German Schmicker Racing and Finnish Silve Racing will join forces for the upcoming season as the new Schmicker Silve Racing team begins its campaign in the German ADAC MX Masters series. The team will compete in two classes: the MX Masters premier class and the ADAC Youngster Cup.
The team is led by Germany’s Marko Schmicker and Finland’s Petteri Silvennoinen, both of whom have been running teams in international motocross for several years. The aim of the cooperation is to combine the strengths of both teams and build a competitive program.
“The idea for the cooperation started at the end of the 2024 season when Jere Haavisto competed in Germany with Schmicker Racing. At that time Silve Racing did not have the opportunity to offer a full championship program, but the cooperation with Marko worked extremely well. When Schmicker Racing took a break from competition, we started discussing the possibility of building a joint project,” says Silve Racing team manager Petteri Silvennoinen.
According to Silvennoinen, the partnership combines the strengths of both teams.
“Marko has strong expertise in Germany as well as excellent facilities and infrastructure. Silve Racing’s strength lies more in the operational side and the day-to-day management of the team. Costs in motocross are constantly increasing, so by working together we can operate at a higher level,” Silvennoinen explains.
ADAC MX Masters as the main championship
Schmicker Silve Racing will compete in the ADAC MX Masters series with two riders in the premier class and two riders in the Youngster Cup category. According to Silvennoinen, the ADAC series is a natural and realistic environment for the project.
“ADAC MX Masters is a compact but very high-level championship with strong competition. It is also a sensible series from a marketing perspective. For us it is a good place to build and develop this kind of cooperation,” he says.
The team already has ambitious goals for its first season.
“Harri Kullas and Jere Haavisto are experienced riders who can fight for podium positions and even victories on a good day. For the Youngster Cup riders the main focus is learning and development, but I believe they can also compete for top positions. As a team our goal is to be among the front runners in both classes,” Silvennoinen says.
Experience in the Masters class
In the MX Masters premier class the team will be represented by Jere Haavisto (27) and Harri Kullas (34), both of whom have strong experience from international championships.
“I’m entering the season with a positive feeling about the new team. The first impression has been very good and the structure around the team is strong. It is a very tough championship where riders need to perform well in every area to fight for the top positions,” Haavisto says.
For Kullas the series will also serve as preparation for the international season.
“ADAC MX Masters is one of the strongest championships in Europe. The level is high and the events are very well organised. It’s a great way for me to build speed and race rhythm in Europe,” Kullas explains.
Kullas will not be able to compete in the full championship in Germany as some races overlap with the Canadian outdoor championship, which will be his main series this year. However, he says the cooperation with the team has started very well.
“The cooperation has started very well and everything has been very professional. Petteri works in a very structured and organised way, which suits me well, so it’s great to start the season with the team,” Kullas adds.
Young riders in the Youngster Cup
In the ADAC Youngster Cup class Schmicker Silve Racing will be represented by Finnish riders Saku Mansikkamäki (20) and Nico Stenberg (20), for whom the series offers a new international challenge.
“I’m really motivated to start the season. ADAC is known for its high level and offers a great environment to develop as a rider. I’m looking forward to finally racing after a good off-season preparation,” Mansikkamäki says.
According to him, the level of the championship is close to the European EMX series.
“There are riders from many different countries and the competition is tight every weekend. In terms of speed the ADAC series is clearly closer to the EMX level than to the Finnish national championship.”
Stenberg is also entering the season with strong motivation.
“It’s great that this kind of project has been built and that I have the opportunity to race the full ADAC Youngster Cup season. I believe it’s a good chance to measure my level in international competition,” Stenberg says.
He also believes there is a lot to learn from the experienced teammates.
“Jere Haavisto and Harri Kullas are two of the fastest riders in Finland, so there is definitely a lot to learn from their experience.”
A long-term international project
The goal of the Schmicker Silve Racing cooperation is to build a long-term international project.
“I believe this project can have a significant impact on Finnish motocross. If it succeeds, it could open new opportunities for Finnish riders internationally and help move the whole sport forward,” Silvennoinen says.
