Norway’s Olav Vaa takes on new challenge in NXT Gen Cup at Norisring
Norwegian racing talent Olav Vaa will make his NXT Gen Cup debut this weekend on the streets of Norisring. The 19-year-old joins the all-electric touring car series for its second race weekend of the 2025 season.
Despite his young age, Vaa has already built an impressive résumé. After debuting in formula cars in 2021, he made a name for himself in competitive series such as Formula Nordic (F4) and the Norwegian GT+ Championship. He dominated the 2024 Norwegian Formula Basic championship—winning all but one race—and was selected to represent Norway in the FIA Motorsport Games in Formula 4.
In 2025, he stepped up to international GT racing, joining Lema Racing to compete in the highly competitive Iberian Supercars series. Now, Vaa is ready for a new challenge: electric racing in the front-wheel-drive LRT NXT1 at one of Europe’s most iconic street circuits.
“This year I’m racing the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the Iberian Championship, but when the chance came to drive in NXT Gen Cup, I had to say yes,” said Vaa. “It’s a strong series, and getting to race at a street circuit like Norisring—alongside DTM—is a childhood dream come true. I hope to be competitive and fight at the top.”
Vaa joins an 18-car grid for the weekend, which features three sprint races across Saturday and Sunday. NXT Gen Cup is the world’s leading all-electric touring car championship and serves as a support series to DTM. All drivers race identical cars based on the MINI Cooper SE, delivering up to 230 hp and equipped with push-to-pass functionality—designed to help develop the next generation of professional drivers.
NXT Gen Cup founder and Series Manager Fredrik Lestrup welcomed the Norwegian’s arrival:
“Olav and I have been in contact for a long time, and the timing is now perfect. We’ve followed him closely since his time racing in Sweden and Scandinavia. It will be exciting to see how he adapts to our electric, front-wheel-drive race car. He’s used to powerful cars, so this might be a bit of a transition—but we and our engineers are ready to support. We’re really looking forward to seeing him on track.”
Vaa is the latest in a growing number of international drivers joining the 2025 grid. With his single-seater pedigree, GT experience, and rapid rise through the Norwegian motorsport ranks, he is certainly one to watch at Norisring.
Qualifying and races from Norisring will be streamed LIVE on YouTube, complete with expert commentary and in-depth insights.
2025 NXT Gen Cup calendar
25-27 April – Oschersleben – Germany
04-06 July – Norisring – Germany
08-10 August – Nürburgring – Germany
22-24 August – Sachsenring – Germany
19-20 September – Swedish Junior Championship – Mantorp Park – Sweden
About NXT Gen Cup
The NXT Gen Cup is the world’s first 100% electric junior touring car cup where young female and male drivers race the LRT NXT1, a fully electric race car based on the MINI Cooper SE road car - engineered and built by Lestrup Racing Team. The series races together with DTM and is organised through an “arrive and drive” concept, enabling the junior drivers to focus on driving and creating the foundation for a professional racing career.
About DTM
DTM is Europe’s premier and best-known racing series and celebrated its 40th birthday in 2024. As one of the most competitive racing series, DTM features seven prestigious brands in its anniversary season. The DTM has a German core, but a strong international fan base. Races are broadcasted live in 150 territories. The series is also a leader in sustainable motorsport. For the second season, all cars are powered by a sustainable fuel made of 50% renewable components. Not only the cars racing in DTM are in the centre of sustainable projects. For the events itself the ADAC as promoter of the DTM offers innovations like an initiative to reduce plastic waste and a digital carpool solution, which has been recognised and awarded by the FIA.