Maro Engel – Achieving greatness, driven by passion

Although Maro Engel was born in Munich, Germany, he has been living in the Principality of Monaco since his childhood.

Moving to the Principality with his family back in 1989, Mercedes-AMG race driver, Maro always considered Monaco as his home.

“I remember, I was only three years old when we moved to Monaco. I went to kindergarten and school here. Even if I have German roots, I always considered the Principality as my home,” – says Maro.

Maro is one of the best professional race drivers in the world. He recently won the legendary Daytona 24 hours race (GTD) for the second time for Mercedes-AMG. Interestingly, he was mentored by the legendary F1 driver, Michael Schumacher who was also a fellow resident of the Principality back then. 

From where does your passion for racing come from?

“For me as a child, one of the most exciting events in Monaco was always the annual Grand Prix. I always loved those weekends and luckily back then, it was much easier to go to the paddock and get a close glimpse of those cars.”

Was this your favourite event of the year?

“Absolutely. You know just as children are always looking forward  to Christmas, I had the same feeling for the Monaco Grand Prix. It was always the most exciting time of the year for me and I have many nice memories.”

Did you have a favourite team back then?

“Well, as far as I remember, as a kid I was a fan of the Benetton cars. I loved the multi-coloured livery and there was a German driver in their car.”

And who was your favourite driver ?

“Since I had German roots, naturally it was Michael Schumacher. I remember that my parents told me stories about him. I started to follow Michael and his progress, and I was deeply inspired by him.”

We know that the Principality feels like a small village, but you also had a great coincidence related to Michael Schumacher.

“Yes, when Michael became a Monaco resident, he rented the appartment that my parents and I were just moving out of. It was a coincidence, but it helped us to quickly connect.”

Do you think you would have met him anyway?

“Monaco has the beauty of being like a small village. It is not a secret that every German loves Gerhard’s café in the Fontvieille harbor. It is a typical meeting point with a great atmosphere. I remember many evenings with Michael and Corinna. So I believe it would have only been a question of time.”

Do you have anyone in the family with a racing history?

“No, nobody. It is quite funny, because my father, who was a fashion designer, had nothing to do with racing. He did a few enduro motorbike races, but as he always told me it was more of a fun period, not such a successful one,” – remembers back Maro. – “However, his stories also motivated me because his philosophy was not to worry about the mistakes because you can only learn things by doing them.”

Monaco was not limited to the older generation of professional race drivers, their children often found a common link. The same applied to Maro as well, who went to kindergarten with the later Formula One World Champion, Nico Rosberg. As kids, Maro spent a lot of time with Nico, who was just two months older.

“Nico and I became very good friends and we spent a lot of free time together. Our parents got on well too which definitely helped the development of our friendship.”

So, you were surrounded by racing legends, since Nico’s father, Keke Rosberg was another champion as well.

“Monaco has a fantastic sports culture. If I look back at it now, I can clearly see how these memories are linked. I had the privilege to grow  up in Monaco and it shaped my way to the world of racing. I had a very inspiring childhood.”

Could you tell us when and why did you start to race?

“As mentioned my family had a very good relationship with the Rosberg family. When Nico was turning six his father bought him a go-kart and asked my father if he wanted to buy me one as well, as my birthday was also approaching. Luckily he said yes,” – smiles Maro. “Keke had a private go-kart track next to their house in Ibiza, Nico and I spent every day of our summer holidays that year on the track. I have great memories of that summer and it really fueled my desire to do more.”

I guess after summer you brought back the go-kart to Monaco, right?

“Yes, once the holiday was over we brought back both go-karts to Monaco. It was just a hobby then, but we spent as much time as we could on the go-kart tracks in our area, such as the track nearby Grasse, France. We practiced and progressed together every possible day. I have to admit that my passion for racing grew very naturally.”

Did you have  any chance to get mentorship from any of the established race drivers living in Monaco?

“I was very fortunate because I had two idols. One of them was Michael Schumacher who always amazed me for his dedication. It was great to see so closely how Michael approached racing with such passion and professionalism. Following Michael around on the go-kart track as a young boy was obviously very special, it helped me a lot to progress. 

But I also had another idol, the five-times German Touring Car champion (DTM), Bernd Schneider who also inspired me on many levels. He was very dedicated to helping, me and always took time even setting up cones on the track to teach me the perfect racing line or braking points. He gave me many valuable tips and lessons.”

As your career developed did you keep the relationship with these pilots?

“Yes. What I am particularly proud of, is that in 2016 I was very blessed to drive and win the Nürburgring 24H race together with Bernd for Mercedes-AMG. That was a very special moment having my mentor as my team mate and sharing this victory. It was also one of Bernd’s final professional races in his career. As for Michael, I pray every day to hear positive news.”

Did you always want to be a race pilot?

“Actually, I also really enjoyed playing football. My father was a very good football player in his youth but his father denied him the opportunity to take up a professional Bundesliga club offer. At that time being a football player was not a serious job. 

So I think my father would have been happy to see me following in his footsteps. I remember when I was eleven years old I reached the point when I had to choose between football and go-kart. But it was an easy choice because I wanted to go racing. And luckily my parents supported me as good as they could which I‘m very grateful for.”

When was your first real competition?

“In France, you have to be at least ten years old to be able to participate in official race events. First, we started with the regional races, then national and gradually we stepped towards the international ones.”

You grew up  with the Formula One Champion Nico Rosberg;  you started to learn to drive together. How was your friendship  affected once you both started to compete with each other?

“First of all, I have to say that Nico did an amazing job during his career and as a friend, I am very proud of him. Some people only realize now – that Lewis has been dominating for so many years – how good Nico was,” – starts Maro. – “However, in terms of us racing and competing together, most races were great, but I have to admit that there were one or two races when we had a little contact. Obviously, we had different opinions on what happened,” – laughs Maro.

Since Maro is competing in multiple series, he is normally racing 25-30 weeks a year. 

One would assume that it is extremely hard to find love and to maintain a relationship under these  circumstances. However, not only did Maro find love but he was also able to realise his own family in the Principality of Monaco.

What is your secret?

“I have to confess that I have a fantastic wife who is always there for me and has my back. To be honest, one thing that definitely helped was that we met in the racing world. 

Stefanie worked for the DTM organisation when we met, so she completely understood racing and the commitments it brings with it. I think it is a massive help to have someone beside me who understands what it means to be a race driver.”

Do you feel lucky?

“Absolutely. My wife came to many of my races. We share exceptional life experiences and we had the chance to travel and visit amazing places.”

For more than five years now you are a proud father. One can assume that the birth of a child might change your daily routines?

“Clearly everything has changed when I am at home, and our world now evolves around our daughter. The days are going twice as fast as it seems. 

The biggest change is that before Sophia arrived, my wife would join me at many races. Since Sophia‘s birth, this is much less the case but where it is possible they try to join me at the track, which is always very nice.”

Did your driving change after the birth of your daughter? As a father do you drive more carefully?

“There is a popular myth that with every child you lose one second,” – says Maro. – “However, for me, it is not the case. Since Sophia was born I am living  my most successful period. 

I have always considered myself as a driver who takes calculated risks. When you are pushing the boundaries there is always a risk involved, but I try not to go for things I am not sure will work out. This hasn’t changed since Sophia was born.”

Do  you think your daughter will follow in your footsteps?

“To be honest, it is not our objective to push her in that direction though. We would be happy for her to pursue a different career. But of course whatever she will choose we will support her, as parents it is most important to us that she is happy. Time will tell, but currently her Barbie and car collections at home are huge,” – laughs Maro.

In the previous years we – editors at the Monaco Residents’ Magazine – have had the privilege to have a personal experience and spend time at race events with the VENTURI Formula E Team, previously owned by Gildo Pallanca Pastor and currently managed by a new owner under Maserati MSG Racing. What was amazing is the time and energy the team spent on preparations.  

In general, four weeks before the actual race locations, the team always received the full parameters of the race track. Therefore, all the teams could start the test of the settings on a simulator. The race drivers practised a lot of different conditions including wet circuit on the simulator, even if there are very rare occasions in Formula E races with rainy conditions.

Generally speaking, we are living in an era where video games and e-sports are part of the way how teenagers grow up. Simulators are part of daily life.

Maro, you also mentioned that you have now your racing simulator at home. Do you think e-sport champions can be competitive in the real world as well?

“Let me start by saying this. There are approximately 300 professional racing drivers on the whole planet and this includes all the different series, from rally to GT, and from Formula One to all other professional series. So we are a small circle which is hard to get into. Part of the difficulty is that it requires a lot of investment to get to a professional level – practice is expensive. This is where having simulators for the generation growing up now is really making a difference. It allows them countless hours of preparation at much less cost and so they can arrive much more prepared at a young age already. The simulations are very close to reality, even if not 100%. So it is obviously still important to get real practice. We are however seeing some  great sim racing drivers making the step into real world racing already.”

So do you think  this is  the future?

“Already currently you have professional sim racing drivers that are being paid for their driving in sim races. I think this will only grow and I can see this becoming an even bigger industry in the future, as so many more drivers have access to a simulator. However, I don’t see simulator races replacing real world racing. There is still a challenging and beautiful aspect to real racing and many things that you simply can not feel or reproduce in a simulator, both for the drivers as well as the spectators. The adrenalin, the feeling of speed, the noise and last but not least also the consequences in real world racing make it so demanding and special.”

Talking about racing, what was the personal highlight of your career?

“Purely based on emotions, it was the Nürburgring 24 hours race in 2016. As you know, the Nürburgring is the toughest race track in the world. 25 km in length and nicknamed the “Green Hell“ by Jackie Stewart. So, we went to spend 24 hours in green hell,” – jokes Maro. – “This race is always very special, it is the most challenging race track in the world. Up to 200 cars start the race. We have to manage the traffic with some very big speed differences, over two hundred thousand spectators are around the track and the Nürburgring region is known for it‘s often changing and unpredictable weather conditions.”

What was the emotional highlight that made this race event in 2016 so special for you?

“I qualified one of the two cars I was driving (it is allowed to start on two cars at this race) on pole position – within an hour it went from sunny warm conditions to freezing cold and followed by a huge hailstorm. The race was interrupted, I have never seen anything like this before. After restarting a couple hours later and running a great race through very tough conditions with my team mates, on the other car I was running in second position chasing down the leader during the last hour of the race. I was giving it everything I had as you don’t get a chance to win this race very often. In the very last lap of the race, I caught up with him and was able to overtake and claim the victory for me and my team. It was an incredible emotion together with my team and team mates.”

How many co-pilots do you have in these races?

“For 1 hour sprint races, we usually use one or two drivers depending on the series. Endurance races which can be 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours usually have three drivers. Typically, we switch drivers every two hours which is a good strategy and allows the driver to get into a rhythm while the other drivers can rest a little longer between stints. The 24 hours races are usually three or four drivers per car depending on which event.”

Do you have any routine before the races?

“I have a very strange routine. When I dress up, the left shoe goes on before the right one. The same applies to the socks. Interestingly, when I drive a formula car, I always like to jump in from the left side, in my GT car this is the only option anyway,” – laughs Maro.

It goes without saying that Maro’s routines are working well since he recently won the legendary Daytona 24 hours race. The Daytona race in the USA has a very similar prestige to the Le Mans race in Europe.

How does it feel to win the Daytona 24 hours?

“Daytona is just one of those legendary races, ” – starts Maro. “This was my second win in the GT class in Daytona. As during the first win everything has to go perfectly in order to win such a long and tough race. In both cases I was the driver at the end of the race. It is a very special feeling to cross the finish line, after 24 hours knowing that you won the race.” 

Did you have any challenges during those races?

“Naturally in a 24 hours race there are always some set-backs and some challenges to overcome. For instance in 2021, I drove the last 3,5 hours consequently at the end and my ventilator was broken and my water bottle did not work so it got pretty hot in the car. This was physically pretty challenging. in a cockpit where there is approximately 55 degrees temperature. 

In 2023, I was pushed off track by a competitor and flew two metres high through the air with 1 hour of the race to go. The floor was completely damaged full of holes and we had a part of the floor stuck in the brake cooling. It was a miracle we managed to finish the race. These small things can be the difference between winning and not finishing.”

Do pilots sleep during the race events?

“Normally it is hard to sleep because of the hype. I still remember that after my first 24 hours race I looked like a zombie at the podium. One thing you need to learn is to let the race go the moment you step out of the car. Once you are out of the car your focus is on the debriefing with the engineers, resting, eating and hydrating. The reality is often that you are stuck in front of the timing screen to watch the race.”

Maro is also the lap record holder, for the fastest series production car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

Tell us more about this record with the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar.

“In the past years, the Nürburgring kind of became my backyard. It is clearly a race track that I love and I have had three pole positions for the Nürburgring 24h race. Pushing a car to it’s limit around the Nürburgring for one lap is an amazing feeling. 

We previously held the record with the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series and, once it was beaten we decided to return with the Mercedes-AMG One. Going well under seven minutes with a road car is extremely fast and hugely challenging. The concentration and precision required is among the highest extremes in my career, as any mistakes could have severe consequences both for the car and for myself. 

The Mercedes-AMG One is an impressive work from all the engineers at Mercedes-AMG and beating the existing record by more than 8 seconds on a track that was still partially damp shows the incredible performance this car is able to achieve.”

At the day set for the record attempt, the weather was beautiful with blue skies but the race track was still wet in many areas from the rain of the previous day and night. Many areas of the Nürburgring remain in the shade the entire day. On an old concrete surface such as the Nürburgring has in some sections, the road patches act like ice when they become wet. For this reason, the whole Mercedes-AMG team was aiming for a dry day.

What makes a record attempt different from any other day is the people involved. Apart from the Mercedes-AMG staff and the driver, you require an official timekeeping, technical checks of the car and a notary to verify the lap time and to authenticate the possible new track record and that the car is in it‘s original series production state.

To help the situation, the Mercedes-AMG team decided to send all on site staff to run laps around the track in their personal road cars to help it to dry, but the conditions were still not ideal. 

“We already knew this kind of situation as it was similar with the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series when we went for the record run in 2020. The risk/reward factor was very high and we could not afford a mistake. With the Mercedes-AMG ONE we arrive a lot faster than in my Mercedes-AMG GT3 race car in many of the fast top speed sections and well over 300 kph in a few sections as it has more power and less drag. So the adrenalin rush feels even stronger,” – remembers back Maro. “So we went for it by knowing that we only have a few laps. I trusted  the car because it is simply incredible and gives the driver great confidence. We set four laps on the day, all of them under the record, but the last one was the fastest lap and the current lap record.”

Is Mercedes-AMG a big race family with the F1 team, or completely separate?

“It all comes together under Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. There are different branches under Mercedes-AMG Motorsport such as the incredibly successful Formula One team and the GT3 division which is known as Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing where I am racing. There are key events for maximum performance and interestingly there are customer racing events where we try to support our customer teams and drivers in the best possible way. Both aspiring professionals and gentlemen drivers can race. It is an incredible opportunity because if they prove themselves, they might get an opportunity in the future to be a factory race driver,” – explains Maro. “The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 was our first customer GT3 race car, now currently we already have the second generation of the ultra successful Mercedes-AMG GT3. The principal of customer racing goes back to the roots of Motorsport, where any team or person can buy a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for racing or for private use on a race track. The lessons learned in our GT3 racing cars are also very valuable for our future road car developments as the GT3 race cars originate from the road car versions and therefore bear many similarities. The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series was a great example of that technology transfer.”

You were lucky to drive in different race series starting from DTM, GT Series, 24h races, Formula E and even Rally. Which one provided the best atmosphere?

“It is hard to compare different race series. Formula E was great fun for me. I really enjoy racing in tight and narrow street circuits. On big circuits, Formula E would probably be less fun. I think the old DTM cars were fantastic too. However, I genuinely enjoy the GT racing because it is extremely high-level, with very little politics. 

For me the big GT3 races such as DTM, Nürburgring 24h, Daytona 24h, Spa 24h, Bathurst 12h or the FIA GT World Cup in Macau are my favourite events. At the Nürburgring for example, it is an incredible atmosphere. At night there are people around the track making fireworks and bonfires, and while you drive you can even smell the barbecue they are making , which might make  you hungry,” – smiles Maro.

You grew up watching Formula One and learning from Michael Schumacher. Have you ever raced with a Formula One car?

“No, I never drove a Formula One car. It is strange because as a child I always wanted to race in the Formula One series, yet, this changed when I grew up. Formula One is the pinnacle of our sport, but for many amazing drivers it is not accessible for one reason or another, often due to lack of budget. Personally, I am happy with where I am today, I know when I travel to a race weekend that I have a chance to win the race if we get it right, I consider this a huge privilege. In Formula One only very few drivers have this privilege, maybe 3-4 drivers.”

For two years, you raced for Monaco’s Venturi Formula E racing team. As a professional racing driver, how would you describe the Formula E race series?

“It is a highly competitive and complex series because unlike other race series, Formula E is not just about the lap time. The race car is an electric car and for this reason, the drivers need to focus on saving energy while being fast as well to finish the race.”

Does  this require different driving skills?

“Absolutely. An electric race car requires smart driving because you need to focus on regenerating the energy and adapting your driving style to a less energy consuming driving style during the race even while you are fighting other cars.  You also need to manage the tyres in a different way in order not to overheat them.”

Do you need to consider the air temperature as well?

“In general in all forms of racing we are usually faster in cooler conditions, as long as it‘s not too cold. This also applies to Formula E. We can drive faster in the cold as the tyres will overheat less, the battery will heat up less and the lower air temperature degrees mean the air is more dense, therefore giving you more downforce.”

Were you sad about not continuing with Venturi?

“I enjoyed my time with Venturi. I think we developed their car very well and made great progress against some very strong and big manufacturers. I was satisfied with my performance and could go out knowing I did a good job with the car I had. Felipe Massa is a great guy, so I had no problem. One door closes another opens.”

In 2018, you said that Felipe Massa will struggle because of the breaking and regenerating of  energy. A few years later, Felipe is not anymore in the Formula E series.

“Yes, I honestly believe that many Formula One drivers would struggle at the beginning with the Formula E cars. It is not just about being fast, but also about taking  care of your energy consumption and tires at the same time. When race pilots switch to a different series they need time to adjust. Change never happens in a blink of an eye. What many people don’t see is that Formula One cars are extremely fast but in some ways also easier to drive due to their technological advancement than some slower cars. To summarise it, even talented drivers need time to adjust.”

What was the most difficult car to drive in your career? 

“Today it does not matter whether it is Formula One, DTM, GT series, Formula E or Rally. The  level is extremely high and there are specialists in each category. I believe the top drivers can always adapt but usually it takes time.”

Have you ever competed on the Monaco track?

“Yes, three times. Twice in go-kart in the Monaco Kart Cup and once for the Formula E back in 2017. I finished 5th on my home track which was a strong result considering the car. It was great to be able to race at home and on the streets where I grew up.”

What was your biggest learning cycle during your career?

“I think patience. You can be fast on the track, but sometimes you have to slow down when it comes to important decisions, and also have patience in and out of the car for results to come.”

Namely?

“As a young driver, I nearly lost my career due to taking a wrong career decision. I was out of racing for two years and went to study at university. So when I got a second chance at racing I remembered my mistake from a few years earlier and very happily accepted the professional offer from Mercedes-AMG. Until today I think this was the best decision.”

 Was it because of the pressure on fundraising?

“Yes, as a young kid I was always eager to jump to the next series as soon as possible. When I was 17 we made a wrong decision and joined Formula 3, although we did not have the full necessary budget. The team told us the extra sponsors will come. We struggled a lot and after only four races the budget was finished. My parents could not support these fees and I was out from the races for two years. I immediately realised my mistake. I should have done another year in the lower category where the budget was enough for the full season. It was simply too early for Formula 3 for me.”

How did you find your way back to a team?

“I have a very competitive mind and I never quit, but I found myself in very new and enchanted waters of the financial world. I made sponsor presentation maps and I knocked on the doors of many companies asking if they had five minutes to dedicate to me. For a long period it seemed nothing works. Eventually, through a contact from Monaco, a passionate man was willing to help me. Finally, I found myself in the Italian Formula 3000 series.”

How did  your relationship with Mercedes start?

“In the following year, I joined British Formula 3 which I consider the part of my career where I learned and progressed the most. After finishing 5th the first year in the series, Mercedes-AMG offered me a junior contract for the second year. After finishing 2nd in the championship in the following year I was offered my first professional contract to join Mercedes-AMG in DTM. I was in contact with two F1 teams about a test driver role but they required me to race in GP2 and raise the budget myself for this. Not having the full budget for GP2, this was the mentioned moment where I remembered my previous mistake and happily accepted the offer from Mercedes-AMG.”

Did you not regret that the GT cars are different from the Formula cars?

“Part of the decision was to accept that I am moving away from my dream to drive in the Formula One series. I knew that I started a very different route. However, I always wanted to show my racing skills and compete with driving talent. Mercedes AMG offered me a contract where I could focus on what I love to do, and gave me the opportunity to become a professional racing driver. At the end of the day, this fact validated my decision.”

Are you satisfied with your career path?

“During the past decades, I had a lot of learning cycles, which formed me and my career. While as a young boy I always wanted to be a Formula One driver, today as an adult I am happy with where I am and I know my worth. I became one of the best GT drivers in the world and have made a professional career from the sport I love – so I count my self lucky. Yes, I never had the chance for Formula One, but I learned something very valuable:  be as successful as you can in the territory where you are. I am entirely grateful to the entire Mercedes-AMG team for their trust in me, allowing me to reach the highest peaks in GT Racing together.”

You mentioned earlier that the emotional highlight of your career was the 24 hours race at Nürburgring back in 2016. Do you have any other special, proud moments?

“The FIA GT World Cup win in 2015, probably I am the proudest of  that.”

In 2015, the Macau GT Cup was recognised by the FIA as the FIA GT World Cup. Maro returned with his Mercedes-AMG Driving Academy team in the successful Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. Starting from pole position in the 18 lap race around Macau’s famous Guia circuit, Maro won the race and was crowned the inaugural FIA GT World Cup Champion. Through his victory combined with the 4th-place finish of his teammate Renger van der Zande, Mercedes-Benz won the inaugural FIA GT Manufacturers World Cup.

Do you have a community life as race drivers living in Monaco? 

“There is a big drivers’ community in Monaco. We are always texting each other and building training groups for cycling, paddle or other sports. Truth be told, I love the diversity in Monaco. Just as much as lifestyle, you can also have a very relaxed life with great training facilities. You can have an exclusive coffee at the Café de Paris or if you drive five minutes you can be in Eze or La Turbie where it feels like going back centuries. Many people enjoy that you can have both sides in the Monaco area. Sports personalities also like Monaco because you can enjoy safety and privacy too.”

Having German roots was there anything that you liked more in Germany?

“Ha-ha. That’s a good question. Growing up in Fontvieille we always played football. When I visited Germany I was envious of my friends having a big field of grass where to play football.”

As a long-term resident in Monaco, what do you think about the country?

“I love Monaco, it is my home and it is where I feel at home. I was born in Munich, Germany but I grew up in the Principality and so I have seen the constant improvements and transformation into what Monaco is today. 

I have been fortunate to travel a lot of the world but I keep coming back thinking that Monaco is one of the most beautiful places on the planet to live. For me there are so many diverse options of things to do, this mixed with the safety, great climate, a very mixed international high profile crowd and very well connected travel possibilities makes it one of the most attractive cities to live in the world.”

Read the full and illustrated interview in the Winter 2023 edition of the Living in Monaco, the Monaco Residents’ Magazine.