DTM – Mercedes plays for honor at Zandvoort

Mercedes will have little to lose at the end of the season. The Stuttgart manufacturer saw its title chances disappear following its completely unsuccessful weekend at Oschersleben where Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens, two of the contenders for the title, were unable to enter the top ten. The star brand occupies last place in the Manufacturers' Championship with a delay of 30 points on BMW and 39 on Audi before facing the penultimate event of the season this weekend at Zandvoort.

The places of honor are therefore of great interest to Mercedes drivers who wish to end the year on a positive note. Christian Vietoris can still hope to finish vice-champion and intends to put his experience to good use on the Dutch track where he reached the podium in 2009 as part of the F3 Euro Series. “Zandvoort is a really nice circuit which also represents a new challenge for the drivers. There are many fast turns. This race is a highlight of the season. A lot of time can be saved or lost in the second sector. The Oschersleben weekend was really complicated for me from start to finish. I will do my best to turn the page on this disappointment by ensuring a good result on this demanding route. My goal for the rest of the season is to defend my third place in the Championship and maybe even move up a position. This would exceed my expectations at the start of the year when I was aiming for a place in the top five. »

Robert Wickens was no luckier than the German as he occupies fourth place in the Drivers' standings, just one point behind his teammate. The Canadian will be keen to shine for his 20th start in the discipline. “I'm normally able to move on quickly and I've turned the page on Oschersleben. Zandvoort is a great circuit that I really enjoy. Obviously, I would like to do myself justice on this fantastic track by securing another top result this weekend and end my season on a positive note during the last two events of the season. »