The BWT Mücke Motorsport team lines up for its second season in the Prototype Cup Germany with drivers Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) and Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA). Last year, the Berlin-based team finished third in the Drivers’ Championship with Gustavo Kiryla (29/BRA) and Nico Göhler (20/Grasleben), behind Apothéloz in second place.
Julien Apothéloz is the more experienced half of the new Mücke duo, and the Swiss can look back on a successful first season in the Prototype Cup Germany. Together with Oscar Tunjo (28/COL), he claimed three victories, two runner-up finishes and many third places at the wheel of a Duqueine for Van ommen racing by Datalab. He ended the season in second place in the table, behind champions Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim) and Gary Hauser (32/LUX). Apothéloz also finished runner-up in the Junior competition. “Julien has shown that he is fast and reliable,” says team principal Peter Mücke. “Plus, he is a very nice guy.”
At his side is the relatively inexperienced Riccardo Leone Cirelli. The Italian is just 16 years old and stepping straight into the Prototype Cup Germany after a successful career on the karting circuit. “How we came into contact with him is actually a funny story. Four years ago, when we were racing in Formula 4 in Dubai, he and his mother popped into our garage and asked if he could sit in a Formula 4 car. We remained loosely in touch from that point on, before he asked this winter whether he could test a prototype. I was a bit sceptical, as he had absolutely no experience with race cars, with the exception of a few tests. However, after just five laps he was already amazing us with the times he was setting. But he was not just fast, he was also error-free and drove very intelligently.”
Peter Mücke, whose team has helped many young drivers on their way to the top and has always felt at home in junior racing, takes particular pleasure in having such a young driver among his ranks. “However, Julien is also a young guy, even if he is seven years older than Riccardo. Working with these two reminds me a little of our time in Formula BMW ADAC and Formula E. Both listen carefully and are prepared to learn. For me, that is a very important factor in the development of a racing driver. If they have that, then it is enjoyable to help them with their development.”
When asked about the team’s goals, the team principal from Berlin is realistic. “We would obviously love to challenge for the title, but you also have to understand the situation. Riccardo must first learn all the processes in the Prototype Cup Germany, and we all know that you can lose a lot of time during the pit stop alone if it does not run perfectly. There is definitely still a lot of work to do there, as he has absolutely no experience in this regard. And Julien also still has plenty to learn. As such, our focus is on developing Julien and Riccardo, then we will see what kind of results we achieve in the end.”
