First win of the 2016 season for the Mercedes-AMG DTM Team in home race at Hockenheim: Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) won the second DTM race of the weekend in front of 78,500 spectators. This was the seventh win and 25th podium finish of the 2010 champion’s DTM career.
Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) lined up in P3 on the grid and was within striking distance of race leader Paul Di Resta after his pit stop. However, the 2005 champion was given a drive-through penalty for an ‘unsafe release’ on his pit stop. Paffett dropped out of the Top Ten and lost his chance of a battle with Di Resta and a possible podium. He then produced a strong performance to move back up the field to finish fifth.
After his second place in the first race on Saturday, Canadian Robert Wickens (SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) achieved another points-scoring finish on Sunday. He crossed the finish line in P6 after 37 laps.
Maximilian Götz (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) ended the second race of the season in P13. The two Pink Panthers, Christian Vietoris and Lucas Auer, finished 15th and 16th respectively in their BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTMs. The Spaniard Daniel Juncadella (UBFS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) retired shortly before the end of the race.
The second DTM race for rookie Esteban Ocon (FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) ended after a collision with Bruno Spengler (BMW) and Jamie Green (Audi) shortly after the start. The Frenchman was hit by Antonio Felix da Costa (BMW) on the first lap and was then unable to avoid Spengler.
The next race weekend: Drivers and teams will head to Styria in Austria for the second race weekend of the 2016 DTM season. Races three and four will be staged at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on the weekend of 20th-22nd May.
Comments after the race
Paul Di Resta (30, Scotland):
P1
Car number: 3
Team: Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“It’s a long time since 2010 when I won my last DTM race here at Hockenheim – longer than I would have wished. But today, everything went great. We succeeded in controlling the race, and the car ran beautifully. Many thanks to my team for having given me this strongly performing car. The dedication shown by the guys is really impressive. That was an absolute top job by the team. They got no sleep last night and yet still managed to give me such a great car. This was their victory. I dedicate this win to my son Leo. He’s at the track for the first time and I rack up a win. What a great start to the season!”
Gary Paffett (35, England):
P5
Car number: 2
Team: EURONICS/FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“I had one of the fastest cars in today’s race and was in with a chance of winning it. Then to finish back in fifth after a drive-through penalty is obviously very disappointing. To be honest, I'm really upset.”
Robert Wickens (27, Canada):
P6
Car number: 6
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy / UBFS Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“All in all, I can’t complain about my P6. I’d hoped for more, of course, but sometimes it’s just not possible in the DTM, unfortunately. I had a bit of contact with Glock on the first lap, damaging some aerodynamic parts on the car. Still, if I’m going to be dissatisfied with sixth place, then it’s going to be a good season.”
Maximilian Götz (30, Germany):
P13
Car number: 84
Team: Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“Much more would have been possible today. I started from 17th place on the grid, so P13 is okay. My car was really great to begin with, but there were a lot of contacts and scraps. Some drivers seemed to be a bit too keen this weekend. We’re not driving pit cars here. A better result was not possible today due to the damage on my car.”
Christian Vietoris (27, Germany):
P15
Car number: 8
Team: BWT Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team Mücke)
Car: BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“It’s been a difficult day for me. Yesterday went really well. Overnight, we made a few changes which didn’t work out as we would have liked. That’s why my qualifying position wasn’t good. The race was then a mixed bag. We competed well on the corners, but I was lacking top speed on the straights.”
Lucas Auer (21, Austria):
retired (classified 16th)
Car number: 22
Team: BWT Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team Mücke)
Car: BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“Today was not a good day for me, sadly. Things didn’t go well in qualifying either. There was practically no grip at all on the fresh tyres. If you start the race from 15th place on the grid, you’re then forever in the thick of it. I had some technical problems towards the end, unfortunately, and had to abandon the race.”
Daniel Juncadella (25, Spain):
retired (classified 17th)
Car number: 12
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy / UBFS Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: UBFS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“Sadly, that was a weekend to forget. It started quite well in the first free practice session and things were still looking good in qualifying. Unfortunately, I got blocked, which made it difficult to post a better result in the first race. Qualifying this morning didn’t go well, but my pace in the race was OK.”
Esteban Ocon (19, France):
retired
Car number: 34
Team: EURONICS/FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
“I’ve had a lot of bad luck this weekend, unfortunately. I was very careful on the first lap, I really was, and lost one position at the start. I was then pushed from behind by Antonio Felix da Costa and couldn’t avoid Bruno Spengler. This was not the result I’d planned for my debut weekend in the DTM.”
Ulrich Fritz, Head of Mercedes-AMG DTM:
“Overall, we can be satisfied with the weekend, for sure! A win and a second place make a great start to the season. However, a one-two win would have been possible today but for the ‘unsafe release’. Gary’s speed was amazing, just like Paul’s. The way Gary ploughed through the field to secure fifth place despite the setback, well, that was racing at its best.”
