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New year, new challenge for Schubert Motorsport. After sensationally winning the DTM drivers and teams championships, the BMW M Motorsport team from Oschersleben are setting their sights on defending the title in 2023. The squad from the Magdeburger Börde region will again go racing with two BMW M4 GT3s, drawing on a driver line-up that is second to none. Alongside reigning champion Sheldon van der Linde, newcomer René Rast provides a championship-winning BMW works driver duo. On eight race weekends in total, Torsten Schubert's racing team aims to build on the great successes of the previous year with this top-class pairing.

In their debut DTM season, Schubert Motorsport 2022 celebrated no less than three victories, six podiums, two pole positions and two fastest laps. In the end, Sheldon van der Linde took the driver title while the outfit took overall victory in the team standings, which the squad around the South African and teammate Philipp Eng winning by a comfortable margin of 74 points. During the winter break, the course was set for the team to continue fighting at the top of the high-class racing series in their second year.

With Sheldon van der Linde, last year's guarantor of success remains on board at Schubert Motorsport. The 23-year-old has been part of the BMW M Motorsport squad since 2019 and has always been part of the car manufacturer's DTM line-up. By winning the title in his fourth season driving the BMW M4 GT3, he entered the DTM history books as the sixth champion behind the wheel of a BMW.

Alongside him, a new face will compete in the colors of BMW M Motorsport. With three-time DTM champion René Rast, the Bavarians have signed an absolute top-class driver. The 36-year-old from Minden in Germany looks back on seven seasons in the fiercely contested championship and to date has claimed 25 victories, 46 podiums, 23 pole positions and 14 fastest laps.

The 2023 DTM season will be contestet over eight events with two races each. The season opener will take place at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben from May 26 to 28. For Schubert Motorsport, their mission for the title defence kicks off with a very special highlight. After the venue had not been part of the calendar last year, the team can look forward to their home race just a few minutes from their headquarters doorstep.

Sheldon van der Linde: "It's fantastic that I can take on the first title defense of my career together with Team Schubert. They say it's always harder to defend a title than to win it for the first time. I'm looking forward to it. The new DTM will be a big challenge for everyone. Whoever can adapt to the new conditions the fastest will be successful. In this respect, I trust in the abilities of my team, which will certainly be even stronger than last year. It's fantastic that I get to work with a champion like René Rast. I'm sure we'll be able to push each other."

René Rast: "I'm very happy to be on the grid again in 2023 in the DTM, which has become my second home over the years. Schubert Motorsport has proven what a great team it is. I've known Sheldon for a very long time. So I'm really looking forward to working with him. With a new environment and a new car, which is still unknown to me, it's a big challenge for me. But I'm very happy to accept it."

Team Manager Marcel Schmidt: "After a long winter break, we are delighted to finally announce part of our program for 2023. Last year's overall victory in the DTM was a dream come true and it has since been our goal to be on the grid again this season together with BMW M Motorsport to defend the title. We are proud to continue our successful cooperation under the best possible conditions. The BMW M4 GT3 has already proven its championship-winning DNA in our hands and with Sheldon and René we have two absolute top drivers in our cars. In addition, we can rely on an incredible crew which is ready for any challenge, building on the experiences of the debut season. That's particularly important because we're expecting some different circumstances on the race track as well due to the changes in the DTM organization. At the same time, we have every confidence in the ADAC as the new organizer of the series. It will certainly be an exciting season for all of us and we can hardly wait for it to start."

DTM Calendar 2023

26/05/23 - 28/05/23 - Oschersleben
23/06/23 - 25/06/23 - Zandvoort
07/07/23 - 09/07/23 - Norisring
04/08/23 - 06/08/23 - Nürburgring
18/08/23 - 20/08/23 - Lausitzring
08/09/23 - 10/09/23 - Sachsenring
22/09/23 - 24/09/23 - Red Bull Ring
20/10/23 - 22/10/23 - Hockenheimring