Walkenhorst has added a second vehicle to its DTM lineup for its sophomore season, with two-time series champion Marco Wittmann joined by ex-T3 Lamborghini driver Esteban Muth.
Wittmann will continue to wear the Schaeffler colors on his BMW for a fourth season, having originally partnered with the business in 2019. Walkenhorst, on the other hand, has changed his livery for this year, with green replacing white as the base color on his BMW M4.
Wittmann’s new colleague Muth will wear a tricolor livery with sponsorship from Chinese businesses CATL and IQOO, both of which are BMW Motorsport partners.
Over at Schubert, a newcomer to the DTM this year as a replacement for Rowe Racing, one-time race winner Sheldon van der Linde will compete in the famous colors of oil giant Shell on his M4, rekindling their connection from 2019-20.
Philipp Eng’s vehicle will also use the blue RoboMarkets livery, which was previously worn by Joel Eriksson, for the first time since the end of the DTM’s Class One era.
Eng returns to the DTM after a one-year sabbatical, having raced in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on the opposite side of the Atlantic in 2021.
“The DTM’s face may have changed since the end of the Class 1 era, but it hasn’t lost any of its appeal in terms of race action, the impressive number of competitors signed up for this season, and the high-class field of teams and drivers,” said Timo Resch, Vice President Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M.
“I am delighted that our long-term BMW M Motorsport partners, like us, see the enormous potential of the DTM platform and have opted to sponsor the BMW M Motorsport teams – Walkenhorst Motorsport and Schubert Motorsport – in 2022.”
“I like all of the BMW M4 GT3 designs.” In a vast field, they will be a great eye-catcher. Thank you to all of our partners for your help!”
After competing in the previous season with the out-of-production and aging M6, 2022 is a significant year for BMW in the DTM and its new M4 competitor.
Despite the fact that the M6 was not designed for the DTM’s sprint-style format, Wittmann emerged as a strong candidate for the championship, with only a string of disappointing performances at the conclusion of the season dropping him to fourth in the final standings.