Robert Wickens plays down low-key Mercedes free practice

Robert Wickens has played down Mercedes’ disappointing free practice at Hockenheim, following a low-key session for the Stuttgart manufacturer.

Wickens finished the session in 17th, three places behind HWA team-mate Gary Paffett, who wound up as the best of the Mercedes drivers in 14th.

However, Wickens feels the free practice times are not representative as Mercedes chooses to run its own style test programme in the first timed session of a DTM weekend.

“Well, we always struggle in free practice, but we choose to take care of our test programme and tick our own boxes,” Wickens told TouringCarTimes. “We know where we’re at, I don’t know where I am, but I think the engineers know where we are.

“Balance wise, the car felt good and I was happy with it.”

Wickens added the times from free practice are inconclusive, as it is unknown which fuel loads and tyres the teams are running, as well as where DRS is being used on the track.

“We seemed to struggle a lot in Sector 2, but that’s the problem with free practice; you don’t know who’s using DRS and who’s on what tyre; I think on this track DRS has a large impact.”

“It’s always a bit difficult to gauge where you are, but I don’t think the times are 100 percent accurate.”

Wickens was also unconcerned about his free practice ending shunt, which saw his Mercedes beached in the gravel at the Sachs Kurve.

Despite taking the entire front end off of the car, he feels he can still fight for the top-10 in qualifying.

“I was happy in free practice, but was disappointed in myself that I made a small error and crashed going into Sachs Kurve.

“Unfortunately I dropped a wheel in the gravel and went into the barriers; I barely locked the inside front and it’s not a forgiving corner, so if you lock a little bit, there’s no coming back from it.

“The mechanics have some work to do because last time I saw the car, the whole front was gone, but I have complete faith in my guys to get it back together.

“However, this weekend I’m feeling good in the car, but first thing’s first, I need to get out of Q1. Once I’m through into Q2, the goal then is to be in a stronger position and be further up the grid.”

Qualifying begins at 14:40 CET.