DTM News Notebook: Mücke Motorsport AMG For Paffett, Abril Joins HRT, Wittmann For Walkenhorst
Wednesday and Thursday will see the two-day official pre-season tests at Hockenheim for the 2021 DTM in its new-look GT3 format.
Predictably then there’s a flurry of news to report before proceedings start tomorrow.
Mercedes AMG has confirmed the final team in their line-up with Mücke Motorsport added to the already announced roster, the team entering a single car for 2005 and 2018 DTM Champion Gary Paffett.
HRT has confirmed their second full season driver alongside the already confirmed Maximillian Götz with Vincent Abril named for the full year’s action.
Vincent Abril, Mercedes-AMG Team HRT #5: “Starting in the DTM is a dream come true for me. Ever since I have been interested in motorsport and been racing myself, it has always been a big goal of mine. The DTM is hugely competitive: only strong manufacturers, teams and drivers battle it out for the victory in this series. As such, I was incredibly honoured to be asked to join the HRT as a Mercedes-AMG driver. I am now really looking forward to getting going. It is hard to make any predictions: many things are a little bit different to other series – from the tyres to the race format. A few circuits are also new to me. As such, my aim is to deliver my best and work with the team towards our mutual goal of success.”
And Walkenhorst Motorsport has named 2014 and 2016 DTM Champion Marco Wittmann in their single-car entry with a BMW M6 GT3.
Marco Wittmann: “I’m really looking forward to be driving with Walkenhorst Motorsport in the 2021 DTM. There are certainly some new challenges to overcome for us, including using the BMW M6 GT3 in sprint race format. Nevertheless, we as a team will give everything to ensure that the project is successful. Anyone who knows me knows how important the DTM is for me and it means even more that I will be competing again in a new constellation in 2021.”
The confirmation of Mercedes AMG’s full line up appears to confirm that new customer 2 Seas Motorsport will not, after all be contesting the season, they had initially planned to run with two McLarens but those cars are now for sale, replaced by AMG machinery for the UK/ Bahraini outfit’s 2021 campaigns.
2021 Provisional Entry
Audi
Abt Sportsline – Mike Rockenfeller
Abt Sportsline – Kelvin van der Linde
Abt Sportsline – Sophia Floersch
Team Rosberg – Nico Müller
Team Rosberg – Dev Gore
BMW
ROWE Racing – Sheldon van der Linde
ROWE Racing – Timo Glock
Walkenhorst Raing – Marco Wittmann
Ferrari
Red Bull/ AF Corse – Alexander Albon/ Nick Cassidy
Red Bull/ AF Corse – Liam Lawson
McLaren
JP Motorsport* – Christian Klien
Mercedes AMG
GetSpeed Performance – Arjun Maini
Mücke Motorsport – Gary Paffett
GruppeM Racing – Daniel Juncadella
Haupt Racing Team – Maxi Götz
Haupt Racing Team* – Vincent Abril
Haupt Racing Team** – Hubert Haupt
HTP Winward – Lucas Auer
HTP Winward – Philip Ellis
* 3 race programme
** single ‘guest’ race only