Mercedes‑AMG will lose its motorsport chief as Christoph Sagemüller departs the company on 1 July, a resignation reached by mutual agreement with the group.
Transition at the helm
Sagemüller, who joined AMG in 2011 before taking the motorsport chair in March 2021, had been slated for advancement within the larger Daimler Group, yet the decision to leave was made at his own request.
Press notes that Simon Wilbers, formerly heading AMG’s marketing and commercial division since 2018, will assume responsibility for the department. Wilbers has reported directly to Sagemüller and is set to oversee the complete motorsport operation, excluding the Formula 1 arm under Toto Wolff.
Wilbers’ promotion follows an internal shuffle that keeps other leaders intact: Stefan Wendl continues as head of the customer racing programme, while Julian Reiss remains in charge of strategy, product management and communication.
Key industry observers had expected Sagemüller’s move to a corporate role beyond motorsport, but instead the driver supervisors plan to start a new chapter elsewhere.
Future challenges and successes
Mercedes‑AMG faces the dual tasks of engineering the next GT3 platform and steering the transition from HWA AG to its wholly‑owned subsidiary, Affalterbach Racing GmbH, amid reported friction.
While the brand’s customer‑racing division formerly outsourced design and production through HWA AG until 2025, it now aims to bring more manufacturing in‑house.
In the interim, AMG enjoys an impressive trophy haul, boasting victories at the Nurburgring 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hour, and leading the DTM championship standings.
The company also celebrated a symbolic coup by securing Max Verstappen’s Verstappen Racing to enter its GT program, adding the former Formula 1 champion to AMG’s broader sporting roster.
Simon Wilbers will inherit a roster of winning machines and the need for a next‑generation GT3, setting the scene for a demanding, yet promising, operational pivot.
"