FACH AUTO TECH – Swiss Race Engineering.

Take the 2014 season as striking evidence: An ambitious New Zealander climbs into a Swiss team’s 911 GT3 Cup cockpit and begins the Supercup season as a Rookie and Porsche Junior Driver and ends it not only as the Overall Supercup Champion, but also as a freshly minted Porsche factory driver. The driver’s name is Earl Bamber and he’s racing for FACH AUTO TECH, the team that introduced him to the benefits of high-performance management. It was also the team that opened the door to the Supercup, creating a win-win-situation.

With the extremely talented Earl at the wheel, FACH was able to play to all of its strengths: a close team-driver cooperation with a keen eye on how important communication, social competence and feedback is. For FACH AUTO TECH it is precisely these factors that lead to sustainable, long-term success. Bamber’s sensational 2014 season was not a “one-hit wonder,” it was the decisive step towards his professional career in racing.

FACH AUTO TECH is named after its founder and owner: Alexander Fach. His Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup colleagues call him Alex, and they speak of him as a very friendly and open-minded person. Which, by the way, we had the same impression during an early morning phone interview. He was already in preparation mode for what is an unusually hectic season. Too much is up in the air for debate. The status quo changes every day, which means different scenarios need to be prepared for, knowing that there is a possibility of them being dismissed in the end. In Corona-times, this is unavoidable.

Unleashing the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup’s 485 horsepower and chasing it around the curves is the true motivation of this Supercup team. And that’s exactly what Alex Fach wants: to finally be driving on a racetrack again, in the heart of a real race. For the confederation, this means leaving the company’s headquarters near Sattel in the Canton of Schwyz and going to neighbouring countries. Trucks have to be loaded, import and export claims need to be filed and hotels booked in order for the team to get onto racetracks. Because racing in Switzerland is unfortunately a no-go.

Monza, Hockenheim and Dijon are racetracks on which Swiss drivers and teams are warmly welcome. According to national law, no circuit is allowed to be built in Switzerland. This means that a Swiss racing team has significantly more effort and planning when it comes to testing. And testing is essential for bringing drivers and their cars closer together for fine tuning them into a single unit.

Race cars are much appreciated in Switzerland, but federal support at this level of racing is non-existent. When on the hunt for sponsors, teams need to rely on international brands that have a passion and foresight for motorsport in order to finance. The strategy is stereotypically Swiss: Generate a high level of output with relatively little input by putting sheer expertise and sophistication into play. Ultimately leaving a lasting impression. Isn’t this how Swiss watchmakers achieved their world renowned status? Certainly, this precision and success serves as inspiration for FACH.

The racing circus is a well-tuned machine. Like a true family man, Alex Fach sees the role of team manager more like a companion for success. His ultimate goal is to develop, nurture, challenge and promote young, international drivers for a career in racing. During the past few years, this philosophy has catapulted some racers-in-training directly into the driver’s seat of factory teams. Or elevated someone from a junior driver to a pro racer. In addition to Bamber, names such as Matteo Cairoli, Matt Campbell and Nick Yelloly are all Swiss Quality Approved.

Success sticks to FACH AUTO TECH like a seal of approval; a medal with two different sides to Alex Fach’s team. On one side, there is the hard work of developing driving talent in order to achieve great success for the team and to remain competitive. On the other side, having success also means that sometimes drivers leave the team after just one season. When promotions for beloved drivers present themselves, you have to let them go.

It’s a priority for Alex Fach that his team of drivers, mechanics and engineers all take meals together during race weekends, putting community first. Gentleman’s behaviour counts amongst the team, like removing your hat when joining a table, putting your cell phone away and wishing young drivers their best before a race. Regardless of whether someone tests prototypes as a factory driver on the payroll of a major car manufacturer or they do rounds as a test driver in Formula 1, Fach keeps in touch and closely follows the careers of his former drivers.

Alex Fach headquarters his racing team where others vacation - in the picturesque foothills of the Swiss Alps. More precisely in Sattel in the Canton of Schwyz, a few minutes by car from Lake Lucerne.

FACH AUTO TECH, including Alex Fach, consists of 17 employees. Some of them work in permanent positions working full-time. Depending on the need, independent contractors are booked for the races. All employees, whether or not they are permanent or contractors, enjoy the same status with Mr. Fach, no matter if they take an active part during race weekends. Strict hierarchies, preferential treatment, over the top praise? No. That wouldn’t help the team or do justice to racing processes, explains Mr. Fach, to whom fairness and balance are extremely important – simply because it’s about people and productivity.

Even a qualified engineer from ETH Zurich, who knows everything about mechanics and aerodynamics, starts from scratch with day-to-day racing. This creates consistency, a common understanding, and strengthens team bonds. The turnover within his team is significantly lower than with the drivers. And with age variations between 20 and 60 years, there is a healthy mix of youthful drive and goal-oriented experience: a winning team where the love for the race are paramount. With this in mind, we leave you with a final word from Alex Fach – the joy of hard-won victories and the unique flair of the Supercup in a Formula 1 environment pair very well.