“Ring frei” for round eight

• With round eight at the Nürburgring this coming weekend, the 2007 DTM enters the start-and-finish straight with three races remaining until the finale in Hockenheim on 14th Oc-tober. At the “Ring”, Mercedes-Benz drivers have won six out of the new DTM’s 12 races since 2000, Audi took four wins and Opel two. In 2006, Bruno Spengler won at the wheel of his DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG-Mercedes C-Class. The most recent Mercedes-Benz vic-tory at the Nürburgring was achieved by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Fernando Alonso in the European Grand Prix last month.
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class drivers won five out of the 2007 season’s seven races and started five times from pole position. Prior to the Nürburgring race, Bruno Spengler is third overall with 26 points followed by Bernd Schneider (Vodafone AMG-Mercedes C-Class) with 25.5 points in fourth place.
• With Mika Häkkinen (AMG Mercedes C-Class), who is the only driver in the field with two victories this year, and Paul di Resta (JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class), a total of four Mercedes-Benz drivers are among the top-six in the championship. One driver can score a maximum of 30 points in the three remaining races.
• The Nürburgring race will be started an hour later than usual and will be broadcast live on German channel ARD at 3:00 p.m.

Updated weight distribution in the DTM (kilograms):

The 2007 season so far (seven races):

Victories: Mercedes-Benz five (Mika Häkkinen at the Lausitzring and in Mugello; Gary Paffett in Oschers-leben; Bernd Schneider in Brands Hatch; Bruno Spengler at the Norisring).

1-2 victories: Mercedes-Benz three (Gary Paffett/Paul di Resta in Oschersleben; Mika Häkkinen/Paul di Resta at the Lausitzring; Bruno Spengler/Bernd Schneider at the Norisring).

Pole Positions: Mercedes-Benz five (Bruno Spengler in Hockenheim, at the Lausitzring and at the Noris-ring; Mika Häkkinen in Oschersleben and in Brands Hatch).

1-2 qualifying: Mercedes-Benz three (Bruno Spengler/Mika Häkkinen at the Lausitzring; Mika Häkki-nen/Bruno Spengler in Brands Hatch; Bruno Spengler/Mika Häkkinen at the Norisring).

Fastest laps: Mercedes-Benz three (Jamie Green in Oschersleben and Zandvoort; Bruno Spengler at the Norisring).

Winners of the DTM and ITC races at the Nürburgring (since Mercedes-Benz has enterd the DTM in 1988):

• 1988: Kurt Thiim (BMW), Dany Snobeck (AMG Mercedes 190E)
  Armin Hahne (Ford, both races)
• 1989: Steve Soper (BMW, both races)
  Alain Ferté (Ford, both races)
  Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E, both races)
• 1990: Steve Soper (BMW, both races)
  Jacques Laffite (BMW), Frank Biela (AMG Mercedes 190E)
  Emanuele Pirro (BMW), Walter Röhrl (Audi)
• 1991: Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E, both races)
  Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E, both races)
• 1992: Frank Biela (Audi), Roland Asch (AMG Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2)
  Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2, both races)
  Bernd Schneider, Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2)
• 1993: Nicola Larini (Alfa Romeo), Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2)
  Nicola Larini (Alfa Romeo, both races)
• 1994: Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes C-Class), Nicola Larini (beide Alfa Romeo)
  Alessandro Nannini (Alfa Romeo), Klaus Ludwig (AMG Mercedes C-Class)
  Jörg van Ommen (AMG Mercedes C-Class, both races)
• 1995: Bernd Schneider (AMG Mercedes C-Class, both races)
• 1996 (ITC): Jörg van Ommen (AMG Mercedes C-Class), Manuel Reuter (Opel)
• 2000: Bernd Schneider (AMG Mercedes CLK, both races)
  Manuel Reuter (Opel, both races)
• 2001: Laurent Aiello (Audi)
  Laurent Aiello (Audi)
• 2002: Uwe Alzen (AMG Mercedes CLK)
• 2003: Christijan Albers (AMG Mercedes CLK)
  Laurent Aiello (Audi)
• 2004: Gary Paffett (AMG Mercedes C-Class)
• 2005: Mattias Ekström (Audi)
• 2006: Bruno Spengler (AMG Mercedes C-Class)

The International Touring Car Championship (ITC) was held parallel to the DTM in 1995 and as its successor in 1996. - Since 2001, there has been only one race per event.

Since 1984, there have been a total of 62 DTM races at the Nürburgring. Mercedes-Benz won almost half of them (28). Volker Weidler took the first victory for the brand in a 190E of Dr. Helmut Marko’s team winning in the debut year. Klaus Ludwig is the most successful DTM driver at the Nürburgring with 13 vic-tories, 12 of which he achieved with Mercedes-Benz.

What drivers and motorsportchief say

Bernd Schneider, start number 1 (2007 Genuine Parts AMG Mercedes C-Class): “At the Nürburgring, I drove my first DTM race for Mercedes-Benz 16 years ago. Since then I have won five times out of 36 starts. One victory is still missing.”

Bruno Spengler, start number 2 (2007 DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I want to win, as I did at the Nürburgring last year.”

Jamie Green, start number 5 (2007 Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class): “During the rain at the Nürbur-gring in 2006 I experienced some problems. Also the Formula 1 race five weeks ago has shown that rain can cause several surprises. I would like to do it like Fernando Alonso in Formula 1.”

Mika Häkkinen, start number 6 (2007 AMG Mercedes C-Class): “We used the summer break to effi-ciently prepare for the Nürburgring race. Improving from grid positions 15 and 13 to one and seven at the chequered flag during the previous two races shows the potential not only of the new C-Class, but also of our team, as everybody is giving their best at all times. At the Nürburgring, my target will be high as I wish to get higher again in the championship position.”

Gary Paffett, start number 9 (2006 Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I started my two previous races at the Nürburgring from pole position; I won in 2004 and lost victory due to a drive-through penalty one year later. I will push hard.”

Alexandros Margaritis, start number 10 (2006 stern AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I live in Bonn and there-fore the Nürburgring is my home circuit. For me, it is the most beautiful track on the calendar besides Zandvoort. I want to score points again and improve my position in the overall ranking.”

Susie Stoddart, start number 14 (2005 TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class): “Following the summer break I look forward to this race. The Nürburgring offers several overtaking opportunities. I expect an ex-citing race with many battles and I want to be right in the middle of them.”

Daniel la Rosa, start number 15 (2006 TrekStor AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I like the Nürburgring very much. As my summer break was one day longer caused by a driveshaft failure short before the start of the Zandvoort race, I look even more forward to this race. I want to score points again and get into the top-ten of the championship.”

Mathias Lauda, start number 18 (2006 Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I know the Nürburgring pretty well and feel very comfortable there. Last year, I finished 13th, so this year my target are the top-ten and a points finish would be even better.”

Paul di Resta, start number 19 (2005 JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class): “I will give it my all at the Nürburgring to score as many points as possible and to catch up with the front runners in the champion-ship. It’s only over when it’s over.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “We have a good winning balance in the DTM at the Nürburgring and our brand has the longest motor sport history there. 73 years ago the first Silver Arrow drove to victory there, and there we won the European Grand Prix with the latest Formula 1 Silver Arrow and Fernando Alonso last month; a record crowd watched this live on TV. I hope that the DTM will show a sportsmanlike and fair race for the spectators at the track and live on TV; that is what we need for all supporters of this series.”

Schedule

Friday, 31st August

08:00-08:15 DTM, roll out

09:30-11:00 DTM, test 1

11:15-12:15 F3, free practice

13:15-14:45 DTM, test 2

16:55-17:25 F3, qualifying

Saturday, 1st September

10:00-11:00 DTM, free practice

12:20 F3, race 1

13:28-14:15 DTM, qualifying

17:15 public press conference with all Mercedes drivers, Mercedes-Benz Team Hospitality

Sunday, 2nd September

09:40-10:10 DTM, warm-up

11:30 F3, race 2

15:00 DTM, race, 43laps = 156.047 kms

Nurburgring on German TV

Saturday, 1st September

12:00 Premiere, F3, race 1, LIVE

15:35 ARD, DTM Qualifying, highlights

16:05 BR, Sport am Samstag

17:00 SWR, Sport

18:10 ARD, Sportschau

19:00 DSF, F3, Rennen 1, highlights

Sunday, 2nd September

11:30 Premiere, F3, Rennen 2, LIVE

14:30 ARD, DTM, LIVE (race at 15:00 h)

18:00 ARD, Sportschau

18:30 DSF, highlights DTM and F3

Nurburgring

• The Nürburgring has been opened on 19 June 1927 – a little more than 80 years ago - and its history has been linked to the motor sport history of Mercedes-Benz ever since. Rudolf Caracciola won the opening race at the wheel of a Mercedes 680 S.
• In 2002, 75 years after the legendary Nordschleife, the Mercedes Arena has been launched. This twisty section following the front straight, which often sees spectacular outbraking manoeuvres at the entrance, is also part of the 3.629-km short track of the Nürburging, which is used by the DTM.

Length:

3.629 kms (short track)

Race distance:

43 laps = 156.074 kms

DTM lap record:

Gary Paffett, AMG Mercedes C-Class (1:24.442, 2005)