DTM

DTM Testing Comes To An End At Lausitzring

2 Mins read
DTM Testing at Lausitzring 2021. Photo credit: DTM

Three days, fifteen cars and 2915 laps later, all twenty DTM drivers are now eager for the start of the 2021 season next month. The new, improved DTM features GT3 cars of five brands; Ferrari, Mclaren, Audi, BMW and even Mercedes is making a comeback to the grid. These testing sessions were the first time that we could see all of the new race cars in their eye-catching colourful final liveries which makes the cars easy to identify and will make for even more exciting looking races.

Colourful Starting line at Lausitzring 2021. Photo credit: DTM

The fastest driver over all three days of testing was Mercedes-AMG Team HRT’s Maximilian Götz, just 96 thousandths of a second ahead of the AF Course Ferrari of Liam Lawson. Hot on the tail of Lawson was his teammate, the Red Bull Racing Honda F1 team reserve driver Alexander Albon.

Alexander Albon’s AF Course Ferrari. Photo credit: DTM

Out of the confirmed field of twenty drivers, three were unable to attend these testing sessions, Sheldon van der Linde, Christian Klien and Esteban Muth. The other seventeen used every single lap to ensure that their cars were set up by performing a full mix of long runs, pit stop practice, qualifying simulations and start line practice. 

The level in DTM is very high. You already notice how serious and meticulous the testing is,” said newcomer Kelvin van der Linde, who is driving an ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS.

One other first for this year’s season is a female racer, 20-year-old German driver Sophia Flörsch has joined the ABT Sportsline in an Audi R8 LMS. Flörsch completed the fourth-highest number of laps with 214 laps of the Lausitzring and gradually improved her lap times over the three days.

The 2021 DTM Drivers. Photo credit: DTM

With a mix of conditions over the three days, the DTM tyre partner, Michelin had brought along a total of 550 slicks of the S8 variety, 60 tyres of the harder S9 compound as well as 140 rain tyres.

Of course, I am super happy, not just with the result, but also with the progress we have made. We have achieved everything we wanted to achieve in testing,” Götz summed up. “Being on top three times is a cool feeling, obviously, but it doesn’t say anything at all. We will only find out where we really are during the season opener at Monza. It will definitely be exciting.” 

Maximilian Gotz’s Mercedes-AMG GT3. Photo credit: DTM

The 2021 DTM season kicks off at Monza over the weekend of 18 – 20 June.

Avatar photo
78 posts

About author
Motorsport Journalist. Natural born Petrolhead and Radio Broadcaster.
Articles
Related posts
DTMFormula E

Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Champion and Reigning DTM Champion to test for Jaguar

3 Mins read
Jaguar have announced that Simon Evans and reigning DTM Champion Sheldon van der Linde will complete Monday’s Rookie Test for the team.
DTMFormula EFormula Regional European Championship

ABT CUPRA to run Reigning ETCR Champion and ADAC Youngster in Rookie Test

2 Mins read
Reigning ETCR Champion Adrien Tambay and FREC driver Tim Tramnitz will drive for ABT CUPRA next Monday in the Formula E Rookie Test
DTMFormula E

Kelvin van der Linde to replace Robin Frijns for foreseeable future

3 Mins read
ABT DTM driver Kelvin van der Linde has been confirmed as Robin Frijns’ replacement at next weekend’s Diriyah E-Prix, with the Dutchman ruled out for potentially the bulk of the season.