Porsche Aces Vanthoor and Olsen join SSR Performance in DTM

In December, SSR Performance announced that they will be participating in the 2022 DTM series with a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R’s, at the time the driver line up was unconfirmed, but today (7 March) Porsche Works driver Laurens Vanthoor, and Porsche contracted driver Dennis Olsen have been unveiled as drivers fro the season ahead.

Stefan Schlund, managing director, SSR Performance was delighted to secure the pair of drivers, “I am enormously happy with the selection and by Porsche making the drivers available for this project. I am convinced that we have a powerful brigade and can be successful with both the #92 and the #94 car.”

30-year-old Vanthoor brings with him a wealth of experience as a GT driver, including IMSA GTLM and GTD title wins, a FIA GT World Cup win and victories in the 24-hour races at Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps, the Nürburgring and Dubai; The Belgian will drive the #92 car.

“I am massively looking forward to the season,” said Vanthoor. “The team has made a name for itself in the sport within a really short time and I am looking forward to working with them now. The season will certainly not be easy because competition is really strong. Nevertheless, it is our ambition to be successful. For me, being alone in the car is a while ago, motivation is accordingly high. As far as I am concerned, it can start,”

Credit: Hoch Zwei / Juergen Tap

While 25-year-old Olsen doesn’t have the experience of his team-mate, he does bring Porsche experience with him, having worked up the Porsche Pyramid, starting out in the national Carrera Cup series, taking the championship in Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2017, along with victories on the way to second place in the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. The Norwegian has also claimed wins in IMSA, Intercontinental GT Series, 9 Horus of Kylami and the 12 Hours of Bathurst, all in Porsche machinery.

Olsen added, “I am very much looking forward to DTM! For me, racing in such a strong field of drivers is a great challenge.”

Frederic Elsner, director event & operations of the DTM organisation ITR, was also happy to see the level of competition the team is bringing on their full-season debut, “The team’s achievements speak for themselves and the past has shown that the team has to be taken into account. SSR Performance is embarking on the season with a driver line-up that is well-known in GT circles. Moreover, we are happy to welcome Dennis Olsen as the first-ever Norwegian in DTM, adding another nation, the 32nd, to this international competition.”

The new season gets underway at Portimão, Portugal from 29 April until 1 May and includes 16 races.

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