A lightning-fast decision lands Kelvin van der Linde the contract with ASP-Lexus in the 2024 WEC – Just two days from testing to signing!
That was quick: According to Kelvin van der Linde, it took him just two days to sign his contract with ASP after the surprising test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In addition to his DTM commitment, he will compete in the 2024 Lexus RC F GT3 in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
“It’s the quickest deal I’ve ever done in my life,” the South African told Daily Sportscar. “I spoke to my manager, I spoke to them and the whole deal was done within two days.”
The test came about on an ad hoc basis because Ritomo Miyata, who was originally scheduled to drive, had a clash of dates. Van der Linde immediately boarded the plane from South Africa to Barcelona. He has not had a contract with Audi since the end of 2022 and was therefore an ideal option for the team. The DTM commitment with the R8 LMS GT3 runs via Red Bull.
The WEC appeals to van der Linde because of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, among other things: “Le Mans is one of the last endurance races that I haven’t driven yet. I’ve already contested Bathurst, Nürburgring, Spa and Daytona. It’s still missing from my list.”
Team boss Jerome Policand was also able to entice van der Linde with the promise that ASP would receive works support from Toyota. This is precisely what Porsche had recently criticized.
Van der Linde is thus switching to the team that he raced against for years as an Audi driver in Team WRT in the GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe. The two top teams, which have now both switched brands, have a healthy rivalry. WRT will represent BMW not only in the hypercar class, but also in the LMGT3 class.
“We know each other well and are aware of each other’s strengths,” he says of the rivalry. “Who knows, maybe that’s why I ended up here.”
Kelvin van der Linde is one of the most successful GT3 drivers and, at the age of 27, already has ten years of GT3 experience. Several DTM victories, two wins in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and two titles in the ADAC GT Masters are the highlights of his career.
Expectations are high for the first GT3 season in the WEC: “Toyota knows how to be successful in the hypercar. If we can transfer that to Lexus, then we will be competitive. “