2024 was an overwhelming year for the KTM X-BOW GT2 and everyone involved in its development. KTM's race car was the most successful in international GT2 racing.
To explain: Similar to motocross, GT racing also has different categories in which KTM teams compete for victories and podium finishes. The GT2, GT3, and GT4 classes mainly differ in technical requirements such as weight, ground clearance, or drivetrain.
KTM focuses on the GT2 class, where particularly powerful vehicles compete. The often brutal sound of the cars and the sophisticated aerodynamics, such as rear wings or so-called flaps at the front, are unmistakable.
The decision to engage as a manufacturer in the then newly introduced GT2 European Series was made in 2019. It was also the decision to take on brands like Audi, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche. For the KTM X-BOW team, an intensive development phase began with a clear goal: to develop a vehicle based on the prescribed regulations that could be used by customer teams worldwide.
It didn't take long for the first construction drawings to make their way from the computer screen to the racetrack. During test drives, individual components were extensively tested, and each additional kilometer helped to eliminate weaknesses and identify problems. What greatly helped the development team were the experiences from previous models, such as the KTM X-BOW GT4.
With the racing premiere in the spring of 2021, it became clear that the development work had taken the right direction. Gentleman drivers like Christoph Ulrich immediately managed to compete for class victories in the GT2 European Series. And not only that: The Swiss driver and the customer team Sportec got along so well with the KTM X-BOW GT2 that they immediately won the title in the most important championship for GT2 vehicles.
Interest in the KTM X-BOW GT2 grew, and so did the number of successes on the racetrack. From 2021 to 2024, customer teams recorded a total of 99 podium finishes in the European racing series, which visits tracks like Monza, Misano, Barcelona, and Spa-Francorchamps. Particularly noteworthy is the 2024 season, which was crucial for the successful championship outcome: Six race wins, and thus half of all possible race wins, helped secure the title in the duel against Maserati.
A statistic that also involves a lot of work: The KTM customer team MZR left no stone unturned to get the maximum out of every race together with drivers Reinhard Kofler and Martin Koch. The title marks a milestone for KTM in GT racing.