Klien to contest select DTM races in 2021 with McLaren

As reported by Motorsport.com earlier this month, the former Jaguar, Red Bull and HRT driver will take part in three rounds of the DTM this season with Polish-owned JP Motorsport team.

The 38-year-old will drive a McLaren 720S GT3 at the Zolder, Nurburgring and Assen races this year before embarking on a full season programme in 2021.

"I'm really looking forward to the challenging season that lies ahead," said Klien. "The DTM races will be the absolute highlight for me this year. 

"There we can compete with the best teams and drivers in GT3 racing and show what we are capable of. 

"With McLaren we have found an excellent partner for this and we are very much looking forward to working with this renowned manufacturer."

JP Motorsport was founded as EXP Racing at the end of 2018 before being rebranded last year to match the initials of owner couple Joanna Szwed and Patryk Krupinsky.

Klien and teammate Krupinsky finished runners-up in the Pro-Am category of GT Open last year, finishing just one point behind Teo Martin Motorsport's Marcelo Hahn at the wheel of their Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Since making his final grand prix start with HRT at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Klien has contested a wide variety of touring and sportscar racing categories, including a return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with Aston Martin and Morand Racing.

A full campaign in European Le Mans series in 2015 yielded a third place finish in the LMP2 ranks, including a class victory at the penultimate round of the season in Paul Ricard.

He also made selected appearances in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Super GT and Australian Supercars series. 

Klien then finished 13th in the sprint leg of the Blancpain GT series (now GT World Challenge Europe) in 2019 before moving to GT Open last year with JP Motorsport.

The 2021 DTM season, the first to feature GT3 cars following the demise of the Class One era, will get underway at Monza on June 19-20.