13/02/2020
NEWS STORY
A private customer team will compete with BMW Turbo Power in the DTM for the first time this season as French team ART Grand Prix returns to the series.
The team will run a BMW M4 DTM for Robert Kubica who is making his debut in the series. The 35-year-old took to the track in the M4 for the first time at the Young Driver Tests at Jerez in December.
This sees the number of BMWs on the grid rise to seven.
"The DTM has appealed to me for a long time," said Kubica, "and the test in December really gave me a taste for more.
"I am really looking forward to starting this new chapter in my motorsport career," he continued. "I believe the DTM is one of the strongest and best race series in the world.
"I immediately felt at home in the M4 at the test. ART Grand Prix has been a big name on the international motor racing scene for years. I am sure we can achieve a lot together. We obviously still have to gain experience compared to the established DTM teams, but we will work hard to ensure that we improve all the time. I can hardly wait to race."
"There's no need to introduce BMW, Robert Kubica or the DTM! Their fabulous careers speak for themselves," said ART Grand Prix team principal Sebastien Philippe. "This project is important to us and we have been putting a lot of energy into it over the winter. It is with great pride that we will undertake it with the ambition to honour a historic car manufacturer, BMW, which has won several titles in the most demanding passenger car championship.
"Our goal will also be to accompany Robert Kubica, who is about to write a new page in his already incredibly rich motorsport career. Our last participation in the DTM series dates all the way back to 2015/16, so ART Grand Prix will need to relearn the inner workings of this high-level championship. Our objectives will be modest at the start of the season, but with the determination of our team, I hope that we will progress from the start of the season to fight with the frontrunners."
"This is really great news for the DTM," said BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. "We are delighted to welcome ART Grand Prix to the DTM as a private customer team.
"It has always been our goal to make the DTM field even larger and more attractive with privately-run BMW M4 DTMs. There were several options and we have held many discussions with potential teams in recent months. Considering all the aspects, we opted for the package provided by ART Grand Prix.
"After the test in Spain last December, Robert Kubica made no secret of the fact that he could imagine a future in the DTM. It is great that ART Grand Prix is now allowing him the opportunity to contest the 2020 season in a BMW M4 DTM. Robert showed during the test that is very good in a DTM car.
"He is a real asset to the series. We have our fingers crossed for ART Grand Prix and Robert, and hope they have a successful DTM season."
In preparation for the season, Kubica, who is reserve driver for the Alfa Romeo F1 team, will attend the ITR test at Monza from 16th to 18th March. The season kicks off at Zolder from 24th to 26th April.