Manufacturing unit Mercedes driver Jules Gounon will make his DTM debut on this weekend’s ultimate spherical at Hockenheim, changing Luca Stolz at HRT.
Double Spa 24 Hours winner Gounon has been drafted into the #4 HRT Mercedes AMG GT3 on the last-minute after Stolz needed to withdraw from the Hockenheim races attributable to well being causes.
No additional info was supplied about 29-year-old Stolz, who was attributable to see out his third full season with the crew within the German GT3-based sequence.
An announcement from HRT learn: “Luca Stolz (GER) of Mercedes-AMG Group HRT has been pressured to withdraw from this weekend’s DTM finale at Hockenheim for well being causes.
“The 29-year-old’s place within the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 might be taken by Jules Gounon (AND).
“The Haupt Racing Group thanks Jules for stepping in at quick discover and needs Luca a speedy restoration.”
Gounon brings with him a wealth of expertise of GT racing, having gained the Bathurst 12 Hour on three events and scored class victories in main IMSA SportsCar Championship enduros together with Daytona 24 Hours and Petit Le Mans.
His illustrious CV contains two titles in GT World Problem Europe Endurance Cup with Mercedes, in addition to the 2017 GT Masters title on the wheel of a Corvette C7.
Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG Group HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
This yr has seen the second-generation driver broaden his horizons into prototype racing, competing in three rounds of the World Endurance Championship with Alpine within the Hypercar class.
After making his first look within the DTM in Germany on 18-20 October, he will be back behind the wheel of the Alpine A424 LMDh in the Bahrain 8 Hours WEC finale on 2 November.
The HRT outfit he’s becoming a member of within the DTM at the moment sits fifth within the groups’ standings, two spots behind fellow factory-supported Mercedes crew Winward.
The squad’s finest runner within the standings is Arjun Maini in eighth on 128 factors, whereas Stolz is positioned only one spot behind in ninth after scoring a primary win of 2024 on the Sachsenring final month.
Each drivers are out of the championship struggle, though one other Mercedes driver Maro Engel (Winward) stays firmly within the hunt in third place, 20 factors behind championship chief Mirko Bortolotti of SSR Lamborghini.
Engel’s team-mate Lucas Auer, the final remaining driver within the four-strong Mercedes roster, sits twelfth within the drivers standings.