Simon Connor Primm will make his DTM debut at the Sachsenring as HGL Racing brings Audi back onto the championship grid for a guest appearance.
Primm has competed in the ADAC GT Masters this season after racing a Lamborghini in the series last year. His Sachsenring outing came together relatively late, with the team initially placing its DTM ambitions in the background while focusing on building its new programme.
The German driver now prepares to step into what he considers the strongest GT3 championship in the world, with the opportunity also allowing him to measure himself against some of the category’s leading drivers.
“Now or never” decision led to DTM debut
Primm revealed during the pre-event press conference that a potential DTM appearance had already been discussed at the beginning of the year. However, HGL Racing’s focus remained on its new GT Masters operation for much of the season before the possibility of a guest appearance returned in recent weeks.
“Yes, the plan was already being discussed at the beginning of the year, that we might potentially be able to do it. Of course, that was already amazing news, but we had quite a lot to do over the course of the year because, as I said, we had a new team. We have GT Masters and we had to do a lot of development with the car and also make sure the team came together.”
“So that was obviously the main focus at first. Then, as the season went on, the focus remained on GT Masters and the DTM guest appearance moved more and more into the background. But a few weeks ago, we were still faced with the decision of whether we wanted to do it or not. We had the choice between yes and no.”
A lifelong dream becomes reality
For Primm, the opportunity to finally compete in the DTM was ultimately one that was too difficult to turn down, having followed the championship since his karting days. The strength of the field and the level of competition made the chance even more significant for the young driver. With the opportunity now becoming a reality, the focus has shifted towards making the most of the debut and seeing how HGL Racing can compare against the established DTM teams.
“And I would say it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race in probably the best series, or the best GT3 racing series in the world, with the best drivers. It has always been my dream to race in the DTM one day because I remember seeing Marco and Lukas a few years ago when I was still racing karts. As I said, it has always been a dream of mine. Then Tobias Seifert and I decided it was now or never.
“From there, we simply got everything under control and put everything in motion. And now we are here, just before the debut. We are all really motivated because we are excited to attack, especially with Audi, who haven’t been part of it at all this year. We are definitely looking forward to it and we will see what is possible.”
HGL Racing faces rapid turnaround from GT Masters
Primm and HGL Racing arrive at the Sachsenring shortly after competing in the ADAC GT Masters at the Salzburgring. The short turnaround means the team must fully prepare the Audi for its DTM appearance while also adapting to championship-specific procedures, including the pit stops.
Primm explained that simply getting through the Salzburgring weekend without damaging the car formed the first part of their preparation before attention could fully shift towards the DTM.
“Yes, it was very, very important for us first of all to get through the Salzburgring weekend with the car intact because I think a lot of people saw what happened there last year with the tyre failures. That was obviously a sensitive topic again this year, but we managed everything well together with Pirelli and the tyre pressures. So the first goal was simply to get the car through the weekend without any damage.”
“Now, as I said, we have to completely overhaul it again and bring it back to a new standard for this weekend. The team is already fully focused on that and working flat out. We have also brought in some important engineers from Audi and, of course, mechanics who already have DTM experience with the pit stops because that is simply one of the most essential things.”
“And of course, I have prepared for it as well. I was lucky enough to test twice at the Sachsenring over the last two weeks, not in a GT3 car, but in a GT4. With the team where I do coaching, I had the opportunity to drive there a little bit. So that has effectively been our preparation for this weekend.”
Error-free weekend the main target
Rather than setting a specific result as his target, Primm wants the team to complete a clean DTM weekend at the Sachsenring and gain as much experience as possible. With both the driver and HGL Racing entering unfamiliar territory, he stressed the importance of avoiding mistakes before focusing on outright performance.
“Yes, the most important thing in general is simply that we have an error-free weekend because this is a jump into the deep end for all of us. You cannot expect too much straight away, but it is important that everyone in the team does a clean job and that we get through the weekend without making mistakes. That is our main goal.”
“And as I said, the DTM is the best GT3 racing series in the world. So of course, we want to collect as much experience as possible, especially for me because I want to measure myself against the best in the world. That is basically the challenge that lies ahead of me. But that is also the standard I set for myself because I want to see where I stand. So for us, the goal is simply to get through the weekend without mistakes. That is what all of us want to achieve by the end, to make as few mistakes as possible.”
Sponsorship breakthrough made Sachsenring entry possible
The guest appearance remained uncertain until shortly before the event, with financial considerations proving the final hurdle. Primm confirmed that securing additional sponsorship ultimately allowed HGL Racing to commit to the DTM Sachsenring weekend after the team had previously appeared unlikely to take part.
“The deciding factor was obviously the financial side. It was important that we could bring in a few more sponsors for the weekend who could support us. That was basically the final point. I pushed really hard again, Tobias pushed really hard again, to get a little more sponsorship money together for this year. And once we saw that we had managed it and had gathered everything we needed from the sponsors, we knew that we would definitely be able to take part.”
Primm will therefore get the chance to fulfil a long-held ambition at the Sachsenring while also giving Audi a presence on the DTM grid again. With limited preparation and an unfamiliar format awaiting the team, HGL Racing has kept its expectations measured. For Connor-Primm, however, the weekend offers an important opportunity to gain experience and discover how he compares against the championship’s established drivers.
