FIA Motorsport Games: Bronze medal for SPS automotive performance and Team Suisse
In a dramatic race, SPS automotive performance and its drivers Dexter Müller and Yannick Mettler in the #54 Mercedes-AMG GT3 clinched the bronze medal at the FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia. The team, racing for Team Suisse, prevailed against its competitors in the final phase of the main race in the GT discipline and thus won the first medal for the Swiss team in this competition.
The Swiss driver duo started the qualifying race on Saturday morning, where the starting positions for the main race were determined, from seventh on the grid. In the one-hour race, it was already clear that overtaking on the Circuit Ricardo Tormo would be a difficult task. Yannick Mettler, who drove the #54 Mercedes-AMG GT3 at the start, battled for positions with his rivals for a long time, but in the end managed to get ahead on the track and handed the #54 car over to his team-mate Dexter Müller in third position at the mandatory pit stop. Müller confidently defended this third place during his stint and secured the team an excellent starting position for the crucial main race, where the medals for the best teams were awarded.
Dexter Müller was the first driver to enter the main race. Müller defended his bronze position in the starting phase, but subsequently had to pass several competitors. Müller took the chance to hand over the Mercedes-AMG GT3 to his team-mate Yannick Mettler right at the beginning of the pit stop window. Mettler was initially in fifth place and tried to make his way to the front over many laps. However, the Swiss driver could not find a way past his rival for a long time. However, Mettler took fourth place in the final phase of the 60-minute race. In a fantastic final sprint, Mettler made up a gap of over five seconds on the third-placed car in the last few minutes, taking third position on the final lap and thus clinching the bronze medal for Team Suisse and SPS automotive performance. This was the Swiss team's first medal in the GT competitions at the FIA Motorsport Games. For SPS automotive performance, this is the second podium success in this event. At the last edition of the 2022 comparison of nations at the Circuit Paul Ricard, the Willsbach-based team also won the silver medal in the GT competition with Team Germany.
This concludes the 2024 motorsport season for SPS automotive performance, but preparations for the coming season, in which many exciting competitions are on the programme, are already in full swing.
Yannick Mettler, #54 Mercedes-AMG GT3: “It was one of those days where the impossible was made possible. Dexter did a good job, but was behind our rivals. I was able to close the gap, but to be honest, I no longer believed that it would work. I went all-in every lap, was even able to apply pressure and then finished third. It's really overwhelming, because you're also racing for your nation here - it's just incredible. Thanks to the whole team for making this success possible.”
Dexter Müller, #54 Mercedes-AMG GT3: “A big compliment to the whole team. I'm absolutely happy with the result. I struggled a bit at the beginning and lost two positions. But Yannick did a great job at the end to clinch the medal for us. Now it's time to celebrate!“
