50.000 visited Stars & Cars
The motor racing event Stars & Cars, held around the museum and the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz Center, truly lived up to its name. Apart from the current Mercedes works drivers racing in DTM and Formula 1, motor racing legends such as Dieter Glemser, Roland Asch, Jochen Maas and Hans Hermann also joined the action. While 50,000 spectators made for an unforgettable atmosphere during the traditional Mercedes-Benz season conclusion.
On the show stage, the racing drivers represented the main attraction. Following some introducing words of DaimlerChrysler AG Chairman Dieter Zetsche, Florian König, the Formula 1 moderator of German TV station RTL, presented the programme. Jean Alesi and Kimi Räikkönen, who contested their final seasons as Mercedes-Benz drivers, were ceremonially bidden farewell and celebrated a final time by the fans, during the driver distinction ceremony.
Alesi thanked for “Five great years with Mercedes-Benz. I had a lot of fun,” he said. “DTM provides the drivers more room for development. My heart will always stay with Mercedes.” Mercedes Motorsport Director Norbert Haug gave Alesi a valuable watch as farewell gift. Dr Dieter Zetsche appreciated Schneider’s fifth DTM title: “This was a tailor-made season. Five titles are a truly major achievement.” The 42-year old German replied: “For me, it was incredibly important that I’ve still got what it needs to succeed.”
During the demonstration runs around the Mercedes-Benz-Museum, the cars with the star took centre stage: from classic cars through the ten current DTM racers to the 2006 Formula 1 McLaren Mercedes. With a broad range of Mercedes-Benz SL models from yesterday’s versions to today’s state-of-the-art car representing an additional highlight.
