Prominent visitor from Japan: Yōkoso, Jenson-san!
- Finale to a great season: DTM makes another guest appearance at Hockenheim from 4th to 6th October
- Three fireballs from the Japanese SUPER GT Championship line up on the DTM finale starting grid
- Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button faces off against DTM driving aces
Fans are looking forward to the DTM season finale at Hockenheim from 4 to 6 October with special anticipation this year. The guest appearance of Japanese premium manufacturers Honda, Lexus and Nissan – the first time the DTM protagonists take on their SUPER GT Championship rivals – represents a milestone in the ever closer cooperation between the top German and Japanese racing series. Three cars from the Land of the Rising Sun are coming all the way to Germany in order to compete against their DTM counterparts for the first time since the 2017 demonstration runs. It is a foretaste of the German motor racing delegation’s reciprocal visit to Fuji on 23/24 November as part of the “SUPER GT x DTM Dream Race”.
And the racing series from the Far East is basically sending its number one team to Hockenheim. Ronnie Quintarelli (Italy) and Tsugio Matsuda (Japan), each of whom are participating in one of the two DTM races on Saturday and Sunday in their Nissan GT-R, have already won four and two SUPER GT driver’s titles respectively. Two former SUPER GT champions, Nick Cassidy (New Zealand) and Ryo Hirakawa (Japan), will also be taking turns behind the wheel of the Lexus LC 500. Jenson Button is undoubtedly the top guest star. The 39-year-old Englishman, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion and 2018 SUPER GT Champion, is expected to lead the Japanese delegation as soloist in the Honda NSX for the first showdown with the DTM elite.
Button can hardly wait to exchange blows with the 600 hp Aston Martin, Audi and BMW fireballs, especially given his fond memories of the Hockenheimring: “I’m so old that I even competed on the old Hockenheimring. I’ll never forget that: the incredibly long straights, full speed into the forest, with the V10 screaming behind me… on the other hand, I also like the new Hockenheim track. The first bend is fast and lots of fun, but the bends after the hairpin bends are the best of all, letting you position your car nicely for the battle with other drivers. Whether attacking or defending, you can leverage the track as a weapon, so to speak. It’s a great track to drive on. I look forward to my return!”
In this spirit: Yōkoso, Jenson-san! Or for those whose Japanese is less advanced: Welcome, dear Jenson!
Since DTM and SUPER GT will not be applying the uniform “CLASS 1” regulations until the coming 2020 season (and there are thus still certain technical differences between the basically very similar racing cars from Germany and Japan), a level playing field will be guaranteed by making adjustments, such as to vehicle weight. In order to asses their current level of performance and familiarise themselves with 4.5-kilometre Grand Prix circuit and the unusual Hankook standard tyres, the teams from Honda, Lexus and Nissan will be conducting exclusive test drives at the Hockenheimring on the Thursday preceding the DTM finale weekend.
Battle for the DTM Team Championship
Although René Rast and Audi have already clinched the DTM driver’s and brand title, the season finale at Hockenheim will nevertheless see a showdown for the prestigious team ratings. With the Audi Sport Team Rosberg (drivers: René Rast and Jamie Green) and the Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline (drivers: Nico Müller and Robin Frijns), both teams still battling for the championship crown at Hockenheim also represent the brand with the four rings. Only 32 points separate the two teams going into the DTM finale. This may sound like a lot but it isn’t: 86 points are still up for grabs for the teams at Hockenheim.
Pietro Lombardi with performance on the DTM Show Stage
The DTM season finale is once again offering a cultural event. On Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Pietro Lombardi – 2011 winner of the eighth season of the “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” casting show – will rev up the spectators on the DTM Show Stage in the Fan Village of the driver’s paddock. The appearance in Hockenheim is a home game of sorts for Lombardi as the 27-year-old was born in Karlsruhe. All DTM tickets include admission to the concert.
Top offer for the whole family: Tickets are still available at the box offices
Tickets in all categories for the DTM finale 2019 are still available in advance and on the day at the racetrack box office. The offer covers all of your needs. A trial run on Friday starts at 10 euros, the weekend tickets start at 44 euros. Especially family-friendly: An adult can take up to three children up to the age of 14 free of charge with their ticket in the lowest category. The free tickets for these children can be obtained at the box office on the day. For higher-priced ticket categories, tickets for children can be purchased at half price. Access to the drivers’ paddock is generally included with all of the tickets – while stocks last.
The tickets can be ordered via the official website www.dtm.com/tickets and the hotline 01806 386 386 (€0.20/call incl. VAT from the German landline network, max. €0.60/call incl. VAT from the German mobile network) from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tickets can also be booked via the Hockenheimring hotline on +49 (0)6205 950 222.
