Schubert Motorsport - One of the best BMW-backed teams

The history of Schubert Motorsport maybe isn’t so long but it is still full of successes in the various racing categories.

With BMW since the beginning

The team was founded in 1999, by Torsten Schubert who was European Autocross champion. The headquarters of the team is in Oschersleben, Germany, near the Motorsport Arena which is a regular host of many national and international racing events. Since its foundation, Schubert Motorsport runs the BMW cars and since 2012 it is one of the Bavarian manufacturer factory-backed teams.

Torsten Schubert – the owner and founder of the team

DTC champions in 2001

The first years were used for learning and gaining experience, but the team still achieved some success on the track. In 1999, Schubert Motorsport scored its maiden victory in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Cup (DTC) what was a solid beginning. In the following year, the team competed full season in DTC but ended without a win.

Marcus Gedlich, 2001 DTC

Probably a bit surprisingly, the season of 2001 ended exceptionally well. Schubert Motorsport won the DTC Teams’ championship, while Markus Gedlich, in the seat of BMW 320i, was crowned as a champion of the series. In its fourth year on the circuits, Schubert Motorsport changed the driver line-up. Franz Engstler arrived at the team, just as Claudia Hurtgen who finished third in DTC that year. At the end of the season, Engstler was third in the Touring cars World Final at Guia Circuit in Macau.

Claudia Hurtgen was the star of Schubert Motorsport

In 2003, Claudia Hurtgen became the DTC champion for the first time, confirming that women can be excellent racing driver just as men. The same year, Schubert Motorsport for the first time entered European Touring Car Championship and the success was imminent. Duncan Huisman won the ETCC title in the independent category, while Tom Coronel was a runner-up.

Claudia Hurtgen

The following year again was very successful. Hurtgen defended her DTC crown and the team also became the champion. Another double was won in the ADAC Procar Series and again it was Claudia Hurtgen who became a champion driving a BMW 320i. Another big triumph in 2004, when the drivers also were Jorg Muller and Thomas Winkelhock, was the class victory in 24 Hours of Nurburgring race.

After many successful years, Schubert Motorsport decided to leave the DTC and to switch focus on other categories. Claudia Hurtgen stayed with the team and proved her class by winning the title in the VLN championship.

Good results in VLN

In 2006, Schubert Motorsport’s drivers scored three wins in the ADAC Procar Series. The team owner Torsten Schubert returned to the racing seat a year earlier and quickly adapted to endurance racing as he was a part of the crew which finished 5th overall in Nurburgring 24h and was the fastest in its class. The other drivers of BMW 120d in one of the most prestigious endurance races were Claudia Hurtgen, Johannes Stuck and Marc Hennerici.

Schubert Motorsport’s drivers at the top spot of the podium at Nurburgring

The team’s expansion continued in 2007. Schubert Motorsport switched to BMW Z4 and won VLN Stahlwille Cup in which Hurtgen was driving with Hans-Joachim and Johannes Stuck. They also had a total of four podium finishes in the VLN. Stian Sorlie also won VLN Junior Trophy driving a BMW 120d, while Joakim Mangs became the German Mini Challenge championship.

Focus at endurance racing

Another class win in 24h of Nurburgring was scored in 2008 when the drivers of BMW 320d were Augusto Farfus, Jorg Muller, and Fredrik Ekblom. The Schubert Motorsport’s drivers also won race 12 Hours of Hungary and scored a class win with BMW 120d but the biggest achievement that year was first place in Toyo Tires 24h Series (Claudia Hurtgen, Stian Sorlie, Jorg Viebahn). The season of 2009 wasn’t as good. The highlights were victory in 12h of Hungary and second place in 24 Hours of Dubai.

Endurance was a priority in 2010, too. Schubert Motorsport’s BMWs scored two wins in the FIA GT3 European Championship, at Zolder, and at Jarama, before finishing third in the overall Teams’ standings. The Schubert Motorsport’s BMW also finished third in Dubai 24h, while in Nurburgring 24h one of the team’s cars finished fourth.

Schubert Motorsport scored first win for BMW Z4 in the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2007

In 2011 the results in endurance racing were probably the best. Schubert Motorsport was runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship after scoring a victory in one race, at Portimao Circuit. Fine victories were scored in 24 hours races in Dubai and Barcelona, while in 24 Hours of Spa, Claudia Hurtgen, Edward Sandstrom, and Dirk Werner were second, driving a BMW Z4 GT3.

ADAC GT Masters was a new challenge for Schubert Motorsport’s BMW

Schubert Motorsport failed to win any title in 2012 but scored many good results in various championships after becoming one of the official BMW factory-backed teams. In the fast-growing ADAC GT Masters were achieved one win and other four podiums, one win was scored in VLN, while Augusto Farfus won the pole position for 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Unfortunately, the results in the race weren’t as good and two Schubert Motorsport’s cars finished 7th and 8th respectively.

Claudia Hurtgen, Schubert Motorsport, BMW Z4 GT3, 2012 Adac GT Masters

The team did better in ADAC GT Masters in 2013. After scoring three wins (Spa, Sachsenring, Nurburgring) and other six podiums, Schubert Motorsport was 3rd in the Teams’ classification. One win was also scored in VLN while in the all-day long race at Nurburgring team finished sixth.

ADAC GT Masters title and Blancpain GT Series debut

Schubert Motorsport remained one of the ADAC GT Masters best teams in 2014. Claudia Hurtgen and Dominik Baumann won the races at Lausitzring and Slovakiaring, while the team was 3rd in the standings that year. The Slovakiaring was lucky for the team after winning the Blancpain Endurance Series race.

Baumann and Jens Klingmann, 2015 ADAC GT Masters

In 2015, Schubert Motorsport reached the throne of ADAC GT Masters in the Teams’ championship. Dominik Baumann was a runner-up in the Drivers’ championship, while Jens Klingmann was third. The following year wasn’t any near to the previous one as the team dropped to the 11th place in ADAC GT Masters despite fielding two new BMW M6 GT3 cars with strong driver line-ups. The consolation in a relatively poor season of 2016 was a win scored in VLN.

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