Ralf Schumacher will continue to race for Mercedes-Benz in the 2012 DTM season. Schumacher has been competing in the world’s most popular touring car championship since 2008, and next year will be his fifth in the series. This season saw him score his first two podium finishes – in the opening race at Hockenheim and DTM’s return race at the Austrian circuit of Spielberg.
Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class) won the 2011 DTM season finale at Hockenheim by 7.6 seconds from Martin Tomczyk (Audi) after starting from second place on the grid. It was Green’s seventh DTM victory and his second at Hockenheim. This was the 17th podium for the British driver, his sixth in a DTM race at Hockenheim and podium number 480 for a DTM driver at this track.
Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class) finished in the penultimate race of the season contested in Valencia in seventh position. The race was won by Mattias Ekström (Audi). Spengler has 51 points in the drivers’ standings and goes into the grand finale in Hockenheim on 23rd October in second position. Martin Tomczyk (Audi) clinched the drivers’ championship in Valencia with one race still left on the calendar.
Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class) will begin the ninth race of the 2011 DTM season in Valencia on Sunday as the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver in third position on the grid. The DTM rookie posted a 1:31.173 minutes in the shoot-out at the end of qualifying. Mattias Ekström (Audi / 1:30.608 minutes) will be on pole.
Spengler – in second place and on course to take the championship lead – fails to finish.
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class) was the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver on the day, taking fourth position in the eighth race of the season at Oschersleben. Following technical problems in qualifying, the British driver started 18th on the grid, moving up 14 places during the race.