There is huge anticipation among drivers, teams and organizers of the German Kart Championship. After a long winter break and weeks of uncertainty about whether the 2021 DKM could take place as planned at all - now it's here. The 1.107m long track in Kerpen is the location of the kick-off to an exciting season. "We're very excited to be able to start into the season here in Kerpen as planned. The whole team has put a lot of work into organizing everything and is now ready for the start. I'd already like to thank the participants who make for attractive fields of participants again", says series coordinator Stefan Wagner, excited about the kick-off weekend.
The Corona pandemic and the restrictions that go along with it were the center of the efforts again. The extensive security- and hygiene- concepts of the DKM as well as the compulsory tests for everyone make a secure event possible. "We're still working with our security transponders that have already proven effective last year and have also made testing compulsory for everyone. We're building a test laboratory for this at the race track", continues Wagner.
Exciting kart racing can be expected due to strong fields
From a sportive point of view, the new season promises huge excitement again. With almost 30 drivers, the German Kart Championship is brilliantly manned. Among the big favorites is current Vice-Champion Luca Griggs (KSM Official Racing Team) from Great Britain. Next to him, there are also a couple of German drivers who have the potential to fight for victory.
The juniors are completely reclassified: With 38 youngsters, it's the strongest grade series within the framework of the German Kart Championship. The winners and best-placed drivers rose, so Kerpen is now going to be a first trial of strength. German Maxim Rehm (Ricky Flynn Motorsport), as well as TB Racing Team-duo Douwe Dedecker and Akshay Bohra, are surely among the favorites as well. The trio already achieved great results during the past weeks at international races.
A meeting of Champions is going to happen at the German Shifterkart Championship. While the Pex-brothers Jorrit and Stan will not participate anymore after more than 10 years and numerous titles - the current DKM-Champion Juho Valtanen (SP Motorsport), junior Champion Kris Haanen (KSM Official Racing Team) and DSKC-winner Tim Tröger (SRP Racing Team) will compete against each other. Additionally, the two former DSKM-Champions Fabian Federer (SRP Racing Team) and Alexander Schmitz (Birel Art Racing KSW) will also compete and strengthen the high quality of the field.
Due to the rise of the first five drivers from the 2020 DSKC season, the cards of the Cup are going to be dealt anew once again. 28 drivers are starting and want to succeed Champion Tim Tröger at the end of the year.
Jörg Bergmeister new DKM-patron
With Jörg Bergmeister, another high-class motorsports driver takes over the post. The 45-year-old Rhinelander associates a lot with the DKM and kart racing. In 1990 and 1991, he started at the predecessor of the German Junior Kart Championship and celebrated race victories on this home track in Kerpen. Until today he is one of the most successful race drivers in a Porsche 911. He celebrated victories in all high-class GT-long distance races. Since 2020, Jörg Bergmeister is a test-development-driver sportscar as well as brand ambassador for Porsche. In my position as DKM-patron it is very important to me to pass on my knowledge of more than 30 years in active racing to the youngest. It’s a matter of the heart for me. In all the years I have always followed kart racing”, said the Langenfeld resident and is aware of his responsibility as DKM-patron. He is already going to be on location in Kerpen to accompany the first races of the year next weekend.
Full timetable and lots of live-action
The participants are going to start their free trainings on Friday. After that, there will be a first overview on how the fields are going to be divided. Things are going to get serious on Saturday with qualifying and the heats. These will determine the starting positions for the final races on Sunday. Due to the official regulations, no audience will be allowed at the event in Kerpen. But there is going to be an extensive live-stream as usual at www.kart-dm.de with more than 16 hours of broadcasting time on Saturday and Sunday. Furthermore, there will be individual inside stories on the social media channels of the DKM.
DKM racing calendar 2021:
May 7th – 9th 2021 – Kerpen
June 4th – 6th 2021 – Wackersdorf
July 30th – August 1st 2021 – Genk (Belgium)
September 10th – 12th 2021 – Mülsen
October 1st – 3rd 2021 – Ampfing