Mercedes-AMG is dealing with an enormous problem as its collaboration with HWA AG concludes on the finish of November. Hans-Werner Aufrecht’s firm has not solely dealt with the entire model’s manufacturing unit racing programmes exterior of System 1 and System E, nevertheless it has additionally been answerable for your entire GT3 challenge as a companion since 2010.
It’s understood that the transition from HWA to the in-house Affalterbach Racing GmbH division, which has been underneath growth since 2024 and is an entirely owned subsidiary of AMG, shouldn’t be precisely going easily.
“They’re nonetheless within the preliminary phases,” stated an trade insider. “It is all new individuals, and there is a lack of organisation.”
None of this could come as a shock. Affalterbach Racing GmbH (AFB for brief) faces a herculean activity: from 2026 onwards, it is not going to solely be answerable for constructing all Mercedes-AMG buyer racing vehicles, together with help and overhauls, but in addition for creating the model’s next-generation GT3 contender.
This comes at a time when AMG CEO Michael Schiebe is leaving Mercedes’ high-performance division, with a successor but to be named. “Many are solely now realising the whole lot HWA has truly finished for Mercedes,” stated one other supply near the German marque.
Is Mercedes-AMG ready for the transition?
“Because the founding of Affalterbach Racing GmbH final 12 months, the event has been progressing steadily,” stated Christoph Sagemuller, head of motorsport at Mercedes-AMG, describing the present standing. “We’re very glad, on schedule, and happy with the crew we’ve constructed thus far.”
This crew consists “primarily of extremely skilled workers from the motorsport sector.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Staff WINWARD Mercedes-AMG GT3
Picture by: Markus Toppmöller
Rumours counsel it now has over 100 members, plus subcontractors. Nicely-informed sources point out that the preliminary plan was for a a lot smaller crew. Moreover, the corporate continues to be promoting positions. Barely fewer than 40 persons are stated to be coming from HWA, which is smart given their expertise in buyer racing.
“At Affalterbach Racing GmbH, we’re staffed as deliberate for the present timeframe,” Sagemuller said, denying any miscalculation concerning the focused variety of workers. Nevertheless, he requested for understanding that “we’re conserving the precise figures to ourselves”.
It has been reported that the change from HWA AG to AFR GmbH might result in shortages within the coming months, concerning the provision of spare components for the roughly 300 AMG buyer racing vehicles presently in use. Subsequently, the groups have been knowledgeable upfront to make sure they’ve adequate components to keep up operations.
“It is regular for there to be some preliminary friction,” defined Thomas Jager, Mercedes-AMG’s sporting director for DTM. “There are a whole lot of components; a listing must be taken. We’re speaking about most likely 14,000 to fifteen,000 half numbers. It takes time to depend all of them.”
The most important problem, Jager clarified, is “getting the programs up and operating once more”. Affalterbach Racing GmbH, which is able to take over from January 2026 after a one-month transition interval, may even take over HWA’s spare components vehicles, which ought to guarantee a clean transition.
Requested when the operations might return to normality, Jager replied: “I feel the system can be operating completely once more for the European season. We positively need to ship the identical top-notch service sooner or later as earlier than – as our clients are used to, and deserve.”
However are the required warehouses and workshops for spare components and help presently out there? In Affalterbach, the place AFR GmbH is supposedly headquartered, these are presently nowhere to be discovered. Nonetheless, Sagemuller believes that the corporate is “very effectively outfitted by way of area”.
“There’s roughly 2,000 sq. meters of workshop area out there for service and repairs, in addition to 600 sq. meters of workplace workspace,” he added. “And naturally, this additionally contains the required instruments to ensure acceptable service for the prevailing automobiles.”
Nevertheless, this area is accessible not in Affalterbach, however in Unterturkheim, about 20km away, the place the Mercedes-Benz plant is situated and the place the AMG subsidiary crew is presently housed.
That is anticipated to stay the case for over a 12 months, till the deliberate buildings are constructed and prepared for occupancy. The brand new spare components warehouse is deliberate for Magstadt – about 25km from Unterturkheim and 40km from Affalterbach.
#57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Lumen by way of Getty Photographs
Will HWA stay a Mercedes-AMG service supplier regardless of cut up?
Requested the place the overhaul of engine and transmission components can be carried out, Sagemuller stated: “These companies are managed by Affalterbach Racing GmbH.”
He additionally revealed that “the engine overhauls are carried out straight at Mercedes-AMG itself”. That is an space for which HWA was additionally thought of a candidate.
Affalterbach Racing GmbH continues to be in search of a service supplier for gearbox overhauls and HWA is likely one of the potential candidates for the contract regardless of the cut up with AMG.
Hans-Werner Aufrecht’s firm, which has had an increasing number of orders withdrawn from Mercedes-AMG for the reason that manufacturing unit’s exit from the DTM on the finish of 2018, though this has since been compensated for with different orders, stays open to additional cooperation.
“We remorse that we will now not organise buyer racing for AMG. In spite of everything, we developed the world from 2010 to 2025 with very profitable and dependable automobiles and, in my view, an unparalleled aftersales and buyer help system, and we grew collectively,” HWA Managing Director Martin Marx advised Motorsport.com.
“Though there isn’t any longer a contractual foundation, we stay out there to our neighbours as a companion and repair supplier for help companies. We’re comfortable to proceed working for AMG, in any case, we share the identical title.”
We would like your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Staff
