Robert Wickens hoping to reclaim championship lead at the Nürburgring
Mercedes AMG is ready for the seventh round of the 2016 DTM season at the Nürburgring, with the championship entering its final phase. Robert Wickens is the main bid from the Stuttgart manufacturer, after a strong weekend at the last round in Moscow.
The Canadian is currently second in the Drivers’ standings, 12 points behind leader Marco Wittmann. Wickens is one of the three men, alongside the BMW Team RMG and Audi Sport’s Edoardo Mortara in counting two victories in a very competitive season.
The Team HWA I driver got his first ever DTM win at the Eifel track three years ago, in a race marked by difficult weather conditions. Wickens acknowledges that the team’s support will be crucial in his battle for the title: “It was there in 2013 that I won my first ever DTM race. The weather on that occasion was atrocious. If the result this weekend is the same as then, I won’t mind one bit. Hopefully, we can reclaim the lead in the championship at the Nürburgring. To do that, though, we need to have a perfect weekend! But anyway, I’ve got a great team backing me up, and together we have what it takes to succeed.”
Paul di Resta currently lies fifth in the standings, 38 points behind Wittmann. The Scot, who was one of the main contenders after a strong start of the season, but whose results have dwindeled off, hopes to be able to cling to the title chase this weekend: “We’re reaching a crucial point in the championship at the Nürburgring. Including this weekend, we’ve got six races left. After a strong performance in Moscow, we can feel relatively optimistic about the trip to the Eifel. I’m hopeful of a good weekend and I aim to score as many points as possible at the Nürburgring.”
Mercedes AMG is third in the Manufacturers’ table with 386 points, 50 behind BMW Motorsport. The new shape C63 DTM is proving itself more reliable and faster than expected, giving the three-point squad a fighting chance in this year’s championship. The Stuttgart cars will be the heaviest to start with this weekend, with a base weight of 1,127.5 kg.
Ulrich Fritz, Head of Mercedes AMG DTM, hopes his men can repeat the strong performances from the past: “Robert is in a promising position as far as the drivers’ championship is concerned, and Paul is still in striking distance of the top, plus there is everything still to play for in the manufacturers’ championship. In the Eifel, rain is famously not an uncommon occurrence, and we saw in Moscow how well our car works in the wet. Broadly speaking, though, I’m anticipating a hard-fought and close weekend because we are after all entering the decisive phase of the championship battle.”
The DTM hits the track at 17:00 on Friday afternoon for the first free practice session.
