But while Felipe Fraga likely hasn’t been on the radar of hardened DTM fans, his CV features extensive GT racing pedigree and a title in Brazil’s highly competitive Stock Car Pro Series that makes him well qualified to carry on where Lawson left off in taking on some of GT racing’s elite names.
It was back in 2012 when a 16-year-old Fraga got his first taste of the DTM. The karting graduate was new to slicks-and-wings single-seaters, competing in the Formula Renault Alps series against a field that featured future Formula 1 drivers Daniil Kvyat, Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon.
Naturally, Fraga only had eyes on emulating esteemed compatriots Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi in making a mark for himself in grand prix racing. But after being invited by Red Bull to attend the energy drink giant’s home event in Austria, he came away impressed by the calibre of machinery on display from Audi, Mercedes and BMW.
“I was a new Red Bull athlete at the time,” recalls Fraga. “When I was at the Red Bull training centre in Austria, I was invited by Red Bull to watch the DTM race at the Red Bull Ring. Ten years later, I returned – to test the [Ferrari 488 GT3] DTM car.
“I was a formula driver at the time and of course only dreamed of Formula 1, but those [DTM] cars were crazy. They were even faster than Formula 3, which was running in the support programme at the time. I couldn’t believe it.”
Despite some promising results in the Alps series, including a podium at the tricky Pau circuit, Fraga simply didn’t have the funds to move up the racing ladder in Europe. He instead returned to his homeland the following year, joining the Stock Car Light Series.
He won the championship in his rookie season to secure a move into the flagship Pro Series for 2014, but still Fraga was keen to return to Europe – and the DTM was the championship at the top of his wishlist.
“When I became a Stock Car driver in 2014, I was already thinking about the DTM,” he admits.
Fraga…
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