HEIZR RACING DEPT. Makes its Debut at Hockenheim: German Motorsport Takes Centre Stage Among Icons and Legends

The roar of engines replaced the murmur of paddock conversation. For its first outing on track, held on 4 July at the historic Hockenheimring, HEIZR chose to tell the story of German motorsport through some of the cars that wrote it. Not a simple track day, but a celebration of automotive culture capable of bringing together manufacturers, collectors, and enthusiasts at one of Europe's great temples of speed.

Among the stars was a Dauer Porsche 962 Le Mans – heir to one of the most controversial and inspired chapters in the history of the 24 Heures du Mans. In 1994, exploiting regulations that favoured Gran Turismo entries, Porsche transformed the dominant 962 Gruppo C into a road-homologated car through Dauer Sportwagen, making it eligible in the GT category. In practice it remained a competition prototype fitted with number plates and headlights, but proved one of the most ingenious interpretations: outright victory at Le Mans, one of the most audacious readings of a rulebook in the history of endurance racing.
For its first track event in Hockenheim, HEIZR RACING DEPT. has decided to tell the story of German motorsport through some of the best racing models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
On track alongside it stood other icons of German motorsport, among them a BMW M3 E30 DTM in official livery – a symbol of the golden era of touring car racing – and the exceedingly rare BMW M1, the supercar born for Gruppe 4 homologation and made famous in part by the Procar series, which brought together the finest Formula 1 and endurance drivers of the day.

Mercedes-Benz Heritage drew considerable attention with the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II #300 in Dekra livery, the car driven by Olaf Manthey and Ulli Richter in endurance competition and a centrepiece of the 1993 Essen Motorshow. The Evo II stands as one of the finest expressions of sporting homologation from the 1990s: conceived to challenge BMW in the DTM, it remains one of the most iconic competition saloons the Stuttgart marque has ever built.
The Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II #300, famous for its participation in the 1993 Essen Motorshow in the hands of drivers Olaf Manthey and Ulli Richter.
Rounding out the display, Mercedes-Benz also brought the Legacy Edition 417 simulator, developed together with Roarington, which gave visitors the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the very same 190 E Evo II on a faithful digital recreation of the Hockenheimring created specifically for the event. A compelling way to complement the real cars with an immersive experience while bringing one of the defining chapters in Stuttgart's sporting history back to life.

More than a simple circuit debut, HEIZR RACING DEPT. transformed Hockenheim into a celebration of German motorsport, putting not only legendary machines at centre stage, but also the stories, engineering, and personalities behind them.
At the Mercedes-Benz Heritage stand, the Legacy Edition 417 simulator was once again present, offering the chance to get behind the wheel of the 190 E Evo II thanks to a faithful digital scan of the Hockenheimring created especially for the event.