DTM – Stars and Stories from the Zandvoort race weekend

• Former football international Verlaat and skiing star Ryding visit the circuit
• Double world rally champion Rovanperä makes his circuit racing debut on the DTM platform
• Model Betty Taube sets the DTM stars on their way

Model and influencer Betty Taube honours René Rast
Ever since she was a child, Betty Taube has always had a love of motorsport. The model even has a racing licence. In Zandvoort, the 29-year-old presented runner-up René Rast with his trophy on Saturday, before setting the DTM stars on their way with the “Drivers start your engines” sign from DTM partner Schaeffler on Sunday. Born in Eberswald, Taube made her breakthrough on casting show “Germany’s next Topmodel”, in which she made it through to the semi-final in 2014. That was followed by catwalk appearances, roles in TV series, and presenting jobs on ProSieben. “This was my first time at the DTM and I am so impressed that I will definitely also be at the finale. As I have a racing licence, I was constantly asking questions during the taxi ride: would you also brake here or take this line? It has me itching to get behind the wheel of a DTM car myself,” said Taube after her visit to the DTM event.

World rally champion Kalle Rovanperä familiarises himself with the rear-view mirror in Zandvoort
A first for Kalle Rovanperä: the two-time world rally champion made his first appearance in a circuit race at the DTM event in Zandvoort, where he took his place at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 R Cup for the Red Ant Racing team in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. On Saturday, the Finn picked up some tips on the DTM grid from champion Thomas Preining. The 23-year-old Finn took up the challenge and finished in the top five in both races. “Fortunately, we were able to do some testing beforehand, as the circuit in Zandvoort is challenging. The Porsche’s handling means it is not easy to drive, but it behaves like a rally car in some ways. However, I first had to get used to being out on the track with other drivers. We don’t have to do any overtaking in rallying, and having to constantly look in the mirror was also new to me.”

Ski ace Dave Ryding takes a taxi ride round the dune rollercoaster
Dave Ryding is used to changing direction quickly. The 37-year-old won the slalom in Kitzbühel in 2022, becoming the first Briton to win an alpine ski race. With a Dutch wife, a visit to the DTM in Zandvoort was a point of honour. Ryding familiarised himself with the Formula 1 circuit from the Schaeffler DTM Innovation Taxi, and was mightily impressed. “That was crazy. You brake so late at the end of the straights, it took my breath away. However, racing round this rollercoaster with its banked corners was incredible fun. Plus, you are right on the beach and the North Sea coast – it is just a great circuit,” said the VIP guest of Abt Sportsline.

DTM takes to the air: Jet to Le Mans, helicopter back to Zandvoort
Double shift for six DTM drivers: the three BMW works drivers René Rast, Kelvin van der Linde and Marco Wittmann, Lamborghini ace Mirko Bortolotti, Ferrari racer Jack Aitken, and Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde headed to France between the two races in Zandvoort. On Sunday morning, the DTM stars completed their mandatory number of laps at the test ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The DTM tour group set off from the Zandvoort paddock at 16:00 on Saturday afternoon, before flying from Amsterdam Schiphol airport to Le Mans. The six drivers then flew back to the Dutch North Sea coast by helicopter, landing next to the racetrack at the driver safety center at 14:20, just in time for Sunday’s race. Soon after, they were tearing round the dune rollercoaster in the cockpits of their GT3 cars in the sixth race of the season.

Loona goes full throttle in the DTM Fan Zone after the race
High Loona in Zandvoort. Singer Loona gave it everything musically after the race on Saturday. The Bailando star fired up fans in the DTM Fan Zone with some thumping after-race music. The Dutch singer also signed plenty of autographs and posed for selfies. Loona’s greatest hits include “Vamos a la playa” and the summer hit “Bailando”, which spent several weeks at number one in the German charts in 1998.

Former Dutch international Frank Verlaat experiences the DTM up close and personal
Among the visitors to the DTM event in Zandvoort were football star Frank Verlaat. The former Dutch international began his career at DYT Haarlem. As such, the DTM race weekend in the neighbouring city of Zandvoort was of special significance to Verlaat. The former Bundesliga player (VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen) was in his element checking out the powerful cars on the grid, and presented the winner’s trophy after race six of the DTM season on Sunday.

Panna world champion has a ball
Away from the racetrack, there was an artistic feel to this weekend: Ahmed Rakaba demonstrated his talent for Panna football, which is regarded as the supreme form of street football. The world and European champion from Berlin showed off his trickery in the DTM Fan Zone and enjoyed a real adrenaline rush on a taxi ride in the Schaeffler DTM Innovation Taxi. “I just love the sound of the cars. As in football, you have to react quickly and make quick decisions in motor racing.” Rakaba also had a tip for the European Championship: “Germany has to win for Toni Kroos. After victory in the Champions League, that would be the icing on the cake at the end of a great career.”