McLaren’s entry into the DTM has now been officially confirmed: What the project is, how the entry will be made possible and which drivers are the subject
Positive news from the DTM: The ADAC has announced in a press release that a seventh brand will join Mercedes-AMG, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari in the traditional series in 2024. “McLaren is a spectacular new addition to the DTM, and fans can look forward to seven brands in the DTM 2024,” confirmed ADAC Head of Motorsport Thomas Voss.
There were plans by the former BMW team Project 1 to do this, but after intensive efforts, the project should finally be registered. But what is behind the first real McLaren entry in DTM history?
JP Motorsport already competed in the DTM in 2021 with Christian Klien and a McLaren 720S GT3, but these were only guest starts. The new McLaren team, on the other hand, is planning to be a full member for the entire 2024 DTM season
What do Dörr and Project 1 have to do with each other?
Who is behind it? After its DTM debut year with BMW, Hans-Bernd Kamps’ Project 1 team needed a new brand for the 2024 season and found what it was looking for in McLaren. The project is to be developed together with Dörr Motorsport, which is known from the GT4 sector from the McLaren and Aston Martin entries.
The Dörr Group is the largest McLaren dealer in Europe – and the Munich site has been managed by Thomas Felbermair since October 2023. Until two years ago, he was Vice President for Sales and Marketing at BMW M GmbH – and is an old acquaintance of Project 1 boss Kamps.
This should come as no surprise, as Kamps’ Tolimit team finished runner-up in the 2004 Porsche Supercup with Christian Menzel. Back then, Felbermair, who now works for Dörr, was series manager of the traditional Porsche one-make cup.
Which drivers does the McLaren team rely on?
Project 1 is unlikely to play the main role in the planned DTM event: The two McLaren 720 GT3s are not to be prepared at Project 1 in Lohne, but in Frankfurt am Main, where Dörr has its headquarters.
The 19-year-old Ben Dörr, the son of Managing Director Rainer Dörr, is being considered for one of the cockpits. He last competed in GT4 Germany and finished third in the overall standings and second in the Junior classification in 2022. Last year, he gained his first GT3 experience at the Nürburgring in the Aston Martin Vantage.
German McLaren works driver Marvin Kirchhöfer was originally a hot candidate as team leader. However, these plans are likely to have been scuppered. Instead, Austrian Clemens Schmid, who has announced his departure from the Grasser team after two years in the DTM, could end up in the McLaren project.
However, the choice of driver has not yet been finalized, according to reports. And ADAC Head of Motorsport Voss has also announced: “We can look forward to some more news in the coming weeks for an exciting 2024 DTM season. “
