The 2021 DTM season has come to an end at the Norisring with an exciting final weekend and the title not being decided until the very last of 16 races. Kelvin van der Linde celebrates third place overall in Team ABT Sportsline’s Audi R8 LMS, while the first prominent newcomer for 2022 has already been confirmed: Audi driver and three-time DTM champion René Rast returns to the grid. Read more
Kelvin van der Linde has signed a new deal with Audi squad Abt Sportsline to remain in the DTM in 2022.
At the season’s midpoint, the Audi R8 LMS is the car to beat in the DTM: After Kelvin van der Linde’s third victory and Team ABT Sportsline’s 70th overall in the DTM, the South African and his squad are leading the standings. The Audi R8 LMS GT4 and the Audi RS 3 LMS also returned from their races in numerous countries with many trophies. Read more
In the 2021 DTM, Audi achieved the second one-two with the R8 LMS after the opening success at Monza: Kelvin van der Linde won at the third race weekend at Zolder ahead of Mike Rockenfeller and extended his lead in the standings to 21 points. In Nashville, Audi customer teams in the GT America race series clinched a total of three victories with their GT3, GT2 and GT4 sports cars from Germany.
The DTM starts its 36th season under new auspices in which Audi is strongly represented on two grids. While the DTM is relying on GT3 sportscars like the Audi R8 LMS for the first time after two decades of Class 1 touring cars, the DTM Trophy is tackling its second season with production-based models like the Audi R8 LMS GT4.
Rene Rast is leaving the door open for a return to the DTM in 2022 due to Audi’s impending exit from Formula E at the end of the current campaign.
Three-time DTM champion Rast was signed by Audi for the 2020/21 FE season alongside Lucas di Grassi, having impressed the marque as a replacement for the ousted Daniel Abt in Berlin last year.
He entered Formula E with a view to forge a long-term career in the all-electric series, even giving up on a fifth season in the DTM due to clashes between the two championships.
But days after pre-season testing at Valencia in December, Audi announced that it would quit Formula E after the final round of the season, leaving an uncertain future for the German driver. Read more
Mike Rockenfeller and Kelvin van der Linde will drive for the Abt Audi team for the first season of the DTM’s new GT3 era in 2021. Read more
Two-time DTM runner-up Nico Muller will switch to Team Rosberg for the championship’s first season featuring GT3 cars in 2021, partnering with American racer Dev Gore.
Rene Rast has announced that he won’t continue in the DTM for the first year of its GT3 era to defend his title. Read more
A two-day test will take place at Hockenheim on 7-8 April followed by another three days of running at the Lausitzring on 4-6 May, leaving a month’s gap until the season opener at Monza on 19-20 June. Read more