Proven Strength, Fresh Momentum: Emil Frey Racing kicks off the 2026 DTM Season

Fast Facts – The Press Bulletin:

Emil Frey Racing enters the 2026 DTM season with confidence, as it opens for the first time at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The team travels to the circuit with great optimism following meticulous pre-season preparation – a venue where Thierry Vermeulen claimed two podium finishes and a pole position last year. With the new Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo and the driver pairing of Thierry Vermeulen and newcomer Matteo Cairoli, the goals are clear: to fight for top positions once again.

Press Release
Emil Frey Racing is entering its fourth DTM season. The season opener already marks a historic moment: for the first time, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters will not begin on home soil, but instead at the Austrian Red Bull Ring. For Emil Frey Racing, with its Austrian title sponsors Red Bull and BWT, this race weekend carries special significance, since no race takes place in their Swiss home country, the Austrian venue feels like the closest thing to a home fixture and provides additional motivation within the team. The Swiss team from Safenwil returns with fond memories of the 4.326-kilometre circuit in Styria, one of the most beautiful tracks on the racing calendar. Last year, Thierry Vermeulen, supported by Verstappen.com Racing and Red Bull, impressed in the number 69 Ferrari with two podium finishes and a pole position. A perfect foundation, then, to carry that momentum forward into the new season.

For 2026, Emil Frey Racing will compete with the new Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo – the further-developed version of the successful GT3 model from previous years. In striking BWT pink and bold Windhager red, the number 14 car carries the colours of its new title sponsors. The Ferrari #14 will be driven by newcomer Matteo Cairoli, who already anticipates fierce competition and embraces the challenge with great enthusiasm.

The Red Bull Ring has been a key figure on the DTM calendar since 2021 and is regarded as a technically demanding circuit, featuring high-speed corners and pronounced elevation changes – a genuine test for both driver and machine. Having claimed six race victories in the DTM to date, Emil Frey Racing is eager to build on its 2025 successes: last year the team celebrated two wins, including a memorable one-two at the Nürburgring, and collected seven podium finishes in total. The team heads into the opening two races of the new season in Austria with every reason to be motivated.

Weekend Highlights:

- Season opener DTM 2026: Red Bull Ring, Austria

- Debut: First-ever DTM season opener on Austrian soil

- Objectives: Fight for top positions

- Drivers & Cars:
- #14 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo – Matteo Cairoli (ITA)
- #69 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo – Thierry Vermeulen (NED)

For more information, please visit www.emilfreyracing.com

TEAM QUOTES – Emil Frey Racing

Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Team Principal
"A season opener is always something special, and this year even more so, particularly with the new Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo and Matteo as our new driver. The entire team has worked incredibly hard over the past few months. We have completed extensive testing with the new Evo package to make sure we arrive fully prepared. With our drivers and the updated car, we feel well-positioned and are looking forward to starting our fourth DTM season together. Having the first race weekend of the year in Austria, alongside our partners BWT, Red Bull, and Verstappen.com Racing, will give us extra drive heading into the season."

Jürg Flach, Technical Director 
"With the Evo, we have taken our first steps, and there is still a great deal to learn. The Evo package is very comprehensive, and there are changes to the suspension and aerodynamics that need to be factored into the car's set-up. The updates are certainly positive, but the challenge now is to extract the maximum potential under these new conditions. In addition, DTM will be running a revised Pirelli tyre this year, which also needs to be understood. We used testing over the past few weeks to do our homework and arrive well-prepared for the new season. We are optimistic that we have a strong package with our drivers and the Evo!"

DRIVER QUOTES – Emil Frey Racing

Matteo Cairoli (Italy) 
"It is a great honour for me to be part of the DTM. I will give everything to make this new challenge a success. At the Red Bull Ring, we want to qualify at the front, score points and, if possible, fight for podiums or even victory. I am ready and looking forward to the start of the season."

Thierry Vermeulen (Netherlands) 
"This is my fourth season with the team, and testing with the new car has gone brilliantly – we feel ready. The season opener is something very special for me and my Red Bull partner. After a strong last year with a double podium and pole position, we hope to carry that knowledge into a successful opening race weekend."