HRT and Yokohama prolong successful partnership

The Haupt Racing Team and THE YOKOHAMA Rubber Co. Ltd. will be tackling the “Green Hell” together again in 2026. The German racing team and the Japanese tire manufacturer are extending their successful collaboration, which began in 2024. The focus will once again be on racing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. HRT's Ford Mustang GT3s will be equipped with high-performance ADVAN racing tires for the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) races. HRT can also rely on YOKOHAMA's products and strategic support for the Nordschleife highlight, the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring.

The Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Ford Mustang GT3, the Haupt Racing Team, and YOKOHAMA – this combination proved very successful last season. Among other achievements, HRT secured class victory in the SP9 Pro-Am classification at the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours with an ADVAN-shod Ford Mustang GT3. In addition, HRT and YOKOHAMA celebrated another historic result: in the eighth NLS race, the team took the first overall victory for a Ford Mustang GT3 on the Nordschleife. YOKOHAMA tires also made a decisive contribution to the new NLS qualifying record last year, which HRT driver Fabio Scherer set with a lap time of 7:48.717 minutes.

By prolonging their partnership, HRT and YOKOHAMA intend to continue their joint success story. The long-term goal of both partners is an overall victory at the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring. Cars fitted with YOKOHAMA tires have already won this legendary endurance classic three times. The partnership between HRT and YOKOHAMA is characterized by valuable synergies: in addition to being equipped with the latest generation of ADVAN racing tires and receiving racing strategy support from YOKOHAMA engineers, the technological development of the tires in conjunction with the Ford Mustang GT3 is another key focus.

Ulrich Fritz, Chief Executive Officer Haupt Racing Team: "The close and trustful cooperation with the experts at YOKOHAMA Rubber is extremely important to us. On a track like the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, the tires are exposed to extreme conditions. Their performance is therefore crucial, as it affects our strategy and can even make the difference between victory and defeat. I am therefore very pleased that we can continue to rely 100% on YOKOHAMA's equipment and expertise."

Takayoshi Omae, General Manager, Consumer Tire Product & Marketing PlanningDepartment, THE YOKOHAMA Rubber Co., Ltd.: "We began our collaboration with HRT in 2024, and through open, constructive, and uncompromising discussions in pursuit of performance, we have established a strong and highly effective partnership. This joint commitment led to an excellent result last year, with the team securing the SP9 PRO AM class victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Since then, both organizations have continued to advance our technical capabilities, and I am confident that we now have a team fully prepared to compete for the overall win this season. We greatly value HRT’s determination to succeed and the outstanding professionalism demonstrated by their entire team."