In 2021, the KTM X-BOW was once again entered in a variety of racing series around the world. The Austrian manufacturer can look back on an exciting season, with many successes – including the season highlight, the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.
The endurance classic was held for the 49th time on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Despite poor weather conditions and a long race suspension, the race was to be a success for KTM. Not only did the KTM X-BOW GTX make a successful debut with 21st and 23rd overall, but the four KTM X-BOW GT4 EVO cars also crossed the finish line after a nerve-wracking 24 hours. "No course is as important for the development of our vehicles as the Nordschleife," said Hubert Trunkenpolz, Member of the Executive Board of KTM AG. "The joy over the successes in the various classes was great. We are pleased to have two competitive models for the world's toughest race track in our range at the same time."
KTM and its customer teams also demonstrated the potential of the two cars away from the legendary event. The KTM X-BOW GTX competed in five races of the Nürburgring Endurance Series following the premiere – and was often the fastest car in the field behind the high-performance SP9 cars. Three twelfth places in the overall classification underlined the competitiveness of the programme. As in the previous year, Teichmann Racing once again entered multiple KTMs in 2021. Both professional and amateur drivers demonstrated their skills at the wheel of the KTM X-BOW GTX and KTM X-BOW GT4 for the team from Adenau.
One of the big winners of the past season was the customer team Sportec Motorsport. The Swiss-based squad took part in the inaugural season of the GT2 European Series with the new KTM X-BOW GT2. Together with Christoph Ulrich, the racing team celebrated six successes in the class, one overall victory and the early title win in the Am Championship. The triple triumph in the final standings was made perfect by Reiter Engineering and True Racing.
There was another milestone to celebrate in the DTM Trophy. Together with True Racing by Reiter Engineering, Reinhard Kofler celebrated the premiere victory in the championship in the KTM X-BOW GT4 EVO at Assen in the Netherlands. To date, a second place in the 2020 season was the best result in the DTM support racing series.
Razoon Racing also celebrated success in the ADAC GT4 Germany with the GT4 model of the KTM X-BOW. In Dominik Olbert's team, the young drivers Leo Pichler and Leon Wassertheurer finished third in the Junior classification. The duo's absolute highlight of the season came at the Hockenheimring. Thanks to a strategic masterstroke, the two managed a brilliant victory at the circuit in Baden-Württemberg. "This win and the top position in the Junior classification are proof that the KTM X-BOW GT4 is ideal for young drivers," said team boss Olbert. Pichler, Wassertheurer as well as Rick Bouthoorn also made this clear in the GTC Race championship, where the young talents showed off with several respectable successes.
The great potential of the KTM models was also underlined by the participants at the 24 Hours of Barcelona. At the 24H Series race, MotoGP™ star Miguel Oliveira celebrated his race debut in True Racing's KTM X-BOW GTX. In the end, it wasn't enough for victory, but the team could still be satisfied with tenth place overall and second place in the GTX class. The Felbermayr-Reiter Engineering team performed even better. An outstanding seventh place overall and win in the GTX class with Eike Angermayr, Horst Felbermayr Jr. and Mads Siljehaug. Before that, the trio shone with a brilliant recovery at the endurance race in Spain. In the previous races in Mugello, Italy, and in Le Castellet, France, they had already taken the class win in the GTX category.
But that's not all: KTM was also successfully represented in various championships in Asia and North America. At the premiere of the KTM X-BOW GTX in the Super Taikyu, for example, KTM took class victory and second place overall in the championship. Another success for KTM Cars Japan followed at the 24-hour race in Fuji with a strong second place overall and victory in the ST1 class. Meanwhile, in Sochi, Russia, Aleksandr Maslennikov rounded off his season in GT4 Russia with first and second places.
In the US, all eyes were on Michael Kopper (Chicago Performance and Tuning Co.), who finished fourth in the GT Celebration championship in his KTM X-BOW GTX. Meanwhile, in GT4 America, Mads Siljehaug and Nicolai Elghanayan (Marco Polo Motorsports) were fighting for success. Among other things, the duo recorded a podium finish at the season opener in Sonoma.
Teams such as Razoon Racing and CCS clearly proved that the racing vehicles from KTM are also suitable for use in amateur sports with their successes in the Histo Cup. Also, RTR Projects won the title in the ESET V4 Cup, while Marek Rybníček celebrated many wins in the Czech hill-climbing season.