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Historic Moment as Tom Kalender Joins DTM as Youngest Driver

Tom Kalender, the reigning champion of GT Masters, is set to make history by becoming the youngest driver ever to compete in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) when the 2025 season kicks off at Oschersleben. At just 16 years old, he has been signed by Mercedes to drive for the returning Landgraf team.

Kalender made headlines last year when he shattered age records in the GT Masters, clinching the overall title alongside Finnish racer Elias Seppanen. This impressive feat positioned him to break the previous DTM age record, held for nearly ten years by current Porsche Formula E driver Pascal Wehrlein. Kalender will be merely 17 years and 30 days old at the season start, marking a significant milestone in the series.

He will race alongside seasoned competitor Lucas Auer, who is embarking on his tenth season in DTM, including nine years with Mercedes. Auer brings a wealth of experience to the Landgraf team, which achieved considerable success in the GT Masters series. The team’s victory in 2024 with Kalender and Seppanen represents its third consecutive championship title in that series, showcasing its prowess in competitive racing.

In another significant team update, two-time Spa 24 Hours winner Jules Gounon is set to join Winward Racing, teaming up with Nurburgring and Macau GT winner Maro Engel. Following his debut in DTM at last year’s Hockenheim finale as a substitute for the ill Luca Stolz, Gounon will now participate in the full 2025 season driving a Mercedes AMG GT3.

Gounon is not only focusing on DTM; he will also compete in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship with the factory Alpine team, sharing driving duties with Frederic Makowiecki and Mick Schumacher. This dual commitment highlights the growing trend of drivers participating in multiple racing series simultaneously.

Kalender and Gounon are stepping into the shoes of Luca Stolz and Arjun Maini in Mercedes’ four-car lineup. Stolz was initially poised for Mercedes’ entry into the LMGT3 class of the World Endurance Championship with Iron Lynx but is now expected to shift his focus to the GT World Challenge Europe. Meanwhile, Maini has departed from Mercedes’ ranks to collaborate with Ford, potentially joining HRT’s anticipated two-car Mustang GT3 entry.

HRT, which has been a longtime customer of Mercedes, has now shifted its allegiance to Ford, reflecting the latter’s increasing investment in expanding its GT3 program in Europe. As the racing season approaches, the dynamics between teams and drivers continue to evolve, setting the stage for an intriguing year ahead in the DTM and beyond.

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