# 50 Years Anniversary - 27.08.2025

 

Half a century of motorsport history –
with a clear view to the future

 

Lechner Racing celebrates its 50th anniversary on 27 August 2025: exactly 50 years ago, Walter Lechner Sr. visited the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at the Salzburgring.

The rest is history!

The beginning: a vision at the Salzburgring

On 27 August 1975, Walter Lechner Sr. (born 4 August 1949 in St. Pölten; † 8 December 2020) visited the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at the Salzburgring – a step that not only fulfilled his personal passion for motorsport, but also laid the foundation for a unique family business.

Walter Lechner Sr. came from Vienna, completed a gastronomical apprenticeship at the famous Hotel Sacher and, in addition to a coffee house in Salzburg, ran the „Alpenland“ discotheque in Faistenau. But from the moment he first came into contact with motorsport, his goal was clear: He wanted to become a racing driver. With a great deal of pioneering spirit, entrepreneurship and an uncompromising will to succeed, this dream became a reality. He became European champion a total of seven times (first in 1982 in Formula Super V), then went on to win six more titles in the Sportwagen Interserie (between 1983 and 1996).

The personal highlights of his career were undoubtedly his two starts in 1988 and 1989 at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 962 C.

Walter Lechner Racing School

What do Stefan Bellof, Roland Ratzenberger, Alexander Wurz and Toto Wolff have in common? They all attended the Lechner Racing racing school. Stefan Bellof was the first graduate of the Walter Lechner Racing School to make it into Formula 1 in 1984. The unforgettable Roland Ratzenberger was also active as an instructor and technician. Alexander Wurz was successful in international racing in 1991 and 1992, acquiring the skills he later needed to shine in F1, the top category, at the early age of just 17. Over four decades, more than 15,000 participants have completed the Austrian talent factory or started their Formula racing careers here – most recently Ferdinand Habsburg, Thomas Preining and Charlie Wurz.

Family business with a racing history

Today, Lechner Racing is run by the second generation, by Robert Lechner and Walter Lechner Jr. – both successful racing drivers themselves, entrepreneurs with a genuine passion for racing, innovative spirit and a clear vision for the future. It is therefore no coincidence that both celebrated their greatest international successes in genuine endurance classics. Robert won the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2002 together with Peter Zakowski and Pedro Lamy. In the same year, Walter Jr. took a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With a great deal of perseverance and commitment, both have been successful managing directors since 2005.

Record holder in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup

With 25 championship titles and a total of 76 race victories, Lechner Racing is the most successful team in the history of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. In international one-make cup racing, the name Lechner stands for absolute top performance, consistency and team spirit.

Just two years after entering the Supercup in 2003, the team celebrated its first drivers' title with Alessandro Zampedri – followed by René Rast (2010 – 2012), Sven Müller (2016), Michael Ammermüller (2017–2019), Dylan Pereira (2022) and Bastian Buus (2023). The team also impressively won five team titles between 2018 and 2023 alone.

Particularly noteworthy is 2018, when the partnership with BWT began. Thomas Preining scored four victories in the Supercup and won the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany championship title with six victories. The Austrian is also one of many examples of how racing drivers have been able to use their success with Lechner Racing as a springboard for further successful careers in motorsport.

In the Supercup, the team has won 13 team titles, 10 driver titles and two rookie titles to date, making Lechner Racing the record holder in the international one-make cup series with a total of 25 titles, a feat that remains unmatched.

Much more than a racing team

Today, Lechner Racing is much more than a classic motorsports team. The company acts as a motorsports agency, talent factory and event organiser:

  • Young talents are accompanied on their way to professional sport
  • International partners such as BWT, Porsche and many others rely on its expertise
  • Its own racing formats and events are professionally developed and organised

On and off the racetrack, Lechner Racing sets trends and actively shapes motorsport.

Anniversary highlights: 50 years of Lechner Racing documentary & collection

 

Two special projects were presented to mark the 50th anniversary:

  • the first trailer for the upcoming „50 Years of Lechner Racing“ documentary, which will premiere at the end of the year in „Das Kino“ and will later be available to view on YouTube. The film offers an emotional glimpse behind the scenes of a family business that has helped shape international motorsport for decades.
  • The exclusive „50 Years of Lechner Racing“ collection by Porsche Lifestyle, a high-quality design line for fans, partners and companions.

Comments on the anniversary:

 

“For us, 50 years of Lechner Racing is not just a look back, but above all a source of joy and motivation for the future. We are proud of our history – and look forward to continuing to shape motorsport with passion and innovation in the years to come. Contacts and networks built up over decades on the racetrack have developed into friendships that go beyond purely professional connections. That's why now is also a good moment to say „thank you“ to all the drivers and team members, without whose commitment and support much of this would not have been possible. We would also like to thank our families and will of course be thinking especially of our father today.”

– Robert and Walter Lechner Jr.

Looking to the future

Lechner Racing is not only looking back, but also looking ahead with a clear vision: with new partnerships, further developed racing series and a strong international team, the company is ready for the tasks and challenges of the coming years. The central driving force remains the perfect implementation of its goals.