Well on his way to becoming Germany’s best motor racing trainee of the year
Maxi wins first Speed Academy assessment period
Maximilian Günther has taken another important step on his way to the top. The 16-year-old has won through in the first assessment period at the Deutsche Post Speed Academy and receives a grant cheque for 20,000 euros to help him with his future motor racing career. Günther beat off strong competition from five fellow trainees on Germany’s most successful programme for juniors. With this success in the first of four assessment periods, the reigning Formel ADAC vice-champion has taken a major step forward in his bid to win the top prize and the accolade of Germany’s best motor racing trainee of the year.
“My collection of trophies shows just how well I’ve done so far out on track,” said Günther, who is the youngest driver on the elite programme for juniors to receive backing. “Furthermore, I’m particularly pleased and also, frankly, quite proud that the jury of experts convened by the Deutsche Post Speed Academy judged my off-track performance so positively,” he added.
Throughout the season, Günther is being closely observed both on and off track by a jury composed of well-known experts whose task it is to evaluate the performance of Germany’s top motor racing trainees. The nine members include BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt, former Head of Motor Racing at Mercedes-Benz Norbert Haug, DTM ace Timo Glock and RTL top reporter Kai Ebel.
A special feature of the Deutsche Post Speed Academy that has been helping the best motor racing talents to make their way into professional motor sport since 2004 is that in addition to monitoring sporting performance on the track, the distinguished jury also evaluates the commitment of their protégés in specialist workshops that are an integral part of the very comprehensive education programme at the Deutsche Post Speed Academy. “It is now no longer enough just to be fast,” said Günther. “The whole package has to be right in order to be able to pursue a successful career in professional motor racing. I feel really well prepared for the future, aided by the support programme run by the Deutsche Post Speed Academy.”
The Deutsche Post Speed Academy has brought on a number of well-known motor racing drivers in the last ten years, among them, Formula 1 drivers such as Nico Hülkenberg and Adrian Sutil and DTM stars like Timo Glock and Pascal Wehrlein. “Former graduates of the academy show just where things can lead, which gives me a little extra boost for my second Formel ADAC season,” said Günther, who has been receiving additional support from the ADAC Sports Foundation during the past two years.
With three wins and six podium finishes, Günther is currently ranked second overall in the standings at the Formel ADAC academy that has produced Formula 1 stars like Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hülkenberg.
Foto: ADAC Formel Masters