Why Hugo Schwarze hopes for Hypercar glory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

he move to endurance racing

Despite this early success in single-seater racing, it was also in 2025 that Hugo found his true calling after breaking into endurance competition with R-ace GP in the Michelin Le Mans Cup, where he was crowned the early Champion of the LMP3 Pro Class. Despite a punishing schedule, Hugo found time to chat with us about his growing profile as a racing driver and why he feels endurance racing is the right choice for him:

	“Endurance racing requires a lot more focus and multitasking during the much longer races. Drivers don’t only have to think about tyre management but also traffic management with slower and faster cars, which can gain and lose you lots of time, or in the worst case, a race finish. Also, it is much more of a team sport, which I really enjoy.”

Hugo’s aim now is to move up to the sport’s Hypercars – racing cars that produce over 1,000 horsepower and reach speeds of up to 340–350 kph (210–217 mph). “My ultimate goal is to become a factory driver racing in Hypercar and all of the major endurance races such as the 24-hour Nürburgring, Spa, Daytona and Le Mans…winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans is not just a dream, but in my opinion, a realisable goal in the future,” Hugo says. And this, despite acknowledging the added pressure of coming from a nation that has produced many champions. “There is only one German driver in Hypercar, so I am looking to make it two.”
 

A lot of work ahead

Ambitious though he is, Hugo knows there is a lot of work to complete before he gets to achieve all his goals, but he is ready to take on the challenge. “I love pressure. It gives me the drive to do as well as I possibly can. I deal with the pressure by preparing for a race weekend through SIM racing, physical training, and activities such as watching onboard videos and past races.” Even when he is not racing, a typical day for him can include running or weightlifting, meditation or stretching, along with a diet that is constantly adjusted to meet the demands of pre-season (protein and low-calorie food) or competition (carbohydrate-based dishes) for energy during racing weekends. Tradition plays a big part in his racing too: “I always have the same warm-up routine before my races, qualifications, and regular test sessions. I realised last year that I always get into my car from the right-hand side.”

Amid all this, Hugo manages to prioritise something that is very close to his heart: his social media accounts. “I am the driver with the most followers in my championship. It isn’t necessary, but it’s important to have a good fanbase and be able to secure vital sponsorships.” This close contact with the fans has also helped him realise how quickly the sport is changing for the better, and now includes many more women, not just those watching motorsports, but also those involved as “engineers, mechanics, drivers and in other important roles.” As to advising those who want to get into racing, his recommendation is simple: “I would definitely recommend starting in SIM racing. Driving styles are quite different between karting and car racing and SIM racing gave me a great advantage coming into car racing.” In addition, you have to “work hard on reaching your dream every day,” he advises.
 

Working with Toyota

Certainly, 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year. Although the details have yet to be finalised, Hugo will take to the track with Toyota in the legendary 24 hours of Nürburgring competition in Germany. “We would compete in the 24-hour qualifier race under (the factory team) Toyota United, and then in the 24-hour race with HRT and Toyota factory support,” Hugo says.

As someone who acknowledges he is on a “steep learning curve” as a racing driver and wants to learn “from every mistake”, he typically sees this as a valuable opportunity to gain experience and develop alongside one of the legendary names in motorsport. If anything, this has taught him that there is much more to success than just raw talent and that no racing driver can succeed without good backup, particularly in the gruelling world of endurance racing. “Having Niterra’s support means a lot to me and also gives me a lot of confidence going into this season. Niterra is an amazing and well-regarded brand in motorsport.”

We will certainly continue to offer that support and look forward to following Hugo’s developing career with great interest, wishing him every success for the future.
 

Follow Hugo and his dreams on his Instagram channel!