Mercedes aware “plenty of work” to be done

With the final showdown ready to play out at Hockenheim, as the current Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) season reaches its natural conclusion, Mercedes-AMG DTM will have a lot of local support, with the 4.574-km circuit being their home track.

The Stuttgart manufacturer has Pascal Wehrlein leading the drivers’ standings on 165 points, who could wrap up proceedings the day before his 21st birthday.

Team gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG could also secure the team titles, with there also being an outside chance of taking a clean sweep, by claiming the constructors’ titles, where the brand is 51 points behind leaders BMW.

“The race weekend at Hockenheim represents the climax of an action-packed and exciting season. The whole team has delivered an outstanding performance so far. We now need to maintain this form in the last two races, so that we come away with a tangible reward,” explained Head of Mercedes-AMG DTM, Ulrich Fritz.

“Because Hockenheim counts as our home race, we traditionally have the support of many fans and employees. Every seat in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand will certainly be taken. I am very happy about this, because after all, it’s for the fans that we race our cars. I’m certainly hoping that we will give them good cause for cheer this weekend. But until then, we still have plenty of work to do.”

““Hockenheim is a special venue, because it’s also where we had the season opener. For me, the year hasn’t gone perfectly, but Hockenheim is a track that I really like. So I’m hoping for a good result to round off the season,” said Mücke Motorsport’s Daniel Juncadella, who is still hunting down a podium to finish off his season in style.

“We’re all delighted about that. If the weather forecasts are to be believed, rain could be an additional factor during the races.”

Robert Wickens is another driver that will be looking to go into the off-season on a high, as the Canadian driver will look to add to his tally of wins this weekend: “After an up and down season, my targets for Hockenheim are to score two strong results and to help Mercedes bring home the manufacturers’ championship.

“With Hockenheim being a home race for Mercedes-Benz, this would be the perfect place for it. I’ve competed on many race tracks in my career, but the fantastic atmosphere in the Motodrom and on the Mercedes grandstand is unmatched anywhere.”

The action gets underway on Friday (17th October 2015), as Free Practice One starts at 1525 CEST (1425 BST).