BEN TUCK TO DEBUT IN 2020 DTM TROPHY!
Ben Tuck will be taking to the track for the 2020 season in the brand new DTM Trophy. Continuing his strong links with BMW as a junior driver with high-profile GT team, Walkenhorst Motorsport, the 2018 British GT4 runner-up will be driving the teams highly successful BMW M4 GT4. The DTM Trophy will be contested over 6 rounds, across 3 European countries and is an important new feeder to the legendary DTM Championship. The exciting announcement follows on from Ben’s recognition by the British Racing Drivers Club as a Rising Star.
Swoosh Motorsport
2020 will mark the 2nd season that Ben will race with Walkenhorst, whose biggest success to date was victory at the 2018 Spa 24 Hours. They will run BMW M4 GT4 cars in the new-for-2020 series. 2019 saw Bens VLN Championship debut, where he contested races in the BMW M240i and the BMW M4 GT4 taking 4 podiums at the Nurburgring. He also raced with the experienced VLN squad FK Motorsport earning another podium in the world renown 24Hrs of Nurburgring race.
Ben’s entry into the DTM paddock demonstrates another move forward in his developing career. Delighted with the prospect of being part of one of the world’s most highly respected series, Ben said:
“I joined Walkenhorst Motorsport at the beginning of the 2019 season, and together we competed in the VLN Championship. Naturally, I’m delighted to be able to continue my relationship with Walkenhorst and with BMW as we enter this year’s DTM Trophy. I think that Walkenhorst has the experience and commitment to make a success of the season, and I believe we will work strongly together. I’m already fully comfortable driving the BMW M4, so to compete on the DTM bill, on some of the most iconic and popular tracks in Europe, is both a huge challenge and a massive thrill. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Swoosh Motorsport
The DTM Championship is highly respected worldwide and is known for superb high-profile racing, with many former and future Formula 1 stars passing through its ranks. Run on the biggest and most famous circuits in Germany and throughout Europe it attracts a huge following worldwide.
The new DTM Trophy feeder series will receive high profile billing across its six weekends in 2020 and will immediately follow the headlining DTM event, earning it high visibility on the busy DTM race weekend programme. The DTM Trophy kicks off at Zolder, Belgium (April 24-26), and concludes at Germany’s Hockenheimring (October 2-4).
Bens appointment by the team marks an important new chapter in Walkenhorst’s evolution. Walkenhorst Motorsport team manager Niclas Königbauer said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to expand our programme for 2020 by joining the DTM Trophy. Racing alongside the DTM – to packed grandstands and busy paddocks – is a fantastic opportunity for Walkenhorst. In Ben, we have a genuine young talent who has already shown exceptional ability in GT racing. For us, in our first-ever sprint race series, it’s really important that we perform well.”
The announcement is also important for the championship. Frederic Elsner, Director Event at DTM marketer ITR, added:
“Having a team of the calibre and experience of Walkenhorst Motorsport really underlines the appeal of the DTM Trophy. We’re really looking forward to having a very high-profile customer BMW operation join our grid. Also, being able to confirm the start-times demonstrates the extent to which we’ve prioritised the series to ensure it reaches the biggest possible audience. There’s lots happening with the DTM Trophy, and we’re all very keen to get started.”
Ben races in the DTM Trophy’s opening race at Zolder on 25th and 26th April 2020.
