Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) is the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver in qualifying for tomorrow’s race at the Hockenheimring. (Start: 14.00 CEST with live coverage from 13.40 on ARD) The winner of the 2011 grand finale at Hockenheim starts from second on tomorrow’s grid at the same race venue. Green posted a time of 1:34.895 minutes to qualify alongside pole-sitter Mattias Ekström (Audi / 1:34.680). The opening race of the 2012 season sees a Mercedes-Benz driver claim a place on the front row of the grid for the 215th time since 1988.The new DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé has also booked a place on Row 1 in its very first race. The C-Coupé is the successor to the AMG Mercedes C-Class which, with 85 victories from 159 races, is the most successful car in DTM history.
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) secured sixth fastest time – 1:34.287 minutes – in the first qualifying session of the new DTM season. He starts the season opener from row three on Sunday.Qualifying 1: Ralf Schumacher secured the best time of the eight Mercedes-Benz drivers in the first qualifying session – 1:34.550 minutes. Just a single second covered positions one to twenty in Q1. Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:34.932), DTM rookie Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:35.167) and Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:35.776) will be in positions 18, 20 and 21 respectively on the grid for the first race of the season.Qualifying 2: Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:34.390) will start the opening race of the new DTM-era on Sunday from position eleven on the grid. Canadian DTM rookie Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé / 1:34.538) and Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé / 1:34.783) will be in positions 13 and 15 respectively for the start of the race. Just eight-tenths of a second separated P1 and P15 in Q2.
Comments on qualifying:Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Second (1:34,895):„A respectable start to the new season. Obviously, I would prefer to be going into the new DTM era in pole position, but I’m also very satisfied with a place on the front row. Qualifying was a close-fought encounter and I was hard pushed to get into Q4. My Mercedes AMG C-Coupé handles like a dream, and it’s great fun taking the development one step further with every outing. Today, we showed that the car is fast, and I’m sure that we are in with a good chance in tomorrow’s race. I’ve been a part of the Mercedes-Benz DTM family for quite a few years now, and it’s fascinating to watch this race series carry on growing and developing.“
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Sixth (1:34,287):
„Sixth on the grid isn’t too bad, but obviously I would rather be starting from nearer the front. Our THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé is performing very well on this first race weekend of the season. It looks very tight, with all three constructors apparently well matched, so it promises to be a very interesting season. We are in for an exciting race tomorrow, and I’m really up for it. Our car is fast and I’m aiming to do even better tomorrow.“
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Eleventh (1:34,390):
„We will see for the first time this weekend how the teams compare in the new DTM-era. In the free practice sessions, things didn’t go brilliantly for me, but I'm pleased that we improved from session to session. It should certainly be an exciting season opener on Sunday. Overtaking in the new car will be even easier this year than was the case in the past – so there’s still everything to play for.“
Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 13th (1:34,538):
„P13 is a decent start position for me in the DTM, but I always set myself high goals and I know that there is still a lot of potential for improvement. The team has prepared my stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé very well and I’m looking forward to my first DTM race on Sunday. Hopefully, I can then do even better.“
Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé), 15th (1:34,783):
„For the whole of the weekend, I’ve had good speed in my C-Coupé, but I wasn’t able to get the full benefit it qualifying. Unfortunately, I made an error that probably cost me a place in the Top Ten. Now I have to wait and see how my closest rivals line up in the race and then go flat out on Sunday to get a decent result at the start of the new season.“
David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 18th (1:34,932):
„We have a brand new car and so I didn’t have any great expectations for this opening weekend here in Hockenheim. Of course, I’m not satisfied with my qualifying result, but we’ve learned a lot about the new vehicle and now want to improve our performance bit by bit. Hopefully, we can put on a good show for the spectators in the race.“
Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 20th (1:35,167):
„Temperatures were very different in qualifying just now, compared to Friday’s practice sessions. I didn’t find it all that easy to quickly adapt to the change, nor was I totally satisfied with the car’s setup. We’re still working on it. Now I'm hoping for a decent result in my first DTM race.“
Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 21st (1:35,776):
„Of course, I'm not satisfied with 21st place on the grid. I was hoping for a much better result in the first qualifying session of the new DTM season. The car has a lot of potential that we must tease out. It won’t be easy in the race to move up to the front of the field, but I will do my best.“
Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„What a fantastic start to the 2012 DTM season. Pole position was there for the taking, as Jamie Green showed by posting the best time in Q3. After a braking error in Sector 1, he retook the lead once again in the middle sector by the smallest margin possible, just one thousandth of a second, but then, at the Motodrom, things didn’t quite work out. So it just remains for me to offer my congratulations to Mattias Ekström and to Abt-Audi on claiming pole.
„There’s not much separating the three manufacturers. It’s a wonderful thing for the fans that the new generation of DTM coupés from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are so very closely matched. I want to express our thanks to everyone from ITR, Audi and BMW for their cooperation in building such strong foundations on which to base a brilliant future for the DTM.
„On the first day of competition for the new generation of DTM cars, I would also like to thank in particular all our team members, who have worked so hard to get the new cars up and running. We have put in a lot of hard work and effort to get this far and now’s the time to reap the rewards. Hopefully, we will do exactly that tomorrow.“* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH * Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
• Start of new era in the DTM – first race for DTM Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé
• The grand finale of the 2011 season – also at Hockenheim – was won by Jamie Green in the last outing for the AMG Mercedes C‑Class, the most successful car in DTM history with a total of 85 victories from 159 races
• Mercedes-Benz has won 31 out of 64 races at its home circuit of Hockenheim, including the last five races staged there, (i.e. opening and closing weekends of the season): Gary Paffett (x2), Jamie Green, Bruno Spengler and Paul di Resta
Comments on the DTM season opener at Hockenheim from:
Jamie Green (29, England, Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
- won the closing race of the 2011 season at Hockenheim
- his record at Hockenheim is two victories (2007 and 2011), two pole positions (2005 and 2006) and five fastest race laps (2005, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2011)
“I’m really looking forward to the new DTM season. We’re in for an interesting and thrilling year with our new Mercedes AMG C-Coupé. The fans can look forward to seeing spectacular cars in action and to witnessing some close-fought encounters on the track. For myself, I’m obviously hoping that I can start the new DTM era in the same way that I finished the old one – namely with a win. The DTM field is so strong and well matched that it is vital to lay down a marker in the first race and to build on that basis by consistently finishing at or near the front.”
Ralf Schumacher (36, Germany, Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):- started from third on the grid in the 2011 season opener at Hockenheim
- claimed his first DTM podium in the 2011 season opener
“I have very positive memories of the season opener last year when I finished on the podium for the first time in my DTM career. It would be great if I could repeat that result this season. However, the winter testing has left us none the wiser as to the balance of power in the new DTM era – we’ll only find that out at Hockenheim. All the same, we’re coming to Hockenheim well prepared for the new season. I’m expecting an exciting race and – hopefully – a good result for myself.”
Gary Paffett (31, England, THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):- has won three times at Hockenheim (2004, 2009 and 2010)
- has finished on the podium at Hockenheim on six occasions
“New cars, new drivers, new teams – it promises to be an exciting and intriguing start to the season. During the tests, I’ve thoroughly familiarised myself with our new Mercedes AMG C-Coupé and got used to the different handling of the car. It’s hard to predict the result of the first race, but I’m happy with our level of preparation and hope that we can get the season off to a solid start. Since my DTM debut in 2003, I’ve competed in a lot of races at Hockenheim. The circuit consists of three sections: the first corner is very fast and decisive for your time in the first sector; the second section mainly has long straights and demands some hard braking; the last sector is essentially made up of medium-fast and high-speed corners. To set a good lap time at Hockenheim, you need a well balanced car.”
Christian Vietoris (23, Germany, Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé):- started from a Top 10 grid spot on his DTM debut in 2011 at Hockenheim
- is a member of the new Mercedes-Benz DTM Junior Team along with Roberto Merhi and Robert Wickens
“Here we go again – at last! I just can’t wait for the start of the season. Our preparations have been very good, and I learned a lot in my rookie season. I intend to build on this and convert the lessons from last year into respectable results. The conditions are perfect: I think I’ve slotted in well with Mercedes-Benz in the DTM and I feel at one with my Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé. I got to know the car well during testing and worked with the engineers on getting the setup right. The Hockenheim circuit is technically very demanding; it requires both good brakes and massive straight-line speed. It’s all about finding the right balance.”
David Coulthard (41, Scotland, DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):- is starting his third DTM season at Hockenheim
- had a Top Ten finish in the 2011 season opener at Hockenheim
“Hard to believe it, but I’m just about to start my third DTM season. As always, I’m immensely looking forward to the season opener at Hockenheim, a contributory factor being the part played by the fans in our home race. They really get behind us and generate a fantastic atmosphere in the Motodrom and in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand. The second of these two vantage points gives them an excellent view of perhaps the best place for overtaking on the circuit – before and after the hairpin. I am aiming to improve on my first two seasons in the DTM, especially in qualifying and at the start of the race. If I can do that, I should be able to post decent results this year.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “In 2012, the DTM starts a new era - indeed, its third and most important era. The fact that Audi and Mercedes-Benz stayed the course for six years, putting on fascinating races in competition with each other, created the stable platform for a fresh start with new momentum. We are now welcoming BMW as a new competitor to the DTM. Thanks to Audi, Mercedes, the ITR and its board plus the DMSB and its officials, this unique, outstanding motorsport series has been preserved. Now, the world’s three best and best-known premium car manufacturers are competing against each other in the DTM, with a new and exciting generation of vehicles. Over a quarter of a century, Mercedes-Benz has been the most successful manufacturer in the DTM. In figures, a total of 165 victories from 342 races, ten driver titles, nine manufacturer titles and 13 in the team championship, encapsulate the achievements of our teams over the past 24 years. We will all work on the new chapter of this success story with focus and the highest motivation.”
What’s new for the 2012 season
- The new DTM cars are coupés (two door) rather than the saloons (four door) used previously
- The cars are longer (5,010 mm, previously 4,872 mm), wider (1,950 mm, previously 1,850 mm) and lower (1,210 mm compared to 1,255 mm)
- The minimum weight has been set at 1,100 kilos. This is combined weight of the car, driver and onboard camera (or substitute ballast if the car has not been allocated a camera).
- As in F1, drivers now change gear using paddles located on the steering wheel
- The innovative new safety concept is based on a standard construction carbon fibre monocoque with roll cage and crash structures
- There are about 50 other standard components to include parts such as brakes, fuel tank, rear wing, gearbox, clutch and starter motor
- The new Hankook tyres are taller and wider than their predecessors. They measure 30 cm at the front (previously 26 cm) and 32 cm at the rear (previously 28 cm)
- From this season, in-race refuelling is no longer allowed. Fuel tank capacity has been increased from 70 to 120 litres. The two mandatory pit stops are to remain.
- Points are to be awarded to the first ten drivers across the line using the Formula 1 system: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1
- In addition to the driver and team championships, there will also be one for the constructors. The ‘DTM Manufacturer Champion’ is calculated on the basis of the top ten finishers in each race. However, if any manufacturer has more than six cars amongst the points, the others won’t count.
- New arrangements for free practice on Fridays and Saturdays: the two sessions will be interrupted by a ten-minute break after the first 45 minutes.
- The maximum duration of a race is to be 70 minutes.
- For the race at Spielberg, the number of laps has been increased from 38 to 42.
- Introduction of a marshalling system: Signals will be given by flags as well as by means of coloured lights on the driver’s display unit.* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH * Copyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS driver Nico Rosberg’s first Formula 1 win in the Chinese Grand Prix one week ago was also the first for a works Silver Arrow since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix. The victory in Shanghai came precisely 20,671 days after five-time Formula 1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio won the world championship at Monza in his Mercedes-Benz W196. In the 55 years between 1955 and 2010, there was no such thing as a thoroughbred works Silver Arrow in Formula 1. Rosberg's win came in the 41st Grand Prix of the new era.To thank his German fans for their incredible support, Rosberg will be performing demonstration laps around the Hockenheimring in Juan Manuel Fangio’s race-winning Silver Arrow from the 1955 season.
This will be Rosberg’s second visit to the DTM season opener at Hockenheim: last year, he volunteered his services as a DTM ‘taxi driver’ at the wheel of the THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C‑Class. Rosberg’s involvement in last season’s DTM extended to the first ever Show Event in Munich: on that occasion, he drove a Formula 1 Silver Arrow around the temporary circuit in the Olympic Stadium.
Nico will not be the only prominent guest at Hockenheim; his MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team-mate Michael Schumacher is also keen to be present for the opening race of the world’s most popular touring car series and will be in Hockenheim on Sunday 29th April. Like Rosberg, the seven-time Formula 1 champion will be bringing a Silver Arrow to the event, namely the 2011 MGP W02 in which he will complete a sequence of demonstration laps.
Nico Rosberg: “I have great memories of the DTM. The earliest date back to when my father was still racing. Then I started competing in the various junior classes that are staged as part of the DTM race weekend as I started out on my own motorsport career. A lot has happened in the meantime, and the highlight so far was obviously my win in China one week ago. I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Hockenheim as a Grand Prix winner. Last year, I was able to drive a classic Silver Arrow on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife, so now I’m really looking forward to climbing into the cockpit of Juan Manuel Fangio’s phenomenal W196 streamliner from Monza in 1955 and driving a few laps at Hockenheim. It means a lot to me that we have written a new chapter in the wonderful history of Mercedes in motorsport – and that there is plenty more still to come.”
Michael Schumacher: “After a busy start to the Formula 1 season with four flyaway races in succession, it will be nice to come back to Germany for the DTM season opener at Hockenheim on Sunday. I’m especially looking forward to the chance to give the fans a taste of a Formula 1 Silver Arrow in action. This will be my first visit to a DTM race in 20 years, and I hope that my brother and his fellow Mercedes-Benz drivers will get their season off to a great start.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “DTM begins a new era this weekend in Hockenheim, with a brand-new and exciting generation of cars. To mark the occasion, we wanted to give the spectators at the circuit something extra, and both our F1 drivers were immediately right behind the idea. Following his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix ten days ago, Nico Rosberg will complete demonstration laps in the Silver Arrow W 196 streamliner, with which Juan Manuel Fangio won at Monza in 1955. On Sunday, just before the start of the race, Michael Schumacher will complete a demonstration run in last year’s F1 Silver Arrow. It’s a throwback to the start of the DTM, which now features three premium manufacturers, and a way of saying thank you to the loyal DTM fans and to our Mercedes colleagues, thousands of whom will be in the Motodrom this weekend, accounting for a high proportion of the 55,000 pre-sold tickets. We are delighted to be able to offer the fans these additional attractions and Nico and Michael are excited to be attending on one of their few free weekends, for which I sincerely thank both of them.”.JPG)
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The DTM enters a new era on 29 April, with spectacular new cars and a third premium manufacturer competing for the title. They are all good reasons why Michael Schumacher will attend the opening race of the world’s most popular touring car series. Michael will be at Hockenheim for the opening race weekend of the DTM’s new era as a guest of Mercedes-Benz.The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS driver competed in four DTM races as a member of the Mercedes-Benz junior team in the 1990 and 1991 seasons.
Then as now, the championship was fiercely contested by the three prestigious German marques Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Among the eight drivers racing for Mercedes-Benz this season is his younger brother Ralf Schumacher (Germany, 36, DTM Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé) who claimed his first DTM podium finish in last year’s season opener at the Hockenheimring.
The seven-time World Champion will also see the three members of the new Mercedes-Benz Junior Team, Roberto Merhi (Spain, 20, Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, Persson Motorsport), Christian Vietoris (Germany, 23, Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé, HWA) and Robert Wickens (Canada, 22, stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, Mücke Motorsport), after meeting them for the first time during pre-season Formula 1 testing in Barcelona.
Michael Schumacher: “It doesn’t seem all that long ago since we launched the new DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September. I’m really interested to see whether the car looks as good on track as it did during the launch. And of course, I’ll be supporting my brother Ralf. He got his first DTM podium finish a year ago in Hockenheim and, who knows, maybe we’ll have a reason to celebrate this time round as well. I'm also looking forward to the first race for the newly formed Mercedes-Benz Junior Team, and its drivers Christian Vietoris, Robert Wickens and Roberto Merhi. Just like I did at the start of my career, these young drivers have the benefit of being supported by Mercedes-Benz as they make the step to top-flight motor racing. It’s a long time since I last went to the DTM, so I’m looking forward to an exciting race at Hockenheim and to enjoying the fantastic atmosphere.”
Tickets for all 2012 DTM races are available at the Mercedes-Benz Online Ticket Shop at www.mercedes-benz.com/dtm or via the Ticket Hotline on 0180 5 97 22 67.Credits: Daimler AGCopyright © 2012, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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