Preview: Final round of the 2011 DTM Season at Hockenheim
• Mercedes-Benz has won 30 out of 63 races at Hockenheim and a Mercedes-Benz driver has triumphed in the last four races at the circuit – Bruno Spengler, Gary Paffett (twice) and Paul Di Resta
• With 17 wins from 27 races, the AMG Mercedes C-Class is the most successful DTM car at Hockenheim – it has scored more than half (57%) of the 30 Mercedes-Benz victories on this track
Comments from the drivers and the team principal:
Bruno Spengler (28, Canada, Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class):
- won the last race of the 2006 season and the first race in 2011 at Hockenheim
- achieved a “hat trick” in the 2011 season opener (win, pole, fastest lap)
- was on pole for the opening races in 2007 and 2011
- set fastest race lap three times at Hockenheim (2006, 2010 and 2011)
“Unfortunately, the title race was decided early in Valencia, but even so, I’m really looking forward to our home race at Hockenheim. The Hockenheimring is one of my favourite tracks, and the season opener in May went really well for us – it was the second win in my career at the circuit. I especially like the combination of fast corners and slow sections such as the hairpin. This course is technically very demanding and you need good brakes and impressive top speed. It’s a lot of fun racing here. As this is the last race for the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Class, we’re aiming to send our fans home happy with a victory and to win the team championship.”
Jamie Green (29, England, AMG Mercedes C-Class):
- won the 2007 season finale at Hockenheim
- has been on the podium at Hockenheim five times
- has started twice from pole position at Hockenheim (2005 and 2006)
- has posted the fastest race lap at the Hockenheimring on four occasions
“The season finale in Hockenheim is the perfect way to round off the year in DTM– the track is a sort of spiritual home for German motor racing, and the fans make a lot of noise at every race. In some ways, this year marks the end of an era, because it will be the last time we drive the AMG Mercedes C-Class in competitive conditions – from 2012, we’ll be driving the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé. The general standard of performance in DTM is extremely high, but we have a strong car and aim to get back to winning ways in this last race of the season. I’d love to get my sixth podium at Hockenheim driving the AMG Mercedes C-Class.”
Ralf Schumacher (36, Germany, Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class):
- achieved his first DTM podium in the 2011 season opener at Hockenheim
- won the 2001 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim
“The grand finale at Hockenheim is one of the major highlights of every DTM season and we can always count on a fantastic atmosphere at our home race. I’m looking forward to hearing all the Mercedes-Benz fans cheering us on at Hockenheim. In my career, I’ve driven in a lot of races at the Hockenheimring and have good memories of the season opener in May when I achieved my first DTM podium. My target for next weekend is to finish the season with a strong performance and a good result.”
Gary Paffett (30, England, THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class):
- has won at Hockenheim on three occasions (2004, 2009 and 2010)
- has been on the podium at Hockenheim six times
- started the season opener in 2010 from pole position
- set the fastest race lap in the 2009 season finale
“Hockenheim has always been a successful track for me – I’ve been on the podium six times there, including three times as a winner. This year, we’ll be saying a fond farewell to the most successful car in DTM history, the AMG Mercedes C-Class, in which I’ve won 17 races over the past few years. Since the beginning of September, I’ve been involved in the development and testing programme for the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé, and I’m looking forward to driving it in next year’s race at Hockenheim. But first, I’d like one more podium finish before the season ends, driving my THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class.”
David Coulthard (40, Scotland, Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class):
- broke into the Top Ten in the 2011 season opener at Hockenheim
- competed in 14 Formula One races at Hockenheim
“Of all the tracks we race on in DTM, Hockenheim is the one I know best, not just from my time in Formula One but also from the three DTM races I’ve contested here during the past two seasons. With every race on this track, I gain more valuable experience, because a DTM car is very different from a single-seater. I also enjoy the great atmosphere at our home race in Hockenheim – the support and enthusiasm shown by the fans in the Motodrom and the Mercedes-Benz grandstand are always fantastic. After my strong performance in the last race in Valencia, I want to finish the season with an equally good result.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“It has become a tradition to start and finish the season at Hockenheim – and this track is seen as the heart and soul of DTM racing. Hockenheim is the home race for Mercedes-Benz and, just like every year, thousands of our colleagues and the many fans of our company will be there to cheer us on. In the past, their support has obviously given us a real boost: since 2000, when the DTM was revived, Mercedes-Benz won 18 out of 25 races staged at Hockenheim, which is a win rate of over 70 percent. We want to finish our season on a high in this year’s finale, so we’ll have a number of surprises on and off the track, especially for the spectators in the Mercedes grandstand.”
Source: Daimler AG
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