After just over a year, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport’s Robert Wickens picked up his first win of the 2017 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season at the Nürburgring, concluding a convincing return to form for the Stuttgart brand in both races.
The Canadian did not have an easy job to get his way into the lead, with him coming to the slightest of contacts with defending champion Marco Wittmann in the last ten minutes, which ultimately decided the race result.
“That was a crazy race. The start was tough, and the decisive move came with the pit stop,” said the 28-year-old, who is now ninth in the overall standings, just 36 points off current leader Mattias Ekström.
With the strategy employed by the team, Wickens was able to make his way up the field, stating that Lucas Auer’s spin on lap six helped him out.
“I had to work really hard for it, and I had to get past a lot of people after the stop,” said Wickens, who credited the team’s efforts to help him to take victory, despite having a “tough fight at the end.”
“Marco and I had a fun little battle there at the end. We had a few minor contacts, but all in all, it was a really good fight. I was really lucky that the race wasn’t one lap longer, because Paul was pushing like crazy.”
With Wittmann falling into the clutches of Di Resta after the leading pair’s hefty battle, Wickens was relieved the race concluded when it did.
“When Marco and I were battling it out, it seems we both took a lot of damage. After we made contact in Turn 1, my steering wasn’t straight anymore and some flicks were missing.”
The Guelph native is still in with a chance of a maiden DTM title, when the series heads off to the Red Bull Ring on September 22nd.