Interested customers and fans of the performance and sports car brand Mercedes‑AMG have the opportunity from April to October 2023 to hone their driving skills through the AMG RACETRACK EXPERIENCE and AMG LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE. With professional instructors, participants experience the driving dynamics and performance of the latest Mercedes-AMG models for themselves. On renowned racetracks and serpentine roads they will master the safe and skilful handling of these high-performance cars and learn about the technology that powers them.
From Tuscany and South Tyrol to renowned Formula 1™ courses or a trip back in time to explore the heritage of the Mercedes-AMG brand – all events include spectacular drives, culinary highlights and unforgettable thrills. A professional photographer will capture lasting memories for everyone.
Driver training for novices and experts
The RACETRACK EXPERIENCE covers all levels of expertise and difficulty from curious beginners and experienced drivers to seasoned experts. Venues include the Mercedes-Benz Testing and Technology Centre in Immendingen, which is normally closed to the public. Events will also take place on the racetracks in Estoril, Portugal, and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium as well as the driving safety centre, Grand Prix track and north loop of the legendary Nürburgring in Germany.
The basic event is the half-day DISCOVER programme, where the focus is on safe driving techniques and getting to know the Mercedes-AMG models. In the subsequent PERFORMANCE and ADVANCED courses, the drivers take to the road to expand their skills and learn how the physics of driving feels in practice. They also gain in-depth knowledge on the handling of high-performance cars and the use of Mercedes-AMG driver assistance systems in challenging situations.
To be eligible for the PRO level, drivers must have previously completed AMG ADVANCED training or a comparable programme. The MASTER training level, with GT2, GT3 or GT 4 racing cars similar to the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, is ideal for drivers with track day ambitions. Through intensive experiences in the driver’s seat, followed by individual feedback from such seasoned competitors as Maro Engel, Bernd Mayländer and Maximilian Götz, both on and off the training site, participants test the limits of their driving skills. The culmination of the MASTERS program is a two-day training course on the Nürburgring north loop or the “Ardenne toboggan” at Spa Francorchamps.
Enjoyable discovery tours immersed in the AMG brand
Programmes under the LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE label range from discovery tours in Croatia, South Tyrol or Tuscany to a trip to a Formula 1™ race. The SPIRIT OF AFFALTERBACH programme offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of the Mercedes-AMG high-performance luxury brand.
In the AMG SUMMER BREEZE programme participants embark on a half-day excursion to learn how to handle the latest Mercedes-AMG models for maximum driving pleasure. The event starts at the Wald- und Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe, a historic hunting lodge that is now one of Germany’s leading five-star hotels. With professional instructors, the drivers explore the picturesque winding roads of the Hohenlohe region.
Experience the SPIRIT OF AFFALTERBACH
The SPIRIT OF AFFALTERBACH is a half-day or full-day experience in which drivers are fully immersed in the world of the Mercedes-AMG brand. In the plant’s own engine works, they get an up‑close look at how the “one man, one engine” philosophy is brought to life. On the guided drive through the unforgettable scenery of the Affalterbach countryside, professional instructors will show how to get the most out of the driving programs to achieve the perfect balance between performance and comfort. The SPIRIT OF AFFALTERBACH CLASSIC EDITION is dedicated to the history of Mercedes-AMG. On this journey, participating drivers take the wheel of legendary classic cars and current models to explore milestones in the history of the brand.
Unforgettable journeys through Europe’s most scenic regions
The five-day AMG EXPLORER CROATIA programme features culinary delights in picturesque towns and spectacular drives through winding mountain passes and on breathtaking coastal roads along the Adriatic Sea. With luxury accommodation and exciting daily activities, this trip leaves nothing to be desired.
The event AMG EXPLORER SOUTH TYROL features five days of Alpine panoramas, excellent cuisine, culture and automotive performance at the wheel of a Mercedes-AMG on scenic routes in the mountains of South Tyrol. In the six-day AMG GRAND EXPLORER TOSCANA programme, everyday routine vanishes in the rear-view mirror. The trip across Tuscany takes in green vistas of cypresses and olive trees, vineyards and vibrant cities. In a luxury hotel the participants savour gourmet Mediterranean cuisine and Tuscan specialities. This spectacular driving experience showcases some of the most beautiful regions of Italy.
Glamour, adrenaline and thrills: the AMG GRAND EXPLORER F1 programme offers backstage access to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1™ team at the Hungarian Grand Prix on the Hungaroring track. Participants broaden their horizons with a pit lane walk, live interviews and an exciting accompanying programme, complemented by breathtaking cross-country drives.
Instructors are top racing drivers and AMG brand ambassadors
At selected AMG EXPERIENCE events, successful racing drivers and brand ambassadors are on hand as instructors. Maro Engel, Maximilian Götz, Bernd Schneider, Karl Wendlinger and Bernd Mayländer are much in demand as experts on all aspects of professional driving.
Maro Engel was runner-up in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2007. He competed in the DTM and, with his numerous victories, including the GT World Cup in Macau and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, is one of the world’s top GT3 drivers. His record-setting drive around the Nürburgring North Loop with the Mercedes-AMG ONE stands as the fastest-ever lap of that course with a street-legal production car. Maximilian Götz is also a highly successful GT3 driver: he topped the ADAC GT Masters table in 2012, won the Blancpain Sprint Series in 2014 and was DTM champion in 2021.
With his record five titles in the internationally renowned DTM series, Bernd Schneider’s nickname “Mr. DTM” is well-earned. In 2013 he won both the Dubai 24 Hours and the Nürburgring 24 Hours in an SLS AMG GT3. The Austrian driver Karl Wendlinger was active in Formula 1™ from 1991 to 1995 and was a DTM driver from 2002 to 2003. He has been a brand ambassador for Mercedes-AMG since 2012. Bernd Mayländer has been the driver of the Official FIA F1 Safety Car® since 2000. In that year he took the chequered flag at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. He drove a Mercedes-Benz CLK for the Manthey Racing Team in the DTM in 2001 and 2002 and won the final race on the Hockenheimring track in the 2001 season.
The fleet: The full range of Mercedes-AMG cars
The AMG EXPERIENCE fleet includes all drive technologies, vehicle classes and body types. They range from conventional V8 models, performance hybrids and battery-electric vehicles through to thoroughbred racing cars similar to the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Programme. Depending on the event type and option package, one or two of each vehicle may be provided.
SOURCE: Mercedes-Benz
