Photo: Audi
A host of junior single-seater drivers took part in the DTM young driver test at Jerez this week after being invited by the championship’s three manufacturers.
Audi’s line-up for the tests that ran from Tuesday to Thursday included GP2 drivers Mitch Evans and Arthur Pic, the former having also sampled machinery with sister marque Porsche in sportscars.
GP3’s Alex Palou was invited to test for Audi for a second straight year, fresh from his win in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
Also with Audi were European Formula 3 runner-up Antonio Giovinazzi – who made a one-off DTM appearance for the marque this year – Road to Indy star Matthew Brabham and former GP2 driver-turned-karting returnee Ben Hanley.
Among the Mercedes testers was Raffaele Marciello, whose status as a Ferrari junior appears to be over but won his 2013 European F3 title with Mercedes power and undertook a maiden DTM test as a result.
As well as McLaren Formula 1 refugee Kevin Magnussen, Mercedes also fielded GP3 frontrunner Marvin Kirchhofer (who ran in a similar test for Audi two years ago), factory-supported F3 driver Mikkel Jensen and Formula Renault 3.5 veteran Jazeman Jaafar, who has previously had F1 mileage with Mercedes through sponsor Petronas.
The BMW roster featured 17-year-old F3 racer George Russell (pictured below) and Formula Renault 2.0 star Louis Deletraz, who was a part of BMW’s junior programme this season.
Joining them were BMW GT driver Alexander Sims – still an active F3 driver in recent months – and Jesse Krohn, the winner of the junior programme last year.
Photo: BMW AG