DTM Mercedes youngster test completed

Today, Mercedes-Benz finished its first talent selection for the coming DTM season. At Mugello, Italy, six young guns were offered the opportunity to execute three days of testing at the wheel of the AMG Mercedes C-Class.

While Nicola Kiesa has already got some DTM experience under his belt, following his races contested for Team Futurecom TME, past year, the DTM tests held in Italy represented virgin soil for Formula 3 drivers Cyndie Allemann, Marko Asmer, Maro Engel and Renger van der Zande. Yelmer Buurman – the sixth F3 driver involved in the tests – was the only one who tested a DTM Mercedes as early as in 2006.

The two Dutchmen, Buurman and van der Zande, finished sixth and eleventh, in the past Formula 3 Euro Series season. At the same time, the 2007 season represented the maiden one on the grid of the world’s most competitive young-gun series, for Allemann. The 21-year old will have fond memories of the 5.245-kilometre ‘Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello’: in July, she finished tenth on the Italian track, thus securing the best Formula 3 Euro Series result in her career to date.

For Asmer, the DTM tests also represented the culmination of a successful season. With nine race wins, the Estonian secured the British Formula 3 title while Engel finished runner-up, in the British Championship. The German who resides in Monaco regards Mugello as his favourite racetrack.