“The BMW M2 Cup offers participants an all-round package, which in addition to extensive training, also includes integrated promotion opportunities for the top 3. This means champion Louis will be starting with our support in the DTM Trophy”, series manager Jörg Michaelis explains. “So he’s taking the next step in his career – on the exclusive DTM platform. Colin will be a fast teammate. His strong performances in the one-make trophy made him a good candidate.”

Young talent promotion is top of BMW M2 Cup’s priorities. Along with personal talent supervision in the one-make trophy, Project 1 Drivetime and BMW M support the young drivers beyond the championship. Winning the 2021 title enabled Louis Henkefend to win one of the incorporated promotion chances – for the champion this means next season’s seat in a BMW M4 cockpit. Now it’s clear in which series: the 21-year-old will be participating in the 2022 DTM Trophy. He’ll be driving a BMW M4 GT4 in the ITR championship.

“I’m really happy that it’s finally official,” Henkefend reveals. “For a long time, it was not yet clear what my programme would look like. The DTM Trophy is a great series to learn more and presenting myself in a top-level environment.”

Henkefend isn’t the only BMW M2 Cup driver to start in the coming DTM Trophy. The Assen race winner Colin Caresani takes the wheel as his team colleague in a second BMW. “I’m more than thrilled to be joining the grid of the DTM Trophy! The BMW M2 Cup has taught me a lot about racing in the DTM environment and I am ready to put that knowledge to use together with the hard-working team of Project 1,” the Dutchman adds.

Both talents thus remain part of the DTM platform. Like the BMW M2 Cup, the DTM Trophy will begin its season at the Lausitzring from 20 to 22 May.