GT racing star Kelvin van der Linde is poised to hitch BMW’s manufacturing unit roster in 2025, however any such deal would depart him and not using a seat within the DTM.
Based on Motorsport.com’s sister title Motorsport-Complete.com, all indicators level to van der Linde following his youthful brother Sheldon in driving for the Bavarian model subsequent 12 months.
It’s understood that an settlement has been reached between the 2 events, however no contract has been signed but. BMW has not denied that it has been speaking to van der Linde over the winter, however equally it hasn’t been prepared to supply any particulars about 2025.
Whereas his precise programme stays unclear, it seems he is not going to be representing the model within the DTM subsequent season. This can be a specific shock, given the South African had dreamt of racing within the DTM as a child and had been part of the class since 2021 with Abt Audi.
His 2025 programme might embody a marketing campaign within the GT World Problem Europe, the place quite a lot of groups discipline the BMW M4 GT3, in addition to appearances in basic endurance occasions.
“I am certain he’ll drive the automobile with the quantity 32 there,” a BMW professional stated on this matter. “I doubt they will use him within the DTM and there is nothing else.”
Sheldon van der Linde, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
BMW already has different plans for DTM in 2025. This 12 months, it fielded a trio of drivers within the works-supported Schubert group, together with brother Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann and Rene Rast.
Elsewhere, there are solely two spots for skilled drivers within the producer’s LMGT3 programme within the World Endurance Championship. Augusto Farfus and Maxime Martin have already been nominated for the spots reserved for gold or platinum drivers, though Martin has since parted firm with BMW.
What is definite is that the 2017 Nurburgring 24 Hour winner is not going to get an everyday spot in its Hypercar programme subsequent 12 months. Though the 28-year-old was beforehand included in Audi’s stillborn LMDh venture, he has very restricted expertise in prototype equipment, having solely competed in two Asian Le Mans occasions in 2021.
BMW additionally just lately signed ex-System 1 racer Kevin Magnussen for a Hypercar drive, leaving even fewer alternatives for different drivers in its fold.
Stepping down from the DTM wouldn’t be straightforward for van der Linde, an eight-time collection race winner, who stated in September: “It’s my objective to proceed to be within the DTM, to proceed to be with Abt Sportsline – a group that’s now like a household to me. Hopefully, that shall be confirmed within the subsequent few weeks.”
Abt is ending a two-decade relationship with Audi to hitch forces with Lamborghini, and van der Linde might have additionally switched manufacturers within the course of. He was purported to pattern Lamborghini’s SC63 LMDh automobile within the Bahrain rookie take a look at, however that chance by no means materialised.
Kelvin van der Linde, Crew ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
By the ultimate spherical of the DTM season, he already denied his probabilities of teaming up with Lamborghini driver and eventual champion Mirko Bortolotti in the identical championship in 2025, saying: “I do not suppose it’s going to occur like that.”
With the Lamborghini route seemingly closed, efforts have been made to ink a cope with each Lexus/Toyota and Porsche, however no deal might once more be reached. That left van der Linde, who additionally raced for ASP Lexus in WEC’s LMGT3 class this 12 months, with few different choices than BMW.
Van der Linde’s strikes to BMW would bolster the presence of his supervisor Dennis Rostek, whose firm Pole Promotion additionally manages the affairs of his youthful brother Sheldon and three-time DTM champion Rast.
With three victories throughout Lausitzring, Nurburgring and Hockenheim rounds, van der Linde completed second within the 2024 DTM season solely dropping out to the SSR Efficiency Lamborghini of Bortolotti.
Bortolotti might find yourself taking van der Linde’s seat at Abt relying upon the way forward for his present group SSR Efficiency.
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