarize yourself with the car, get to know new tracks and prepare yourself for the work processes at the racetrack. The simulator is part of our training and support philosophy, which can now certainly be called an academy." 

Question: "The cooperation with KW is not the only cooperation with the team sponsors beyond the advertising on the cars. What other closer collaborations have come about?"

Daniel Schellhaas: "Our partners come from all sectors and some of them are market leaders. For fuels and lubricants, we work together with AVIA. We get catering support from Hotel Schöne Aussicht and owner Axel Duffner, who has also competed in numerous races as a driver with W&S Motorsport. Samedaylogistics is always on hand to provide ultra-quick assistance with transport issues, and when it comes to tools, we rely on the GEDORE range. Here we got fast and uncomplicated support after an accident at the ADAC GT4 Germany weekend at the Nürburgring. If we have any questions about rims, CMS Wheels is always there for us with competence. So we have strong and reliable partners as supporters for the most diverse areas."

Question: "What are the goals for the rest of the 2023 season?" 

Daniel Schellhaas: "The focus is clearly on ensuring that we continue to have a chance of winning the championship in the ADAC GT4 Germany with two cars, and we will fight for this. Daniel Gregor and Finn Zulauf can become champions in the Junior classification and we are currently in first place in the team championship. So there are enough goals to continue to attack fully. The performance density in the entire field of ADAC GT4 Germany drivers is incredibly close and at the highest level. It's the most challenging series this year. In the best case scenario, we'd like to finish at the front of the field in all classes."

Question: "With the GT4 series halfway through the season, the final third of the NLS and one weekend left in the GTC Race, the focus is certainly already on 2024. Are there already initial plans for the coming year?" 

Daniel Schellhaas: "Due to our specialization in the GT4 series and the NLS, plans are of course still going ahead for these series. We will continue at the same professional level and put together driver crews that are capable of winning. We are already in talks with drivers and sponsors. It is important that we can put together a good package, at least one strong silver pairing in the GT4 European Series is our goal. In the Pro-Am classification we are strongly positioned with Hendrik Still and Max Kronberg, we would like to continue this commitment."

Patrick Wagner: "The same applies, of course, to the Nürburgring Endurance Series. There we are also already actively searching and in talks." 

"Thank you very much for the detailed interview and good luck to Team W&S Motorsport in the further upcoming races of the championships all over Europe!"