march 22, 2023 - ABT Sportline

ABT presents strong line-up for the 24-hour race

The ABT Sportsline driver line-up for the comeback on the Nordschleife has been announced: #kelvinvanderlinde, #marcomapelli, Jordan Pepper and Nicki Thiim will compete in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours on May 20 and 21. The international line-up combines plenty of GT3 experience, as well as several overall victories at the endurance classic at the “Green Hell”.

“We are delighted that we have signed such a strong team for ABT’s comeback at the 24-hour race,” says ABT CEO Thomas Biermaier. “The four guys not only have a lot of experience in GT3 #racing, on the Nordschleife and to some extent in the Lamborghini, but also get on very well with each other – that’s a hugely important factor, especially in this race.”

Over the last weekend, #marcomapelli and #kelvinvanderlinde completed their first kilometres with the car at the season opener of the Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS), and on Monday, all of the drivers met with the engineers in Kempten for seat adjustments and an intense workshop. “As always in motorsport, of course you wish you had more time to prepare. But we are working through everything point by point. The team is growing closer and closer together and the anticipation among the drivers, mechanics and engineers is rising,” says Thomas Biermaier.

Kelvin van der Linde (ZA) has been part of the ABT family for a long time. The 26-year-old South African competed for ABT in the DTM in 2021 and 2022, and was a title contender right up to the finale in his debut season. Thanks not least to his two titles in the ADAC GT Masters and two overall victories in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the youngster is regarded as a proven GT3 specialist. He also got a taste of Formula E this year: He replaced regular driver Robin Frijns in four races this season and is also helping the ABT CUPRA team prepare in the simulator. “The first impressions with the car on the Nordschleife were very positive. I think we have a lot of potential,” says van der Linde. “My teammates are great, I already know some of the mechanics from the DTM and that’s another reason why I already feel perfectly at home. I think with this strong squad in the cockpit and in the pits we can achieve a lot.”

Marco Mapelli (I) has been a Lamborghini factory driver since 2017 and is considered as one of the most experienced GT3 drivers in the world. The 35-year-old is #racing around the globe for the Italian brand – whether in North America, Asia, Europe or Australia. The biggest success to date for the ABT newcomer from Italy is winning the Pro classification of the 2019 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. “It’s great to be part of this project and to see how professionally everyone approaches the challenge,” says Mapelli. “We all know what can happen in a 24-hour race, so the best possible preparation is crucial.”

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- Documents (1)

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