Mr. Lamm, it's hard to imagine not seeing you in your usual place on the pit wall at BMW Team Schnitzer. What led to your decision?

Charly Lamm: "Well, for the time being, I'll still be sitting on the pit wall here at the Sachsenring, doing all I can for the team as always, but for some time now, I've been wondering about the future and what it might hold for me. I'm 63 now, and motor racing has been my life since I was 17, and so, I've never had much time for my private life. On the other hand, it's vital for a racing team like Schnitzer Motorsport to move with the times and put fresh, up-to-date structures in place. Motor racing is in a permanent state of flux, but I just felt that the time is now right for the team and me to make this move. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Herbert Schnitzer Senior for making my long and exciting career in motor racing possible."

How did BMW Motorsport react?

"BMW Motorsport have indicated to us that they are right behind the change and this generational shift. Furthermore, Jens Marquardt has told me in one of our many discussions that he would really like me to continue giving BMW Motorsport the benefit of my experience regardless of my role at Team Schnitzer. That made me very pleased indeed, and I can well see me doing that. The support that our team gets from BMW and the high esteem, in which I am held at BMW mean a lot to me. The response from the BMW Motorsport family to our announcement rekindled many terrific memories for me, and I have to say, we've had and are still having a great time together."

Can someone like you ever really leave motor racing for good?

"Two hearts beat in my chest, one for BMW and one for Team Schnitzer, and it will always remain so. I owe a debt of gratitude to BMW for my time in motor racing and am still totally devoted to the brand. In the next few weeks, Jens and I will get together to talk about what new role I might assume under the circumstances. Of course, I will still be around to assist Herbert Schnitzer Junior with advice and guidance, but what's important first is that we bring the ADAC GT Masters season to a close with everything we can muster and fly the flag for BMW in Macau."

Do you think Schnitzer Motorsport are well prepared for the future?

"Yes, Schnitzer Motorsport are heading in the right direction. As far as that goes, it was important that BMW Motorsport were involved at an early stage in all the discussions regarding Schnitzer Motorsport's future. That exchange of views was very important, as we are naturally very closely connected. Our colleagues in Munich give us their support in order that we can continue to achieve our common goal, ensuring that Schnitzer go on enjoying success as a BMW team in touring car and GT motor racing. As regards that, we've already had one or two exciting thoughts about next year. The team remain as highly motivated as ever. Many years of experience can be revitalised by an injection of fresh ideas and innovation, and that's the recipe for success in motorsport."

This weekend is practically the last time that you will be in action in the ADAC GT Masters. How do you think the season has gone so far?

"Our season has been marked by highs and lows. Of course, the highlight was Spielberg where we were able to get all four Schnitzer drivers on the podium. We showed in Austria that we can be among the front-runners with the BMW M6 GT3, just as we did last year. However, we've also had a couple of races, in which we were unable to make the most of our potential. The effects of that soon become apparent in a hard-fought series like the ADAC GT Masters. At any rate, we intend to round off the season with plenty of positive experiences and decent results in the races to come."

How well do you think this year's projects at Schnitzer are progressing, and what would you like to see happen in the future?

"Of course, our retirement from touring car racing was a real departure for the team, but Schnitzer have always been involved with international GT racing, so it wasn't too difficult for us to take on this new role. Since joining in 2017, we've come to regard the ADAC GT Masters as an exciting challenge in the GT segment, and we as a team were certainly made very welcome. We've added to our race programme with outings in international classics such as the Bathurst 12-hour race and the GT World Finale in Macau. We've also been very busy with other work and activities that may not even have come to the public's attention, such as support for development. Of course, as I see things, taking part in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring would be good for the team. That also applies to additional starts in international GT sports, because the team and I have always been driven both by our love of the 'Green Hell' and of racing around the world."