Having made his return to the DTM Series in 2017 Maro Engel is to once again depart the series to focus on other race commitments.
Engel has joined Team Venturi for the 2017/18 FIA Formula E Championship with clashes meaning he is unable to fulfil his race commitments.
On top of that Mercedes AMG GT3 outings mean a busy schedule, with sacrifices needing to made.
“I still had a small score to settle after my first stint in the DTM, which I was able to put right last year by taking my maiden win in Moscow. I’m very grateful to the team for making that possible. Thank you very much to the entire team for a fantastic time. It’s a pity that the Formula E and the DTM racing calendars overlap to some extent this season. Unfortunately, there’s no easy solution, because I would love to be lining up again in the DTM, especially as it’s Mercedes-AMG’s final year in the series. With an eye to the future, though, we decided that I would concentrate fully on Formula E and GT racing in 2018. However, I intend to be at some of the team’s races and hope they can bring the title back to Stuttgart and Affalterbach in their swan-song year.”
In the five years that Engel raced in DTM he contested 60 races with the Stuttgart based manufacturer during 2008-11 and 2017, scoring 67 points. His best finish came at the Moscow Raceway last year where he took his maiden win having started at the back of the grid.
“Maro was an important member of our team last season in the DTM and proved what a great racing driver he is with his win in Moscow,” said Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport DTM Ulrich Fritz.
“Many thanks again for that one! This season, he is fully focused on Formula E and our customer sports programme. He’s an absolute all rounder, fast in any racing car, so I know he’ll be successful again this year whether it’s in a single-seater Formula E racing car or in a GT car. Maro remains part of the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport family and everyone in the DTM team will be wishing him the best of luck in all his races in 2018.”
“I owe a great deal to the customer sports programme and to Mercedes-AMG,” said Engel. “That’s why I was so keen to go on competing in major GT events. I really enjoy it and am look forward to taking part again this year.”
