After a difficult start to the 2025 TCR Europe season, Max Hart converted third place into his first overall victory in the first race of the weekend at Hockenheim, passing pole-sitter Marco Butti on the opening lap, before overtaking long-time TCR Europe competitor Nicola Baldan for the lead on lap five to control the race all the way to victory.

“It feels good. It was an interesting first couple of laps,” said Hart. “I must thank the team, they have given me an absolutely superb car. We went a bit risky with the set-up, but it paid off the pace was there throughout the whole race. It’s been a tough opening campaign for me, but my sponsors have stayed with me and backed me the whole way, and trusted my talent and I’m so happy to reward them all with this first place."

The Macau winner has moved back into the top ten of the standings, with just three points separating him from sixth place in a competitive group of drivers.

“Marco (Butti) didn’t get a great start, so I tried to follow Baldan through, we didn’t touch at all, and then the other cars started to swamp us. I was lucky to get up the inside of Eric (Gené) at Turn 11 just before the safety car. I knew after that I needed to make the move early if I was going to pass Baldan, and I prepared the tyres behind the safety car and just made it stick, and got my head down then and pulled out a gap.

“Tomorrow, (starting P10), the aim is to keep our nose clean. The pace is there in the car, so I can’t see why we can’t finish in the top five - certainly staying out of trouble in this championship is the key.”