Photo: Abt Sportline
Sophia Floersch will race in the new-look DTM this year, driving a Audi R8 LMS for the Abt Sportsline team.
The DTM has dumped its high-spec touring car regulations for 2021 and become a GT3 series much like GT World Challenge Europe and Euroformula’s sister series International GT Open.
That means it is a customer team-led series now, and attracted more manufacturers and drivers from a greater range of backgrounds. Floersch heads into the series after three years in Formula 3, and does plan to continue in single-seaters.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in DTM,” said Floersch.
“The partnership with Schaeffler and Abt Sportsline is great and makes me confident for my first season. I’m very proud to be given the chance to prove myself against such a strong field of drivers.”
Floersch’s team-mates will be 2013 DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller and two-time ADAC GT Masters champion Kelvin van der Linde. She will be up against other junior single-seater stars too, including Ferrari-driving Red Bull junior Liam Lawson.
Laura Muller will be Floersch’s race engineer, and Maike Frik will be team manager in a female-led 2021 setup.
Floersch does have sportscar experience already, having started her car racing career with wins in Ginetta Junior before moving into single-seaters in Formula 4 and then F3.
She then formed part of Richard Mille Racing’s LMP2 line-up in the European Le Mans Series last year. She remains with the team for 2021, but will now contest the World Endurance Championship.