Mercedes-Benz has once again called on the services of experienced DTM driver Susie Wolff for the 2012 season. The fastest woman in touring car racing has competed in the series since 2006 and started 63 DTM races to date.
In 2012, Wolff will drive the TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, continuing with Team Persson Motorsport, which she joined in 2008. Wolff was an instant hit with the fans when she made her debut at Hockenheim in 2006, finishing in the Top Ten.
The 29-year-old scored her first championship points with a seventh place in the 2010 Lausitzring race. She repeated the result that same year in the season finale at Hockenheim. Her most successful season so far was 2010 in which she scored four points – good enough for 13th in the drivers’ standings.
Susie Wolff: “Since making my DTM debut in 2006, I have always felt at home in the Mercedes-Benz family, so I am delighted that the relationship continues into 2012. I’m really motivated and I have been working hard all winter to prepare myself physically and mentally for what is bound to be a very close and competitive season; with the introduction of new cars and regulations, the playing field is going to be more level for all of the drivers. We now have three premium manufacturers lined up against each other – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – which promises to make the battle all the more intriguing and exciting.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “Susie has set her sights very high for 2012 and cannot wait to get out there and achieve good results. I have often admired her speed in races, and there is not a single DTM driver or DTM champion around who has not had to contend with Susie’s fighting spirit on the racetrack. Provided she can secure a good position on the grid in our new-generation DTM C-Class Coupé, and get off the line well, then Susie will be even more of a force to be reckoned with in 2012. We are all looking forward to having Susie in our team of drivers for a seventh season -- and I am confident that seven will be her lucky number, you’ll see!”
Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
Former Formula One driver David Coulthard retains his place in the Mercedes-Benz line-up for the 2012 DTM season. The 40-year-old Scot is about to start his third year in the DTM as a member of Team Mücke Motorsport. Coulthard was Formula One championship runner-up in 2001. He won a total of 13 races during his F1 career, twelve of which were for McLaren Mercedes, including the first victory of the new Silver Arrows era on 9th March 1997 in Melbourne (Australia).
When he made his DTM debut in 2010, Coulthard quickly established himself as a fan favourite in the paddock. He scored his first DTM point in the 2010 season finale in Shanghai, where he also set fastest lap.
Prior to the DTM phase of his racing career, Coulthard competed in 246 Formula One races between 1994 and 2008. Twelve of his 13 Grand Prix victories were during his time at McLaren-Mercedes, with whom he also won the constructors’ title in 1998 and finished runner-up in the drivers’ championship in 2001. Since 2009, Coulthard has attended all Formula One races as a member of the BBC television team covering F1. His expert opinions are rated highly by viewers and professional colleagues alike.
Coulthard is one of the founding ambassadors for Wings for Life. The Scot has worked unstintingly for the charity foundation over a number of years, spreading the message worldwide and helping to generate donations to finance its research projects. Founded in 2004 by Heinz Kinigadner and Dietrich Mateschitz, this registered non-profit foundation promotes research into finding a cure for paraplegia caused by injuries to the spinal cord. With the agreement of sponsor Deutsche Post, Mercedes-Benz has made available advertising space on the bodywork of Coulthard’s car to draw media attention to Wings for Life and to its driver’s role as ambassador for the organisation, thereby helping boost fund-raising impact.
In his first two years in the DTM, Coulthard drove the AMG Mercedes C-Class, the most successful car in series history with 85 victories from 159 races. In a copyright-free video, the Scotsman compares the C Class with the new 2012 DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé (Download via: www.news2use.tv). He gives a first assessment of the new era for the DTM and explains the most important changes such as gear shift paddles on the steering wheel, the improved safety concept and the new aerodynamics.
David Coulthard: “In 2012, the DTM enters a new era. New cars, new technical regulations and a third manufacturer promise to make the championship more exciting than ever before. That’s why I’m looking forward even more to my third year with Mercedes-Benz in this highly competitive championship. The popularity of the DTM and the huge enthusiasm of the fans make this yet another excellent platform to draw attention to Wings for Life, the charity organisation for which I have been such a committed advocate over many years. I now have two years of DTM experience to draw on. My first impressions of our DTM Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé are very positive – especially the paddle shift on the steering wheel which I know very well from my time in Formula One. In the past two years, I’ve had to learn a lot about the engineering, the driving technique and about DTM racing in general. I know my team well now and, after 15 years as a member of the Mercedes-Benz family, I feel really at home. In 2012, I want to continue my progress and post some respectable results.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “David Coulthard is one of the best-known and most popular drivers in the DTM. He has played a prominent role in Mercedes-Benz motorsport history since winning the first race with the then brand-new McLaren Mercedes Silver Arrow in the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. David went on to record a dozen more Formula One victories with us, including several Monaco GPs and also the classic race at Spa in Belgium. In 2001, he was Formula One World Championship runner-up with McLaren Mercedes. In 2012, David Coulthard will be contesting his third DTM season, and this time he has set his sights even higher. Last year, there were several races in which David was amongst the very fastest in the field over the entire distance. As soon as David can turn this speed into better grid positions and quicker starts, he will be a real contender. And this is our shared goal for 2012.”
Credits: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
