Debuts for F1 driver Albon and F2’s Lawson as well as AF Corse and Ferrari.
When the 2021 DTM season kicks off this weekend at Monza in Italy, there will be a handful of firsts to celebrate for the Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse team with drivers Alex Albon (THA) and Liam Lawson (NZL) making their DTM debuts.
Albon knows the 5.793-kilometre Monza circuit from his time in Formula 1. This time, however, he lines up in the #23 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020, which carries the colours of Red Bull’s premium fashion brand, AlphaTauri. The two races on Saturday and Sunday will be the first outings in the DTM for the 25-year-old Thai driver.
Depending on his Formula 1 commitments, Albon will share the #23 AlphaTauri Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 with New Zealand’s Nick Cassidy over the course of the season.
In the cockpit of the #30 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 is 19-year-old New Zealander Lawson, who will contest the full DTM season, which consists of eight race weekends, each featuring two races. The races all get underway at 13:30 at the Saturday and the Sunday.
Monza’s Royal Park hosts the DTM for the first time in its history, and is the home event for the Italian-based Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse team. Previous Italian DTM venues were Adria (3 races), Misano (4) and Mugello (8).
The DTM enters a new era in 2021. After the switch from Class One regulations to GT3 race cars, the entry list for Monza includes cars from five manufacturers – and two Ferraris, for the first time in the history of the series.
Andrea Guidotti, team manager of Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse, said: “The DTM at Monza marks the opening of a new chapter for AF Corse. This exciting new project offers another chance to pursue our win-focused philosophy. It is a major championship, and we are fortunate to compete in it with a partner like Red Bull, a car like the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020, a true benchmark in GT racing, and a fantastic driver line-up which we can aspire to excellent results. Racing in Italy is always special for a company like ours, and we have a strong bond with Monza.”
Albon said: “First race of the championship, obviously we want to start strongly, particularly as it is the home race for the AF Corse team. They bring a lot of knowledge, so it should be a good one. We obviously have to wait and see what happens with the Balance of Performance, whether or not it goes our way, but time will tell and I’m sure it will be a great first race. I can’t wait.”
Lawson said: “It is the first race of the year and I’m really excited. It is a completely new experience with GT racing for me. I’m sure it is going to be a big eye-opener. The testing so far was positive, even though it’s hard to say where we are exactly, I think we will find out after the first training session and qualifying. I’m very much looking forward to the weekend, Monza is a cool track and the home race for the AF Corse team.”
Ahmet Mercan, CEO AlphaTauri, said: “Thanks to Red Bull’s return to the DTM this year, AlphaTauri continues its journey to bring style to the racing world – both on and off track. The entire AlphaTauri Fashion Team is keeping all fingers crossed for a successful season start in Monza.”