Ullrich Fritz slams Audi’s ‘unsportsmanlike’ behaviour

Almost as Race 2 was coming to an end today, so started what is called to be one of the main controversies this season. During the last lap, Mercedes’ Robert Wickens and Pascal Wehrlein were taken out of the race after the Canadian was pushed by Audi’s Timo Scheider, in turn collecting his German team-mate. A team radio message indicates the Team Phoenix driver was ordered to proceed with the manoeuvre.

Conditions today at the Red Bull Ring were difficult for the DTM’s race. The rain had been consistently falling all afternoon, there was some fog and, after a 20-minute delay, the race was started behind the safety car. Once the cars were launched into competition, there were streams of water on the track and reduced visibility conditions.

Pascal Wehrlein had two off track excursions that saw him dropping to eighth place. During the last lap, Robert Wickens was running in sixth, and he slowed down so Wehrlein was able to overtake both Timo Scheider and the Canadian.

Right at that moment, a radio message from Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich was broadcast, in which the Head of Audi Sport told Scheider “schieb ihn raus” “schieb ihn raus”, which translates as “take him out”.

Next, Timo Scheider pushed Robert Wickens, who went right into the back of Pascal Wehrlein. Both Mercedes drivers were sent to the gravel trap and out of the race, whilst Scheider made it to the finish in sixth place.

Although it was immediately communicated that the incident would be investigated after the race, the controversy was served.

Pascal Wehrlein, who yesterday became the youngest ever standing’s leader in the history of the DTM, had harsh words for his rivals: “Audi’s and Timo Scheider’s actions were totally lacking in sportsmanship and cost me vital points in the championship battle. Such a thing should never happen in our sport.”

Ullrich Fritz, Head of DTM for Mercedes AMG, was equally strong in his evaluation of the incident: “The behaviour of Audi and Timo Scheider is extremely unsportsmanlike in our view. To deliberately take the championship leader out of the race when prompted has nothing to do with fair play and is not what we want to see in the DTM. Most of all, I feel really sorry for Pascal who has lost vital points in the championship race as a result.”

The stewards are still looking into the incident, so the race results remain provisional.

Press conference statement by Audi’s Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich

Press conference statement by Mercedes’ Ullrich Fritz