Erebus Motorsport will introduce three new drivers to its ranks in the final three rounds of the Australian GT Championship.
Due to a budgetary shortfall, the team has confirmed it has parted company with James Brock who will be replaced by a ‘European wingman’ in the last three rounds, starting with Maro Engel at Phillip Island later this month.
The remaining two drivers will be announced before the Gold Coast and Sydney events later this year.
Engel is a former runner up in the British Formula 3 Championship and had raced for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM series for the last four seasons.
He is now contracted to AMG as an instructor in the AMG Driving Academy and expert for the AMG Customer Sports program.
According to the team, Engel’s role at Phillip Island will to ensure Hackett and the team adds to their list of ‘firsts’ – becoming the first AMG Customer Sports team outside Europe to win a championship.
“I’m excited to be making my first trip to Australia and the fact I’ll be racing an SLS AMG GT3 on a beautiful circuit like Phillip Island is even sweeter,” said Engel.
“It is one of the Australian circuits well known around the world. The Erebus Motorsport team has done AMG Customer Sports proud there in the past – which adds a bit of pressure!
“My job will be to help Peter (Hackett) in his Championship race and to assist the team with more information allowing them to develop their pair of SLS AMG GT3s.”
Erebus Motorsport CEO Ryan Maddison has welcomed the international injection from AMG Customer Sports.
“AMG agreed to send three of their factory drivers to Australia to assist our team in the second half of this season which makes us very happy,” said Maddison.
“Having three drivers, all of whom are behind the wheel of the SLS Gullwing on a regular basis, and their troika of different opinions can only assist our program moving forward.
“We are in negotiation around the schedules of the remaining two drivers, but rest assured we’re extremely happy with discussions so far and will make announcements around them in due course.”
Maro Engel will occupy the Erebus Motorsport #62 at the Phillip Island Shannon’s Nationals round, September 21-23.
