New challenges, proven strength

Land-Motorsport made a strong start to the 2026 DTM season as it competed the new Porsche 911 GT3 R in the championship for the first time. At the season-opener at the Red Bull Ring in Austria (24 to 26 April), young Dane Bastian Buus not only picked up points in both races, he also recorded the fastest lap of the race on Saturday.

“This weekend was very important – particularly when it comes to setting the tone for the rest of the season,” said team principal Christian Land. “We know the DTM from last year, but the switch to Porsche means that a great deal has changed. That made it all the more satisfying to see how our hard work has paid off in all the different areas. In Spielberg, it was clear that we have a package that can fight at the sharp end of the field.”

Christian and Wolfgang Land’s team showed how competitive it is right from first qualifying. Bastian Buus, who was making his maiden DTM appearance, managed to secure a top-5 grid position at the first time of asking. In the race itself, the 22-year-old impressed with some excellent overtakes and crossed the line in fourth. Despite a subsequent time penalty, Buus was happy with his debut performance.

“That was an eventful first race to say the least,” Buus said. “I felt very comfortable as part of the team and with the car. This is something we can definitely build on this season.” By recording the fastest lap of the race, the Porsche driver also demonstrated that he has the pace to compete at the head of the field.

The Land-Motorsport pit crew was also one of the stand-out performers of the weekend. In both of the opening races of the season, the mechanics executed the mandatory pit stops in double-quick time. Thanks to the team’s rapid work in the pit lane, Buus secured sixth place on the grid for Sunday’s race and went on to finish tenth, making him the best-placed Porsche driver at the chequered flag.

Now Land-Motorsport’s focus is on carrying forward this positive momentum to the next race weekend, when the team travels to Zandvoort in the Netherlands for the second round of the DTM (22 to 24 May).