DTM driver Kelvin van der Linde in a Lexus in 2024?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Exciting news about Kelvin van der Linde: The Abt driver, who has not been part of the Audi Sport squad since the end of 2022, appeared during testing in Barcelona these days. That alone is not exciting, but the car in which the 27-year-old South African was sitting: it was the Lexus RC F GT3 of the ASP team.

This corresponds to Kelvin van der Linde’s Instagram story a few days ago: “I’m happy to start a new page,” he wrote – and posted a photo taken from a plane in Barcelona. New chapter? This doesn’t seem like a one-off attempt.

So it will be obvious that the ASP team, which has used the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in recent years, will work together with Kelvin van der Linde in the future.

The ASP team wants to compete in the WEC with Lexus

In fact, the strong French team, which secured the driver and team titles in the GT World Challenge Europe endurance series this year, is currently looking for drivers to compete in the LMGT3 class in the WEC and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In the newly established class, which will replace GTE cars in the World Endurance Championship from 2024, GT3 cars will be used for the first time this year, giving teams like ASP the opportunity to compete at Le Mans. Especially since Toyota almost guarantees a starting point, as the class gives preference to manufacturers who also run a hypercar program.

Why entering Lexus will not be a problem for Abt

The team has already hired Jose Maria Lopez for the mission, who will be replaced by Nyck de Vries in the Toyota hypercar program. With Kelvin van der Linde we would have a top class driver who is also one of the most experienced GT3 drivers.

But wouldn’t there be a conflict of interest with the entry of Lexus and the DTM program in Abt-Audi in the 2024 season, which was confirmed by the Kempten company at the season finale in Hockenheim in October 2023?

No, because Abt only needs the South African, who is entering the second year of a two-year contract with the team, for DTM racing, and has no obligation to the Audi brand. Since there is no overlap between DTM and WEC, the path will be clear.