The Gentleman Magazine Issue 10 | August 2018 | Page 17

And how are things looking in the DTM?
Toto Wolff: In the DTM, we currently lead all three
championships – an excellent achievement by the team in
Affalterbach! Before the season began, we promised the fans
that our final season in the DTM would be as successful as
we could make it, and in that regard, we have kept our word.
The performance of the car is very encouraging, and the same
goes for our drivers. Each of them has had some memorable
moments, and several of them are in contention for the title.
But we also know that you have to go one step at a time in
racing. In such a highly competitive series as the DTM, every
last detail counts – and a single mistake can be costly. That’s
why we’re keeping our feet on the ground and facing each
race weekend as a new challenge. Next week, we go to Brands
Hatch where the team will compete on the Grand Prix Circuit.
I’m sure it will be a real experience for any racer to be driving
on that particular track – one that rewards not only the best
technical package but also driving skills and courage. We still
have five race weekends left in our final DTM season, and we
intend to make every one of them a memorable occasion.
Top 20 – and the solid results in the various classes ensured
that Mercedes-AMG lifted the prestigious Coupe du Roi for
the most successful manufacturer in the 24-hour race at Spa-
Francorchamps.
Jubilation at the Hockenheimring: Success for the Mercedes-
AMG GT3 was not confined to Spa. In the two 30-minute
sprint races of the STT Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy (Special
Touring Car Trophy) at the Hockenheimring, Mario Hirsch
(#20, RaceArt.eu) made two podium appearances, one for a P2
and the other for a P3. Marvin Dienst (#16, Schütz Motorsport)
won the Dunlop 60 in the DMV GTC. Kenneth Heyer in the
number 14 Mercedes-AMG GT3 entered by équipe vitesse
finished second in Saturday’s race on the illustrious circuit in
Baden.
Three questions for Toto Wolff
Toto, Formula 1 is now about to start its summer break. After
twelve races, how would you sum up the season so far?
Toto Wolff: The battle at the top is more exciting than ever
before, and things are also very tight in the midfield. The races
have not only produced some great wheel-to-wheel action on
the track but also some surprise winners: seven of the twelve
races so far were not necessarily won by the fastest car. All in
all, I would say that the 2018 season has been a marvellous
advertisement for the sport. For us as a team, the half-term
report is a positive one, as we are currently leading both
world championships. We owe this to the efforts of our team
in Brackley and Brixworth and to the driving skills of Lewis
and Valtteri. At the same time, though, we also realise that we
have dropped points in more than one race, so we are going flat
out to boost performance even more for the second half of the
season. We will be working very hard on that right up to the
weekend when the summer break officially begins as decreed
by the regulations. It’s a break that everyone on our team has
more than earned. We will then come back refreshed with the
necessary energy to raise our game even further in the second
half of the season.
Towards the end of 2019, Mercedes will be entering Formula E
for the first time, and the name of the team has recently been
decided: Mercedes EQ Formula E Team. What else have you to
tell us on that front?
Toto Wolff: Our involvement in Formula E is taking on
ever more concrete forms. In addition to the name and
the announcement of SAP as our first partner, we have also
made some decisions on how best to integrate the team into
our current motorsport activities so that we can draw on our
existing expertise. For example, we will develop the powertrain
at HPP in Brixworth where our Formula 1 engines are already
being built. This will allow us to make use of the expertise
that we have already acquired there in the design of Formula
1 hybrid engines. Brackley, where our chassis for Formula 1
is built, will also be helping to develop the Formula E team.
The racing side will be managed by HWA AG who are already
doing an excellent job for us in the DTM. The team based in
Affalterbach will be contesting Formula E with effect from the
coming season, initially as a Venturi customer team, so as to
familiarise themselves with the series. The more concrete our
plans become for our involvement in Formula E, the more we
relish the prospect of this new challenge.
Social Media News
#PurePitWall: How did Lewis manage to stay out on the
UltraSoft tyres for so long? Would Valtteri have benefited from
a pit stop during the VSC phase? What are the strengths and
weaknesses of Mercedes compared to Ferrari? All this and
much more is revealed by James Allison in our Hungarian GP
debriefing.
Watch video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9NbkUnAZkM
#24hAMG: Anyone competing in the world’s biggest GT race
is going to experience ups and downs, a real emotional roller-
coaster. Our thanks go to all the drivers and teams who fought
so hard in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. We’ll be back
next year, and in full attack mode again!
Watch video:
www.facebook.com/MercedesAMGCustomerR acing/
videos/1982067635190740/
The Gentleman Magazine | 17