23-year-old Indian Arjun Maini, who is announced as a Mercedes-AMG Driver, will race for the Mercedes-AMG Performance Team GetSpeed in the upcoming 2021 DTM season at the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which will consist of 8 rounds with 16 races across Germany/Europe.The former Haas F1 Team Development Driver who is currently backed by JK Racing will compete in the series and will become the first Indian to compete in DTM full-time, adding to his burgeoning list of firsts for Indians in motorsport. "I am absolutely delighted to be driving for Mercedes-AMG with Getspeed in DTM. My first real experience of the championship came in 2015 when I was competing in Formula 3 and we drove on the same weekend as DTM. The atmosphere was something I had never experienced before. I feel privileged to finally live out one of my dreams. The series enjoys a fine reputation around the world and is the perfect opportunity for me to test myself against rapid GT3 drivers. The icing on the cake is obviously the fact that I will be racing in the championship with one of the best car brands on the planet. Mercedes-AMG needs no introduction and I'm looking forward to what I hope will be a long and successful partnership," Maini said. Martin Schwenk, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said: "It's a moment of immense pride and excitement for us at Mercedes-Benz India, that Arjun Maini is participating in the upcoming 2021 DTM season, driving the thrilling Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Mercedes-AMG Performance Team GetSpeed. He will be the first Indian to compete in the DTM and it is highly satisfying to see Indian racers making their impressive mark by competing against the very best of motorsports talents across the world. At the highest levels of internationally acclaimed motorsports events like the DTM, this accomplishment by Arjun is indeed inspiring for aspiring and budding motorsports talents in the country."Maini started his racing career on the karting scene in 2006. He won the Indian junior championship in 2011 and took part in the One from a Billion Hunt, which was run by former Formula 1 team Force India. As the winner, he was given the opportunity to race karts in Europe. In 2013, he switched to single-seater racing, in which he enjoyed success in the F4 British Championship.
He ended the season in second place, just three points behind teammate and current Formula 1 driver George Russell. 23-year-old Maini's career took him, via the Formula 3 European Championship and the GP3 Series, into the FIA Formula 2 Championship, in which he drove in 2018 and 2019. In 2019/2020, he raced in the European Lemans Series and in the 24 Hours of lemans. In the Asian Le Mans Series, the team won the LMP2-at the 4-hour race in Shanghai, in Class.
( With inputs from ANI )
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