DTM – Mercedes still lacks confidence before Moscow

Mercedes once again proved untouchable at the Norisring, but the star manufacturer almost saw its streak of consecutive victories come to an end without Robert Wickens. The 25-year-old Canadian has moved up to seventh place in the Championship but is still 33 points behind leader Marco Wittmann. This second success of the season for Mercedes, which won in the rain at Oschersleben with Christian Vietoris, however still seems insufficient to restore confidence to the team.

“I certainly didn’t expect to come to Moscow with a victory”, recognizes the driver of the No. 12 AMG C Coupe who took tenth place in Russia last year. “It’s motorsport, always full of surprises. Despite this victory at the Norisring, we must remain realistic. As a driver, I'm always looking to win. But with normal conditions on a permanent circuit, we are still looking to progress. »

Among the Mercedes drivers lined up, Vitaly Petrov will certainly be the most motivated since he will be competing in front of his home crowd. However, the former Caterham driver F1 still needs to get his bearings while he is seeking his first points in the discipline. “I'm obviously looking forward to my national race in Moscow because I rarely get the chance to ride in my country of birth. I expect many fans and friends to be there. It should be a very good weekend. I completed a few laps last year as a race taxi driver. We will be riding a longer version of the circuit this year and it should be even more fun. Motorsport is becoming more and more popular in Russia: DTM debuted last year in Moscow and Sochi will host F1 for the first time this year. I hope to be able to play a role in DTM to make this sport shine in my country. »