DTM at the seaside: Who will be celebrating in the Zandvoort dunes?

• Ricardo Feller travels to the North Sea coast on the back of victory in the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring
• Local favourite Thierry Vermeulen: “We will see a lot of overtaking manoeuvres”
• Two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanperä set for his debut on the DTM platform

Munich. Full throttle with a sea view: this weekend (7th to 9th June), the DTM takes its spectacular show to the beach on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands. South African Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline) travels to round three of the season at Circuit Zandvoort as the championship leader. However, the Audi driver cannot afford to slip up at the Formula 1 track in the middle of the dunes. Defending champion Thomas Preining (A) has hit form just in time for the event to the west of Amsterdam. The Austrian currently lies second in his Porsche 911 GT3 R, just eight points off the lead. Kelvin van der Linde’s fiercest rivals also include his own team-mate Ricardo Feller (CH), who is within touching distance in third place and won the ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring last weekend. The DTM stars will be joined in Zandvoort by another big name from the world of motorsport: two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanperä is set to make his circuit debut in a Porsche. Saturday’s DTM race gets underway at 13:30. The Sunday race starts at the later time of 16:30. ProSieben is showing the action from Zandvoort live on free-to-air German TV, with coverage starting half an hour before the start of each race.

Key facts, Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, races 5 and 6 of 16

Length: 4,259 metres

Layout: 14 corners (ten right, four left), driven clockwise

2023 winner, race 1: Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter, Mercedes-AMG GT3)

2023 winner, race 2: Ricardo Feller (Abt Sportsline, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2)

Preining against the Audi duo
Kelvin van der Linde arrives in Holland on the back of a victory at the Dekra Lausitzring that saw him move to the top of the table: “The win at the Lausitzring gave us a boost of energy as a team. We travel to Zandvoort fully motivated. This is an old-style track, where no mistake goes punished. I particularly like the second sector, when you head up the hill and then into the fast right-hander. You are usually right at the limit, and the driver can make a big difference,” says Kelvin van der Linde. Manthey EMA driver Preining has also returned to form after a poor start to the season in Oschersleben. Third-placed Feller made it onto the top step of the podium in Zandvoort in 2023 and is looking to repeat that feat this year. His full-blooded manoeuvre against Kelvin van der Linde in Lusatia let everyone know that he will be pulling no punches in the battle for position and points – even against his own team-mate. Despite his attacking style of driving, Feller joins Preining as the only DTM driver to have consistently finished in the points in each of the last 20 races.

Engel shines with impressive fightbacks, Bortolotti and Sheldon van der Linde need top results
Last year’s winner Maro Engel (Monaco/Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) is looking to make it back onto the top step of the podium in Zandvoort. Engel has finished in the top three twice already this season, fighting back strongly on both occasions after disappointing qualifyings. The Mercedes-AMG driver has gained a total of 35 positions over the past four races. Last season, the experienced racer claimed his second DTM victory in Zandvoort – and the master tactician remains a force to be reckoned with this year. His rivals include Mirko Bortolotti (I). The Lamborghini works driver from SSR Performance needs to perform more consistently if he is to work his way up the table from fifth place. Sheldon van der Linde is another with his sights set on top results. The South African from Schubert Motorsport is the best-placed BMW driver in seventh. A repeat of last year’s second place in Zandvoort would be a big boost for the 2022 DTM champion.

Local favourite looking to put on a great show
As the only Dutchman in the DTM field, local favourite Thierry Vermeulen is looking forward to his home event. “Driving in front of my family, friends and partners is always rather special,” says the 21-year-old, who lines up for Emil Frey Racing in a Ferrari 296 GT3. “Zandvoort is a real old-school racetrack and I am sure we will see a lot of overtaking manoeuvres. I am really excited about the weekend. I will do my best and hope we can put on a great show for the many fans.”

ADAC GT Masters, one-make cup action and a Formula first
The Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux features a prominent name as it makes its first appearance of the season on the DTM platform. Two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanperä starts at a racetrack for the first time in his career. The flying Finn will be at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup run by the Red Ant Racing team. Now 23 years old, he became the youngest driver ever to win the FIA World Rally Championship in the 2022 season. Last year, Rovanperä completed a successful defence of his world title at the Central European Rally in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The rally star is now hungry to show what he is made of on the circuit racing scene in Zandvoort.

The support programme in the Netherlands also includes the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland. After a year away, the ADAC GT Masters returns to Zandvoort this weekend. Two races with seven premium manufacturers promise to deliver top-class entertainment. The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine features at a DTM event for the first and only time this season. The Formula 3 series will stage two races on the North Sea coast. Tickets for the DTM race weekend in Zandvoort start at € 39 and are available online at dtm.com. Admission to the paddock and the pit walk are free for all ticket holders – perfect for autograph hunters and those wanting selfies with the DTM stars.