Motorsport-icon Jörg Bergmeister becomes new patron of the German Kart Championship. The 45-year-old former professional race driver wants to pass on his vast experiences to the younger motorsports generation and thereby give something back to kart racing.
Jörg Bergmeister succeeds Sebastian Vettel as patron of the German Kart Championship (DKM). The four-time Formula 1 World Champion accompanied the highest German kart racing series since 2015. “We want to thank Sebastian for his commitment to the DKM and his support over the past six years”, said DKM-coordinator Stefan Wagner.
With Jörg Bergmeister, another high-class motorsports driver takes over the post. The 45-year-old Rhinelander associates a lot with the DKM and kart racing. In 1990 and 1991, he started at the predecessor of the German Junior Kart Championship and celebrated race victories on this home track in Kerpen. He already received his first kart when he was 3 years old. This paved the way to his career as a professional race driver. “I come from a motorsports family, so the love for racing has been instilled in me early on. Kart racing was my first stop in motorsports and very important for my further development”, reminisced Bergmeister.
Bergmeister used his kart racing experiences for his rise to factory driver in Porsche Motorsport. After numerous years in Porsche Brand Cups, he had his first assignment for the sports car manufacturer in 2002 within the framework of the 24-hour-race of Daytona and thereby started his impressive motorsports career. Until today he is one of the most successful race drivers in a Porsche 911. He celebrated victories in all high-class GT-long distance races. Since 2020, Jörg Bergmeister is a test-development-driver sportscar as well as brand ambassador for Porsche.
„My current successes go back to my beginnings in kart racing. There I was able to lay the groundwork to be able to handle a career as a successful race driver. In my position as DKM-patron it is very important to me to pass on my knowledge of more than 30 years in active racing to the youngest. It’s a matter of the heart for me. To the extent possible, I want to be present at the races too. In all the years I have always followed kart racing”, said the Langenfeld resident and is aware of his responsibility as DKM-patron.
The German Kart Championship starts into its new season from May 6th-8th on the Erftlandring in Kerpen. Drivers from all over the world are going to fight for the first Championship points on the traditional track. After that, races in Wackersdorf, Belgian Genk, Mülsen and Ampfing are going to follow.
Info & Photo DMSB-DKM