BMW announces Kelvin van der Linde's return to DTM for 2026

BMW will line up in DTM This year features two highly experienced drivers. German Marco Wittmann, a two-time DTM champion in 2014 and 2016 with BMW's RMG team, is embarking on his fourteenth DTM season. At 36 years old, the driver from Fürth is a benchmark in the paddock with 210 races under his belt, all at the wheel of a BMW.

“I am extremely excited to be competing in another DTM season and I am really confident about my chances of fighting at the front again.”he explains. The two-time champion emphasizes the stability of his technical environment: “We have built a very good foundation with Schubert Motorsport over the last two seasons. My team of engineers and mechanics remains virtually unchanged. This is essential, as we are perfectly well-oiled. My objective is clear: to secure a third title in 2026.”

Alongside him, after a year's absence, South African Kelvin van der Linde makes his return to the DTM. The 29-year-old driver, a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, succeeds René Rast at Schubert Motorsport. An eight-time winner in the category, he has never managed to win the championship, with his best result being second place overall in 2024. This should fuel his ambitions.

"The DTM is a very special championship for me. It was a childhood dream to race in it and win races.", he confides. “I’ve achieved those goals, but one remains: winning the title. Sheldon (his brother, Ed.) did it in 2022, and joining Schubert Motorsport represents a kind of homecoming. I want to succeed right from the start of the 2026 season and fulfill this big dream of becoming champion.”

BMW seeks revenge after 2025

Last season, the Oschersleben-based team fought for the title until the final round at Hockenheim, narrowly missing out in a dramatic finale, 32 points behind Manthey who ultimately took the Constructors' title.

Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport, makes no secret of the German manufacturer's motivation: “After the dramatic finale in 2025, we still have a score to settle with the DTM. We came so close to the title that it motivates us even more to do better this year. With the car-team-driver combination, we have everything we need to aim for the crown.”

Team manager Torsten Schubert shares this optimism: “Preparations are already underway and we are eager to work with Marco Wittmann and Kelvin van der Linde. We still need to refine some of our automatic responses, but we know each other well and I am confident that we will quickly find our rhythm.” With this duo combining experience, stability and ambition, BMW clearly shows its intentions: to reconquer the top of the DTM as early as 2026.

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