ATS (Auto Technisches Spezialzubehör) is a German company that manufactures alloy wheels for road and racing cars.

After sponsoring a string of national motorsport events, Schmidt decided to enter Grand Prix racing with his own team.

Hans Binder would then take the second car for the rest of the season, though the team elected to sit out from the final three races of the year in Japan, Canada and the United States.

In 1978 Schmidt hired former March Engineering designer Robin Herd to build the first genuine ATS Formula One car, the HS1.

Despite the introduction of the new D1 chassis designed by John Gentry that featured skirts, wider track and side pods, the team's fortunes didn't improve.

[4] Another chassis designed by Nigel Stroud, the D3, was swiftly introduced and Stuck took the team's only points score of the season with a 5th place at the United States Grand Prix.

[5] The team stepped up to a two-car operation again in 1980, with Marc Surer and Jan Lammers signed to drive the D3 while Gustav Brunner was hired to design the new D4.

Lammers managed to qualify 4th for the United States Grand Prix West but retired after a collision at the start.

[6] Surer returned for the French Grand Prix and replaced Lammers, though the team failed to score points for the rest of the season.

Salazar also earned unwanted publicity when he collided with the race-leading Brazilian Nelson Piquet while being lapped at the German Grand Prix.

After limping to the end of the season with Berger alone, BMW revoked the use of their engines, and Schmid folded the ATS team.