Arjun Maini made history with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport in 2021 as the first Indian driver in DTM. He finished second on the podium at the Norisring in his debut year. In 2024, he will embark on his fourth season in the top racing series, competing as a Performance Driver for the first time. Last year, the 26-year-old’s form curve showed a constant upward trend. In the second half of the season, he finished in the points in six out of eight races. Arjun has already competed for the Haupt Racing Team in the past two seasons. Based on this shared experience, team and driver want to take the next step in their development this year. During the official test sessions for the 2024 DTM season at the Hockenheimring, he completed the most laps of the entire field in his Mercedes-AMG GT3.

What does it mean to you to be promoted to Performance Driver status?
Arjun Maini: “That is just incredible! I was a Junior Driver for a few years and now to be a Performance Driver for such a prestigious brand as AMG is a great honour for me and I am delighted that the manufacturer sees this potential in me. As always, I will do my best to live up to the high expectations.”

You are racing in DTM again this year. What are your expectations for 2024?
Arjun Maini: “Being part of DTM in my fourth season is great. Competition in the series is very demanding. It is one of the most fiercely contested GT3 championships. The best drivers, the best teams and the biggest manufacturers are represented here. To win the championship, you not only have to be very fast, but also very consistent. That is a huge challenge for every driver. I'm really looking forward to the year. Hopefully we can put it all together and have a good season for AMG.”

How important is it for you to be on the grid with HRT for the third year?
Arjun Maini: “HRT is home for me. It is a great team that works very professionally. You always feel more comfortable in a familiar environment. I know the people and I am familiar with all the procedures. That makes it easier to build on the previous year than it might be in case of a change of team. Everyone is looking forward to the new season, everyone in the team is eager.”

Luca has been your teammate since 2022. Or your first rival, if you like. How do you see him and what is working with him like?
Arjun Maini: “For me, he is a teammate first and foremost. We have a very good relationship and always help each other, which is great. Of course, there is also a rivalry and everyone wants to beat the other, which is entirely normal. But in the end, we have a really strong relationship. We benefit from each other, we exchange ideas and that is important. It is crucial, especially in a championship like DTM, because you have to function as a team here.”

You showed a strong upward trend in 2023. What is your goal for this year?
Arjun Maini: We have to get our season off to a better start this year. We didn’t manage to do that in 2023, but we analysed it again and again within the team. I personally learnt a lot and got better from race to race. As a result, I was stronger in the second half of the season. I think we can be even better now with the lessons learnt from last year. But of course you never know where you stand before the first qualifying session and the first race. We know what direction we need to work in and we are looking forward to the start of the season."

Where do you reckon you have the best chances this season?
Arjun Maini: “I am usually fast at the Norisring and in Spielberg. But it always depends on whether we have a good pace overall. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 has many strengths, and one of them is the well-balanced basis of the car. That allows you as a driver to build up confidence from the very first session of the race weekend onwards. This is very important in GT3 racing. If we optimise what we learnt last year a little more this year, then we will be in a good position.”

It was at the Norisring that you had your biggest success in DTM to date…
Arjun Maini: The memory of that always makes me happy! 2021 was my maiden year in DTM and we were competitive right away. There is no reason why I shouldn’t be competing all the way at the front together with HRT again this year.”

You are the first driver from India to make it into DTM and you have established yourself here. Does that make you proud?
Arjun Maini: “Absolutely. Looking at the names and the manufacturers that have raced here in the past and that are there now, it is a great honour for me to be part of it as the only driver from my country. I am very happy about that and I want to make the best of this opportunity.”

Which status does motorsport have in India?
Arjun Maini: “Motorsport is growing in India. Of course, it would help if there were a champion here and there. India is a very patriotic country and when an Indian is successful, the people back home are fully behind him. If we can get some good results, we could increase the popularity of GT racing in my home country. It is great for the sport when new countries join.”