Lucas Auer

Lucas Auer is a racing driver from Austria who currently competes in the Japanese Super Formula Championship. Before moving to Japan, Auer spent four seasons in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) with Mercedes, winning four races between 2015 and 2018.

Earlier in a career, he spent four seasons in different junior single-seater competitions, winning the championship title in the 2011 JK Racing Asia Series, finishing second in the German F3 Championship in 2012 and climbing on a podium at 2014 Macau F3 Grand Prix. In 2014, he also participated in three races of the FIA World Endurance Championship with Lotus.

Lucas Auer

Championship title in the first season of formula racing

As a teenager, a kid from Tyrol and a nephew of former F1 driver Gerhard Berger was a successful karting racer, switching to formula racing in 2011.

In his first season of formula racing, Lucas captured the championship title in the JK Racing Asia Series (rebranded Formula BMW Pacific), driving the #11 Mygale-BMW for Eurointernational. He was on a podium seventeen times in 18 races, including seven wins.

German Formula 3 vice-champion in 2012

Between the seasons, in January and February 2012, Lucas participated in New Zealand's Toyota Racing Series, finishing sixth in the points with two podiums.

In 2012, Lucas moved his career to Europe, joining Van Amersfoort Racing in the German Formula 3 Championship. He was on a podium eleven times, including two wins, to finish second in the points (behind Jimmy Eriksson) and to take Rookie of the Year trophy.

In January 2013, Auer travelled again to New Zealand to take part in Toyota Racing Series. This time, he finished third in the points after winning two races.

2013 – a full season in the European Formula 3, debut in FIA WEC

In 2013, his main competition was the FIA European Formula 3 Championship. He was driving the #24 Dallara-Mercedes for championship-winning Prema Powerteam. Lucas himself won one race, at Brands Hatch, finishing fourth in the points.

Outside F3, Lucas made FIA WEC debut with Lotus in the last race of the season at Bahrain International Circuit, driving the #31 Lotus T128 LMP2 prototype.

Three F3 wins in 2014, podium at Macau Grand Prix

For the 2014 Formula 3 season, Lucas moved to Mücke Motorsport to drive the #3 Dallara-Mercedes. He was a race winner three times, twice at Hockenheim and once at Nurburgring, to finish fourth in the points again.

The highlight of 2014 was the second place at Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, where Lucas shared a podium with winner Felix Rosenqvist and third-placed Nick Cassidy.

In 2014, he also rejoined Lotus in three FIA WEC races with CLM P1/01 LMP1 prototype, at COTA, Shanghai and Sao Paulo.

Lucas Auer was driving for Mercedes in Formula 3 and then switched to DTM in 2015

DTM debut with Mercedes in 2015

An F3 connection with Mercedes resulted in 2015 with Auer's transfer to DTM. He joined one of Mercedes teams ART Grand Prix to drive the #22 Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM.

The highlight of the season was his pole position at Nurburgring, in the 15th race of the season, which he finished in the sixth place. At the end of the season, he was 23rd in the points among 24 full-time drivers.

Celebrating maiden DTM victory at Lausitzring

Maiden DTM victory at Lausitzring

In 2016, Lucas stayed in the #22 Mercedes but moved to Mücke Motorsport's garage. In the sixth race of the season, at Lausitzring, he started from pole and clinched his maiden DTM victory. Later in the season, he reached one more podium at Nurburgring after starting from pole, to finish 12th in the final standings.

Outside DTM, Lucas participated in one race of Nurburgring Nordschleife's VLN endurance series, taking a class victory with Mathol Racing's Toyota GT86.

Lucas Auer in 2016

Three victories in the 2017 DTM season

In 2017, Lucas Auer had a fantastic start of the season in the #22 Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM, operated by HWA Team. In the first two rounds, he won two races after starting from pole, the first race at Hockenheimring and the first race at Lausitzring.

He added one more victory from pole position in the first race of the seventh round at Nurburgring. At the end of the season, he finished sixth in the points, the best of all six Mercedes drivers.

Lucas Auer in Force India's racing suit

Lucas tested Force India's F1 car in 2017

Parallel to his DTM commitments in 2017, Auer joined BWT Mücke Motorsport in two rounds of ADAC GT Masters, driving the #26 Mercedes-AMG GT3 together with Sebastian Asch. They were on a podium at Red Bull Ring and won a race at Nurburgring.

In summer 2017, Lucas also had an opportunity to test Force India's F1 car. He later joined the team as a reserve driver but his main job remains to drive for Mercedes in DTM. In 2018, he also recorded one start in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Strakka Racing at Monza.

Lucas Auer is racing with Mercedes since 2013

Moving to Japan in 2019

In 2019, Mercedes left DTM and Lucas had to find a new job. He accepted a new challenge far far away in Japan, entering the Super Formula Championship. He joined B-Max Racing with Motopark to drive the #50 Dallara-Honda.

Photos: Lucas Auer,