The second round of the 2017 DTM Series gets underway this weekend at the Lausitzring with Lucas Auer leading the championship following the opening round at the Hockenheimring.
Spoils were shared in the opening round with all three teams standing on the podium over the two races, which following the practice and qualifying sessions was not expected by many as it looked as though Mercedes were going to run away with the weekend.
Austrian, Lucas Auer returns to the track where he claimed his first victory – as well as the first victory for an Austrian driver in the series – leading the championship by 14 points ahead of Jamie Green and Gary Paffett.
Auer, said: “It’s obviously going to be quite special for me returning to the Lausitzring a year after my first DTM victory, and all the more so after such a good weekend in the season opener at Hockenheim.
“Consequently, I’m excited to see where we go from here. We have a superb car, but there is still some fine-tuning to do. That’s why I’m really curious to see how we compare with the opposition on another track.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to it. Last year’s Motorsport Festival was an amazing event, and I hope that the fans turn out in force again.”
Auer’s Mercedes team are the most successful brand at the Lausitzring, having taken 12 victories at the Motorsport Festival.
Timo Glock is the best place BMW driver in the championship after claiming second place in the first race and pole position, and eighth place on the Sunday.
Traditionally, the Lausitzring has not been a strong track for the Bavarian outfit, who have not won at the track since their comeback season to the championship in 2012 when Bruno Spengler took to the top step of the podium.
Reigning champion Marco Wittmann is aware of the problems the manufacturer has faced at the Lausitzring but remains confident of the team’s chances.
“Things have usually gone well for me at the Lausitzring in the past, that was where I brought home my title in 2014. And I did very well there in 2016 with fourth and sixth place, even though the track has never really suited us. I am extremely confident and think that with the new car and the new rules there is uncertainty on every racetrack this year. It goes without saying that the aim is to get a good result.”
Joint second placed man in the championship Green, is the only man to date to have won both races in one weekend after the Briton won both races at the Lausitzring back in 2015.
“I’m sure that the motorsport festival will be another resounding success this year,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “We’re excited to see how the new DTM format is going to pan out at the Lausitzring. The first two races were highly entertaining.”