Haupt Racing Team (HRT) has announced that Arjun Maini and Fabio Scherer will be driving factory-supported Ford Mustang GT3 vehicles at DTM this year.
Maini has been racing with HRT since 2022 and will remain with the team this season following the transition from Mercedes customers to Ford support teams.
Le Mans 24-hour class winner Scherer is unfamiliar with HRT, but raced WRT customer Audi RS5 in the final season of DTM under Class 1 regulations in 2020.
Maini and Scherer are both part of the Ford roster, with Maini becoming an all-finance driver in early 2025, and Scherer has achieved junior driver status after competing primarily in prototype machines in recent years.
Indian racer Mainni has four podiums in his name at DTM, including three with HRT in the 2024 season, with the Swiss-born Scheller secured his fifth best finish in his only campaign in the series.
Together, they accumulated 82 starts in DTM.
Ulrich Fritz, CEO of the Haupt Racing team, said:
“But we certainly need some patience in the new car. We are focusing on further developments in the Ford Mustang GT3. However, we are confident that we can achieve good results over the season, with regard to two fast drivers and experienced crew.”
In October, Ford announced that it had introduced a new Mustang GT3 racer to Europe, depicting a new partnership with long-time Mercedes customer HRT.
The team will also challenge other European championships, including the NLS, GT Masters and GT World Challenge Europe, while racing at DTM’s Ford Performance HRT Banner.
Ford debuted the Mustang GT3, which was jointly developed with Multimatic in 2024, and is gradually expanding its deployment in various regions around the world.
The Ford Mustang was last seen at the 1994 DTM, but the American manufacturer last enjoyed the factory presence in a series with the 1989 Sillyla Cosworth RS500.
“The return to DTM highlights our commitment to challenging the Mustang GT3 for top competitions in the toughest circuits around the world,” said Mark Ruschbrook, global director of Ford Performance. “HRT is an incredible partner and strengthens its relationship as it grows into DTM.”