Jeffrey Schmidt: A podium with a bitter aftertaste
GT-SPORT Following his successful drive in an Audi R8 at Daytona, Jeffrey Schmidt has the opportunity to drive for the German championship-winning team Land Motorsport in the 2017 ADAC GT Masters. However, the narrowly missed victory at the 24-hour race still grates on him. Whoever wins such a big race as the 24 Hours of Daytona in his [...]
Anyone who achieves a podium finish in their class at a race as big as the 24 Hours of Daytona has every right to be proud of this achievement. Nevertheless, Jeffrey Schmidt, who was the only Swiss to achieve this in 2016 in the top-class field of 55 cars divided into four classes, was still disappointed days later that he narrowly missed out on victory. The Porsche 911 GT3 of a South American team, with a factory driver at the wheel, crossed the finish line 293 thousandths of a second ahead of the Audi R8 LMS of Schmidt's partner and final runner Christopher Mies.
"We were all a bit downhearted, because we really wanted the win," says Schmidt, venting his anger. Anger because the Porsche was positioned in the pits directly in front of the Land crew and blocked their car during the last refueling stop. "That was unfair. We lost a few seconds as a result because Mies couldn't pull away. So we fell back a few places, which Christopher had to make up. On the track, the Porsche was only among the fastest with factory driver Michael Christensen and was never in the leading group before."
Actually, Schmidt shouldn't say it out loud, since the Liestaler has the watch company Oris, which produces in nearby Hölstein, as a sponsoring partner. But a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, which every class winner in this race (and in Le Mans) receives with a special engraving, is something you don't win every day-and Schmidt would much rather have this watch than any other trophy in his collection.
The German champion team plans to work with the Swiss
However, his successful performance in the U.S. was primarily important with a view to the immediate future. Land Motorsport, which won the 2016 ADAC GT Masters with Christopher Mies and Connor de Philippi (two of Schmidt's three teammates at Daytona), is planning to field a second Audi R8 LMS this season. And this is to be manned by Christopher Haase, one of the most successful German GT3 drivers ever, and the soon-to-be 23-year-old from Basel. Rahel Frey already drove with Haase in her first GT3 season in 2013 and benefited from his experience. This will now also be the case with Schmidt.
The contract has not yet been signed, but team boss Wolfgang Land has already made a firm commitment to the young Swiss. His impeccable performance at Daytona has encouraged him in this decision. Although Land doesn't actually like to see it, Jeffrey Schmidt is planning another season in the Porsche Supercup and starts in the German Carrera Cup races at his home track of Hockenheim in parallel. In addition, the economics student at the University of Basel will complete his bachelor's degree in the fall.
There's no doubt about it - 2017 will be a decisive year for Jeffrey Schmidt in his sporting and professional career. Fortunately, it already got off to an almost ideal start last weekend.
