Julien Apothéloz: From TCR to GT4
ALL NEW After encouraging test drives, it has been decided that the winner of the 2018 Young Driver Challenge will switch from touring car racing to GT racing. In 2020, Julien Apothéloz will drive Mercedes-AMG GT4s for the German HTP team. Thus, Julien Apothéloz says goodbye to his proven Cupra TCR as a race car and the TOPCAR sport team from Uetendorf as an operational team. With them [...]
Julien Apothéloz is thus bidding farewell to his proven Cupra TCR as a race car and Team TOPCAR sport from Uetendorf as his entry team. With them, he contested last year's ADAC TCR Germany as the overall winner of the 2018 Young Driver Challenge.
Long thought
However, he remains on friendly terms with the Bern-based team, which will be competing in 2020 with the new Cupra TCR.
Julien Apothéloz: "I would like to thank them and all the partners for a very instructive time, and I am pleased to say that AutoScout24 will continue to support me. I thought long and hard about what to do next and came to the conclusion that it now makes sense to change turf."
New car, new team
Julien Apothéloz will now compete in the ADAC GT4 Germany, which, like the TCR, is part of the ADAC GT Masters. In the HTP WINWARD Motorsport team, the young Swiss will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT4.
Apothéloz was able to test his new sports car for the first time shortly before the long break in motorsport due to the Corona crisis. Last week, he sat at the Mercedes steering wheel again in Hockenheim and got a good feel for the sports car.
Julien Apothéloz: "The switch from front- to rear-wheel drive went quickly and well. With a little more practice, I'm sure I'll find the last bit of confidence I need to be really fast. Until then, I still have some time."
GT3 as a target
Julien Apothéloz's longer-term goal is clear.
Julien Apothéloz: "I also want to prove myself in the GT4 car and then make the jump to GT3 as quickly as possible. I see more of a future there than in touring car racing. Nowhere else is the variety of brands, teams and championships greater. HTP has a wealth of experience and wants to achieve a lot with me, just as I do with them."
Still waiting two and a half months
However, the delayed 2020 season will not get underway until August 14-16 at the Nürburgring. The Zurich driver knows this track, where he celebrated his first podium in the ADAC TCR Germany in 2019, very well.
After that, five more events are scheduled at the Hockenheimring, Sachsenring, Red Bull Ring, Zandvoort (NL) and Oschersleben at the beginning of November.
Julien Apothéloz: "I'm looking forward to it finally getting underway. Unfortunately, it still takes more than two months. Now that I've finished high school and passed the Matura, I'm happy to have some carefree time for motorsport and other things."
adac-motorsport.de/adac-gt4-germany
