0 DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Sunday's Race Report - Robert Wickens claims maiden podium on P3 for Mercedes-Benz

Robert Wickens (STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) finished third in the second race of the season at the historic Brands Hatch circuit in Kent. The Mercedes-Benz Junior Team member thus claimed his maiden podium after contesting 13 races in the world’s most popular touring car series. Over the course of the 98 race laps, the Canadian advanced ten places up the field after starting from 13th on the grid. He moved up from fourth to third in a dramatic final twist after fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) was hit with a late penalty.

The Englishman, competing in his home race, took the chequered flag in third position but was subsequently handed a five-second time penalty for having exceeded the speed limit in a sector where the yellow flags were out for the removal of Augusto Farfus’s car from the track. Paffett not only had to yield his podium spot to Wickens but also fell back to sixth.

After finishing third in the opening race at Hockenheim, Christian Vietoris (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) placed eighth to finish in the points for the second time this season. DTM rookie Pascal Wehrlein (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) in tenth position secured his first point in the DTM in his second DTM race. Mercedes-Juniors Roberto Merhi (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Daniel Juncadella (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) came home in positions 16 and 20 respectively.

Overall standings: Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller won the race at Brands Hatch and now leads the drivers' standings with 29 points. Gary Paffett (20 points) and Christian Vietoris (19 points) occupy positions four and five respectively. In the team standings, the team of STIHL/AMG Mercedes with Vietoris and Robert Wickens is in third place on 32 points after securing two podium finishes in two races. Mercedes-Benz is in second place in the DTM manufacturers' standings with 56 points.

VIP at Mercedes-Benz: 21,000 spectators attended the second race weekend of the 2013 DTM season at Brands Hatch - among them British Formula 1 stars Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) and Paul Di Resta (Sahara Force India Mercedes), whose duties included taking other guests for rides around the circuit in a Mercedes-Benz DTM racing taxi.

The next race: The third round of the 2013 DTM season takes place from 1st to 2nd June at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. This year marks the sixth time that the Austrian circuit will host the world’s most popular touring car series.

Comments after the Race

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): Third place
„This is my first podium in the DTM and, what’s more, it comes after starting from 13th on the grid at Brands Hatch where overtaking is notoriously difficult. I certainly wasn’t counting on that before the race. My target was just to finish in the points. To make that happen, I knew I would have to get off to a good start and overtake the drivers on the prime tyres. This strategy worked well. I was pleasantly surprised by my race pace and I was even able to go past drivers on options when I was on primes. The middle stint went perfectly for me. I had two excellent pit stops and was able to control my part of the race right through to the end. Afterwards, I was in the middle of an interview when I was told to hurry along to the podium. So after a physically draining 98-lap race, I had to run the full length of the pit lane to the podium ceremony. But it was well worthwhile. It was a great feeling to taste champagne for the first time in my DTM career.“

Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): Sixth place
„I just don’t understand this penalty. I came off the accelerator when the yellow flags were out, but how am I expected to lose half a second inside ten seconds? In a championship race as tight as the DTM, every last point counts. I hope that the points we lost today because of this penalty don’t make all the difference at the end of the season. Our race pace and strategy were very good and were enough to get us onto the podium here through our own efforts. Let’s hope we can build on that in the next race at Spielberg.“

Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): Eighth place
„Eighth place is not the result I had hoped for. I had expected more from the race weekend at Brands Hatch after my podium in Hockenheim. My car was really good today, and more would have been possible but for a mistake in qualifying. Unfortunately, Brands Hatch is not a circuit where overtaking is easy, but the bottom line is that I made the best of the situation and even secured some points.“

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): Tenth place
„Securing my first championship point in the DTM in my second race is a decent result, especially when you consider how difficult overtaking is on this track. I moved up ten positions during the race and secured one point – that's not bad going at Brands Hatch. Of course, it would have been better to have started further up on the grid, but this was a good result for me after a tricky qualifying session.“

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): 16th place
„That was an action-packed race that ended for me, unfortunately, when I received a drive-through penalty. So, despite the car’s good pace, it was impossible to do better than P16. All in all, my weekend was disappointing, and I want to draw a line under it as quickly as possible. In two weeks’ time, we’re off to Spielberg, where I’ll go all-out on the offensive again.“

Daniel Juncadella (22, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): 20th place
„Unfortunately, that was one of those races that it’s best to forget. From Lap 1 onwards, I was having problems with the car – it felt as if I was driving on ice. Really crazy! It may have been caused by contact on the first corner – we’ll have to analyse the reason why. Obviously, I can’t feel satisfied with 20th position. We’ve had a difficult weekend here, and I just hope that things go better for us in Austria.“

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„Overnight, it’s as if a minor miracle has taken place – Sunday certainly turned out better for us than Saturday. I would like to see the same thing happen in next weekend’s Formula 1 race, because the situation was the exact opposite on our last outing. This is a good result from a DTM perspective, with all three manufacturers being represented on the podium. Mike Rockenfeller and Audi deserved their victory today, and BMW were also strong this weekend. After the disappointment of qualifying on Saturday, I am satisfied with having four of our cars finish in the Top Ten. Gary powered through from eleventh on the grid, and once again our juniors demonstrated their talent, in particular Robert Wickens who claimed his first ever DTM podium with a fantastic performance. But credit also to Pascal Wehrlein who scored his first point and to Christian Vietoris who drove an excellent race. This is a venue where fortune favours the brave, and today luck was on our side. On a track like this, you need a bit of luck occasionally.“

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Sunday's Race Report - Robert Wickens claims maiden podium on P3 for Mercedes-Benz

0 DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Saturday's Qualifying Report - Tough round for Mercedes-Benz teams

Two weeks after the season opener at Hockenheim, the historic Brands Hatch track in Kent plays host to the DTM. Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), who is contesting his home race, will be starting from twelfth on the grid. The Englishman missed out by 36 thousandths on the third segment of qualifying after posting a lap time of 41.363 seconds. His Mercedes-Benz team-mate Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.440 seconds) starts from P14 in Sunday’s race.

Placed third in the season-opener at Hockenheim, Christian Vietoris (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), finished the first qualifying session in P17 with a time of 41.709 seconds and missed moving into Q2 by 26 thousandths of a second. Roberto Merhi (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.748 seconds), Pascal Wehrlein (DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.783 seconds) and Daniel Juncadella (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 41.787 seconds) will start the second race of the season from positions 20 to 22 on the grid respectively. Less than one tenth of a second separated all four drivers from progressing to the second qualifying segment. The small distances between cars in the first qualifying session are a testament to the highly competitive nature of the DTM: A mere four tenths of a second covered all 22 drivers in Q1.

Looking ahead to the race: The second race of the DTM season gets under way (live on ARD television, beginning at 1:05pm) on Sunday, 1:30pm, at the historic Brands Hatch circuit. Martin Tomczyk (BMW / 41.158 seconds) starts from pole position. The race at the shortest track to feature on the DTM calendar covers 98 laps and a total distance of 189.042km. Gary Paffett won his home fixture last year at Brands Hatch from pole position.

Comments after Qualifying

Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): 12th, (41.363 seconds)
„Qualifying was a big disappointment. I took pole position last season and went on to win the race – I would’ve liked to repeat that result this year. The balance of the car did not feel too bad, it was alright. I had no major understeer nor oversteer, but unfortunately, we were not fast enough. On this short circuit, three tenths of a second make a big difference. I extracted the maximum out of the car and was on the limit on every lap. Hopefully, by tomorrow we will have found even more speed in the car, and then we can have a clean and fair race in which I aim to secure as many points as possible.“

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): 14th, (41.440 seconds)
„It was really tight today; anything could have happened. I would obviously have liked to make it through to Q3, but unfortunately, my lap time wasn’t good enough. We need to investigate the reasons for that. We know that our race performance isn’t bad, and with the introduction of DRS and the new option tyres, it should still be possible to finish in the points tomorrow. Also there is the weather factor: if it starts to rain, that could completely reshuffle the pack and shake everything up.“

Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):17th, (41.709 seconds)
„My position on the grid for the second race of the season is a disappointment after achieving a podium in Hockenheim, for sure. The team did a great job and I don’t blame them – the car felt good. I missed going through into Q2 by only 26 thousandths of a second, so it was extremely close. Qualifying at Brands Hatch is always like trying to balance on a razor blade; you have to be out on track at the right time and cannot afford to make a single mistake on this short circuit. Qualifying is over and done with and cannot be rerun, so we’ll just have to make the best of things in the race. Of course, I hope to pick up at least a couple of points.“

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):20th, (41.748 seconds)
„That was a crazy session. We don’t know why we were lacking the speed to get us into Q2. Obviously, I would have wished for a better grid position for this second race of the season. There is hardly any difference in lap times on this short track, which means that even the slightest error is heavily punished. But the race isn’t lost yet. At Hockenheim, Dirk Werner finished on the podium after starting from 20th on the grid. I’ll be trying to achieve something similar tomorrow.“

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):21st, (41.783 seconds)
„That was hugely disappointing. I tried my best to push, but I couldn’t go any faster. On a track like Brands Hatch, even the tiniest detail can make a big difference, and unless everything clicks into place, you won’t get a good starting position. Even so, I’m not giving up; a lot can happen in the race and I’ll be attacking right through to the finish.“

Daniel Juncadella (22, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé): 22nd, (41.787 seconds)
„The track at Brands Hatch has its pitfalls; you have to position the car just right on the bumps to achieve the maximum. I didn’t manage to do that today. The car didn’t feel as good in the qualifying as it did in practice. We simply failed to get the best out of the tyres, and so I didn’t improve my time. Now tomorrow, I’ll just have to charge up the field from the rear. Hopefully, we’ll see one or two surprises in the race just like we did in Hockenheim two weeks ago.“

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„Well, putting things in a nutshell, we had quite an unfortunate day and our performance in qualifying was definitely not good enough. On such a short track like Brands Hatch, drivers are normally very tightly bunched, and of course, one must always bear in mind the actual set up that was dialed in – and as we speak, Sunday’s weather forecast does not rule out rain – but that by no means fully excuses today’s poor performance. Now we will have to make the most of the situation and mount an all-out offensive on Sunday. Dirk Werner proved at the start of the season in Hockenheim that it is possible to go from 20th on the grid to finish on the podium. Saturday was not good enough, but that does not mean that we have completely given up hope for Sunday.“

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Saturday's Qualifying Report - Tough round for Mercedes-Benz teams

0 DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Preview

The DTM travels to England for the second race of the year, just a fortnight after the Hockenheim season-opener. Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) will be contesting his home fixture at Brands Hatch that he won last year.

The circuit: The historic British Brands Hatch circuit will host the DTM next weekend for the eighth time. Racing will take place on the Indy Circuit, which at 1.929km is currently the shortest track on the DTM calendar and features four right-hand and two left-hand turns. At the fastest point on the start/finish straight, DTM cars reach a top speed of over 225km/h. The Brands Hatch DTM race is run over 98 laps, the highest lap total of any race this season.

Celebrity guests at Mercedes-Benz: The two British Formula 1 drivers Paul Di Resta (Sahara Force India Mercedes, winner of DTM races at Brands Hatch in 2009 and 2010 and DTM champion with Mercedes-Benz in 2010), and Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Formula 1 World Champion 2009 – powered by Mercedes-Benz) will guest in turn with the Mercedes AMG DTM team on the Saturday (Di Resta) and Sunday (Button) at Brands Hatch. Paul and Jenson will take passengers around the track in the DTM racing taxi and sign autographs for fans.

Comments about the DTM race at Brands Hatch

Christian Vietoris (24, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé):

- was on podium for first time in the DTM at Hockenheim season-opener 
- achieved a podium in the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series at Brands Hatch

“Brands Hatch is a great track that I really like. The first turn is, to my mind, one of the Indy Circuit’s special challenges. A lap at Brands Hatch is extremely short, so the slightest mistake is punished immediately. This is especially true in qualifying, and last season, only 0.081 seconds separated the top five drivers in Q3. Me and Martin Tomczyk in fourth and fifth place posted the same time – 41.101 seconds. I achieved my lap time first and consequently progressed further in the quali to secure second place, my best position on the grid in the DTM. After a good start to the season with my maiden DTM podium at Hockenheim, I’m feeling twice as confident in the run-up to Brands Hatch.”

Gary Paffett (32, England, EURONICS Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé):

- won his home race at Brands Hatch last year 
- 2013 marks his tenth season in the DTM

“My home win last year at Brands Hatch was one of the most wonderful victories in my DTM career. Winning the race in front of the home fans and many of my friends was a fantastic feeling. My Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team-mate Jenson Button presented me with the trophy last year – so maybe it’s a good omen that my lucky charm Jenson is our guest again at Brands Hatch this weekend. The track itself is a lot of fun and yet at the same time can be a real challenge for drivers. Paddock Hill Bend is one of the best turns that you could ever hope to encounter in a racing car – it’s just incredible. The characteristics of the track are very different as compared to the season-opener at Hockenheim, and I wonder how the new option tyres will shape up under these circumstances and how they will affect the course of the race. I was on the front row of the grid each time in the last two races at Brands Hatch, so hopefully, I can build on that success again this year and fight for victory once more.”

Roberto Merhi (22, Spain, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé):

- finished in the points for first time at Hockenheim season-opener 
- had second fastest pit stop of the race in Hockenheim 

“The season-opener at Hockenheim had its ups and downs as far as I’m concerned: I made a mess of qualifying but followed that with my first points-scoring result in the DTM. I would like to pick up a top position both in qualifying and in the race at Brands Hatch, but it won’t be easy, because at Brands Hatch the gaps between drivers will be even smaller than is normally the case in the DTM. During practice, I will just have to concentrate on setting up my THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé really accurately with the help of the engineers and try to drive as neatly as possible, both in qualifying and over the 98 laps, without making any errors.”

Pascal Wehrlein (18, Germany, DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):

- progressed to Q3 at very first DTM qualifying 
- secured eleventh position on DTM debut

“My DTM debut at Hockenheim has just ended and now we’re off to the second race of the season at Brands Hatch. I know the circuit quite well from my time in the Formula 3 Euro Series, where I achieved a podium last year. The track is short and does not forgive mistakes easily. My first laps in the lead in my first DTM race were a great experience; unfortunately, it was not enough in the end to bring me my first points. That was a shame, but perhaps I can make it up at Brands Hatch this weekend. Overtaking is said to be extremely difficult at this track. Let’s see if things will be different this year with the introduction of DRS.”

Daniel Juncadella (22, Spain, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):

- secured two podiums in the Formula 3 Euro Series at Brands Hatch
- finished his first DTM race at Hockenheim in twelfth place

“I’m satisfied with my DTM debut at Hockenheim. I gained a lot of experience and even led the field for a time. Now I’m looking forward to Brands Hatch, a track that always appealed to me when I was in the Formula 3 Euro Series. The Indy circuit at Brands Hatch may be short but it’s truly awesome. I’ve always been quick at Brands Hatch in the past. I achieved two pole positions there last year in Formula 3. The DTM is, of course, an entirely different class, but maybe Lady Luck will smile on me in my first race in a car with a roof at Brands Hatch.”

Robert Wickens (24, Canada, STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):

- achieved his best ever grid position at Hockenheim season-opener – fourth position

“After not finishing at the start of the season, I’m itching to get back in my STIHL Mercedes AMG C-Coupé at Brands Hatch to prove that a top-notch result would have been possible in Hockenheim. With P4 on the grid, I’ve shown the kind of speed I can produce. The adrenaline rush of being in the shoot-out for pole position in Q4 for the first time was enormous – I could easily get used to that in the future. Whilst a sketch map of Brands Hatch may look quite simple, it’s a real driver’s circuit that demands the utmost concentration over 98 laps. One single error and the race is as good as lost.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“The first test of the new Sporting and Technical Regulations in the season-opener at Hockenheim gave us all thoroughly exciting and entertaining racing. I am certain that will continue during the coming weekend. Gary Paffett in his home race at Brands Hatch is the focus of interest and would dearly like to repeat last year’s victory. But our ‘young guns’ in the Mercedes-Benz DTM Junior Team made a fabulous impression at the season-opener in Hockenheim, and that is precisely why we are putting our trust in them this season. I envisage that all five of our Mercedes-Juniors will again produce strong performances at Brands Hatch.”

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: DTM Brands Hatch 2013: Preview