Title a Mission possibility: Jeffrey Schmidt will again contest two different Porsche series in 2016
Double agent Jeffrey Schmidt will again be on a mission in 2016. The Swiss driver will line up for Team Walter Lechner Racing once again in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, staged under the banner of the Formula 1 world championship, just as he did last year. He will line up with Lechner Racing Huber for his fourth season overall in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. The 22-year-old has the title firmly in his sights in both top-class Porsche Cup championship series.
“I can hardly wait to finally get back in my car and see the lights go out,” said Schmidt. “My successes last year clearly demonstrated that I’m going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2016. I’ll step on the gas right from the start in both series with just one goal in mind, to win both titles!”
The 22-year-old secured third place overall in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2015. In an exciting championship battle, Schmidt was the only driver in the end who was in a position to challenge Philipp Eng, the eventual champion, for the title. The competition had better watch out this season after his two pole positions and two victories at the Red Bull Ring and Hockenheim! The Lechner Huber Racing driver will be a force to be reckoned with in all eight events staged as support to the DTM and the ADAC GT Masters.
In addition to the 16 races in Germany’s fastest one-make cup, Schmidt will contest ten races in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup held under the banner of the Formula 1 world championship during 2016. He will go up against the best Porsche Cup drivers in the world on legendary circuits that include Monaco, Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps and strive with Team Walter Lechner Racing to build on previous successes.
Schmidt contested the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East over the winter in order to be perfectly prepared for the new season and impressed throughout. The 22-year-old smashed record after record in the twelve races to comfortably take the championship. He secured nine pole positions and nine wins and finished as the second best driver ever in the history of the Porsche one-make cup with 267 points.
Three questions to Jeffrey Schmidt
Have expectations for the 2016 season increased even further after your impressive winning streak in the Middle East, and does that put you under pressure?
Absolutely not! I really enjoyed my time in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East and posted plenty of extra racing kilometres over the winter. The victories and, of course, the championship title have only served to give me an extra boost of motivation for the new season. And in any case, the outside world can’t put me under pressure, because I myself am never satisfied unless I’m giving the absolute maximum!
Your mission is clear in both series, to win the title. What makes you so optimistic about being able to pull it off in 2016?
I was in the Top Three in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland from the first to the last race in 2015 and was on course to win the championship for quite a time. I was also third in the Rookie Championship in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. While these were brilliant performances in both series, for sure, more was definitely possible! Unfortunately, we were plagued by gremlins during the season more often than we would have liked. I was very pleased with my performance as a driver. If we have luck on our side in the new year, then I see no reason why I shouldn’t be a championship contender in both series!
A marathon programme of 26 races in ten countries awaits you once again in 2016. What’s more, you did not take a break from racing in the winter. Don’t you ever run out of steam?
My mind is already focused on the next circuit as I head home from the track. What’s more, I always give studies for my economics degree at the University of Basel my full attention and yet still find time to set up various corporate events. But it’s clear to me that I want to make it to the very top in this sport and that requires motivation and needs to be fun, and fun is exactly what I have every time I get behind the wheel of my Porsche. I’m always highly motivated and have never felt that I couldn’t be bothered. I would even contest 50 races in 30 countries, time allowing!