Our History

Car Collection Motorsport

Our History

Car Collection Motorsport

In 2002, Peter Schmidt turned his passion into a career by founding the Car Collection Motorsport team. Prior to this, he had been running a successful car dealership in the Rheingau region since 1985, which initially operated under the name ‘Schmidt Automobile’. In 1989, Schmidt restructured the company, which has since been known as “Car Collection Autohandels GmbH” and specialises in the sale of high-quality sports cars.

Car Collection Motorsport has set itself the task not only of leading its own racing cars to success, but also of providing the best possible care for its customers’ cars. You can find more information HERE.

Countless successes in recent years bear witness to the great passion and dedication of the entire team, which has been led for many years by team principal Peter Schmidt and team manager Romina Schmidt. With great ambition and an equally high level of professionalism, Car Collection Motorsport offers drivers and customers an ideal platform for successful motorsport.

1985

Founded as ‘Schmidt Automobile’

In 1985, Peter Schmidt founded the car dealership “Schmidt Automobile” in Walluf in the Rheingau region. After the dealership had successfully established itself following its foundation, Schmidt restructured the company in 1989. Since then, it has been run by Peter Schmidt under the name “Car Collection Autohandels GmbH” and continues to operate to this day.

2002

Founding of Car Collection Motorsport

Peter Schmidt had been racing in Porsche cars since 1999, and from 2002 onwards the newly founded Car Collection Motorsport team competed on the Nürburgring Nordschleife with various Porsche 911 racing cars. Starting out on a small budget and as a purely private venture, Car Collection Motorsport continued to develop over the following years. As a result, between 2010 and 2012, the team was able to field up to five Cup cars simultaneously. At the same time, it entered its first GT3 racer – a Porsche 911 Cup S – with well-known drivers such as Christer Jöns, who later became an Audi works driver, and NLS star Christopher Zöchling.

2013

The next milestone

Then, in 2013, came the next milestone: Car Collection Motorsport competed for the first time in the VLN and the 24H Series with the legendary Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 with gullwing doors, and a year later achieved its first major success with an overall victory at the 12 Hours of Zandvoort. The following year saw the birth of the now-famous ‘MANN-FILTER Mamba’ at Car Collection. The yellow-and-green Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS GT3, which competed in the VLN, the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and the Blancpain GT Series, was driven by the likes of Kenneth Heyer, Renger van der Zande, Lance David Arnold and Karl Wendlinger.

2016

Move to Audi Sport

In 2016, the team switched to Audi Sport. From that year onwards, Car Collection fielded several Audi R8 LMS GT3s in the VLN, amongst other series. At the same time, the team made its debut in the ADAC GT Masters with Christopher Haase and Kelvin van der Linde. Audi Sport quickly recognised the team’s potential and drew on its experience to test the new Audi R8 GT4 customer sports car, which Car Collection, acting as the development team, tested in racing conditions in 2017 ahead of its market launch. In the same year, the team secured another overall victory in the GT3 Audi at the 12 Hours of Imola.

2018

Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo & Porsche Carrera Cup Germany

Audi continued to rely on Car Collection Motorsport as its development team and, in 2018, had the team field the new Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo in a VLN race even before its market launch. At the wheel were Audi works driver Christopher Haase and DTM ace Jamie Green. The team then secured its first podium finish with the new car at the 12 Hours of Abu Dhabi, when the trio of Christopher Haase, Markus Winkelhock and Dimitri Parhofer crossed the line in second place.

Also in 2018, Car Collection Motorsport entered the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany. In the world’s fastest one-make series, the team immediately established itself among the frontrunners and, with driver Toni Wolf, secured fifth place in the drivers’ standings straight away. A year later, Car Collection driver Berkay Besler even finished second in the rookie championship.

2019

24-hour victory in Dubai

The team’s greatest success to date came in 2019, when Car Collection won the 24 Hours of Dubai with the Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo – which was also the new car’s first victory worldwide. At the same time, the team completed its first works-supported campaign for Audi under the name ‘Audi Sport Team Car Collection’ in the VLN series and at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, where the four Audi works drivers – Haase, Winkelhock, Rast and Fässler – secured a place on the overall podium straight away, finishing in P3.

2020

Further successes

In 2020, the winning streak continued. The team even climbed one step higher on the podium to celebrate second place. The team also took part in another factory entry at the 9H of Kyalami in South Africa.

By this point, Car Collection was regularly competing for race wins and championships.

2021

Victory in Abu Dhabi & championships

In 2021, the team won the Abu Dhabi 6 Hours as well as several NLS races on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Thanks to these successes, Car Collection Motorsport secured the NLS title in the GT3 PRO-AM class. Car Collection also enjoyed success in the ‘Super Sports Car League’ – the ADAC GT Masters – securing the Trophy title with Florian Spengler. In addition, the team tested the second-generation Audi R8 LMS GT3 ahead of its market launch at the 12 Hours of the Hungaroring and the 24 Hours of Barcelona.

2022

GT World Challenge Europe CHMAPIONSHIP PODIUM

In 2022, Car Collection entered the most gruelling GT3 championship. In the GT World Challenge Europe, the team fielded two brand-new Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo IIs in the PRO class. In the Sprint Cup, Christopher Haase and Simon Gachet secured third place in the championship. At the same time, the team made its first factory entry in the famous 24 Hours of Spa. In the ADAC GT Masters, Florian Spengler defended his Trophy title and Car Collection entered into a partnership with Verstappen.com. Thierry Vermeulen, a close confidant of the Verstappen family, teamed up with Audi works driver Mattia Drudi to drive the Audi liveried in Red Bull colours and secured a podium finish at his home race in Zandvoort.

2023

Back to the roots

Following the announcement that Audi Sport was to withdraw from customer motorsport, the team leadership – led by Peter Schmidt and team manager Denis Ferlemann – decided in early 2023 to return to the team’s roots and expanded the fleet to include two Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) cars. The team successfully fielded these cars in the GT World Challenge Europe, where they secured the PRO-AM title straight away. At the same time, Car Collection was actively involved in promoting young talent and acted as the support team for the development car in the GTC Race, where development driver Julian Hanses won the overall championship in the Car Collection Audi.

Two Pro entries in the Nürburgring 24-hour race:

Audi Sport Factory Racing Programme

Pro project with Porsche

2024

Porsche

From 2024 onwards, Car Collection increasingly focused its motorsport activities on Porsche. At the beginning of the year, the team achieved another major success with the iconic manufacturer by claiming overall victory in the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi. Just one week later, Car Collection confirmed its strong performance with a podium finish at the 24 Hours of Dubai.

In the International GT Open Championship, the team competed with three Porsche 911 GT3 R cars and achieved several overall podium finishes.

By the end of 2024, Car Collection had competed across the globe. The team took part in the 8 Hours of Indianapolis, made a guest appearance in the GT World Challenge Australia at Bathurst and entered the Asian Le Mans Series with two cars for the first time. The year concluded with the opening round of the Asian Le Mans Series season in Sepang, Malaysia.

2025

On the road to success

Car Collection’s season began with the 24 Hours of Dubai, followed by further appearances in the United Arab Emirates at the Asian Le Mans Series races in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The team also competed in the International GT Open.

After a two-year break, Car Collection returned to the Nürburgring Endurance Series with Porsche and immediately secured pole position in its first race. Another major highlight was the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, where the team celebrated victory in the Pro-Am class.

The season eventually ended where it had begun: in the United Arab Emirates, with Car Collection competing in the Gulf 12 Hours.