DTM spectacle at Hockenheim: predictions impossible, lots of action guaranteed!
- High-tension ahead of the DTM weekend from 1 – 3 October at the Hockenheimring.
- The four top title contenders expect a skin-deep battle on the Grand Prix circuit
- DTM fans can now also watch the horsepower spectacle from the inside grandstand
Hockenheim (28.09.2021). When more than 10,000 hp are let off the leash shortly after 1.30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, it’s about more than “just” a good placing in a car race. Because the battle for the 2021 DTM championship is not only entering its hot phase at the penultimate race weekend at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg – it is already in full swing. Mathematically, seven drivers still have a chance of winning the title, but the best prospects are for four drivers from four different manufacturers who have made their mark on the season so far: Liam Lawson (Ferrari), Marco Wittmann (BMW), Kelvin van der Linde (Audi) and Maximilian Götz (Mercedes-AMG). These four will go into the last four rounds of the season separated by only 20 points, in which a total of 112 points will still be awarded.
No one dares to make predictions, even from these four protagonists. Too much can happen on the 4.574-kilometre Grand Prix circuit not far from Heidelberg, and the field is too evenly matched, sometimes finishing within a second of each other in qualifying. That means: the line between HERO and ZERO is narrow. Very, very narrow.
There is only one thing on which there is agreement: if you want to become champion, you can’t afford any more zeros. So it’s a matter of scoring good points in all the races – and Marco Wittmann is the one who has managed to do that consistently lately. The 31-year-old has scored points in all 12 races and has not yet had a race retirement. Which sounds much easier than it is, after all, there are still a dozen drivers plus guest entrants in the field who have nothing whatsoever to do with the title decision and who are only concerned with top individual results. And: With the Mercedes-AMG aces Philip Ellis and Lucas Auer (both Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD) as well as Alex Albon (Alpha Tauri AF Corse) in the second Ferrari 488, there are three more drivers lurking around who will use any chance they get to interfere in the fight for the 2021 DTM crown.
These are the votes of the four protagonists:
1st place: Liam Lawson (19, New Zealand, Red Bull AF Corse), 175 points.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to the season finale with the two consecutive race weekends at the Hockenheimring and the Norisring. In Hockenheim we have already tested in the run-up to the season and I assume that we will go into the race weekend well sorted. Over the course of the last few race weekends, we have made good progress, so I am confident that we will also be able to have a say in the top positions at Hockenheim. The goal is clear – to take home as many points as possible to give us a good starting position for the final weekend in Nuremberg.”
2nd place: Marco Wittmann (31, Fürth, Walkenhorst Motorsport), 165 points
“The championship battle is extremely close, you’ve seen in the last four races how quickly the tide can turn. There are still many points up for grabs, everything is open. The season finale with the two race weekends in Hockenheim and at the Norisring will be extremely exciting and intense. I am very happy that we are fully involved in the title fight, which we would not have expected before the season. At the end of the day, it’s all about consistency and scoring good points in all four races. I think the Hockenheimring is a track where all brands can play to their respective strengths. It has many different types of corners – slow, medium-fast, fast. And there are also some passages where you can overtake well. The fans can definitely look forward to two exciting races. The anticipation is great, we will give everything!”
3rd place: Kelvin van der Linde (25, South Africa, Team ABT Sportsline), 160 points
“I have a lot of good memories of the Hockenheimring, the races there were always a highlight. The Hockenheimring is one of the best circuits for our cars. You can drive different lines and overtake in several places. There is a lot of action guaranteed for the fans. I have a lot of experience with these cars on this track, which hopefully can become an advantage in this hot title fight. I think we at Team ABT are in a good position. We have prepared in the best possible way and, as always, we will give our best. The goal is to finish on the podium in both races. It will be an exhausting, intense weekend in which it will also be important to keep your nerve. I’m extremely looking forward to it!”
4th place: Maximilian Götz (35, Uffenheim, Mercedes-AMG Team HRT), 155 points
“I’m really looking forward to racing at the Hockenheimring again. We’ve seen great DTM races there in the past. As the penultimate race weekend of the season, it will play a super important role in the fight for the championship. We have to make sure that we score good points there again, which unfortunately we didn’t manage perfectly at Assen last time. I really enjoy driving at Hockenheim – the combination of fast corners like Turn 1 or the Motodrom entrance and tight corners like the hairpin or the left in front of the east grandstand, combined with several good overtaking opportunities, is what makes the Grand Prix circuit special. I’m really happy to be able to race in front of spectators again. The fans are simply the salt in the soup. I’m sure we’ll be able to give them a good show. The Hockenheimring is a track that every team knows inside out. Accordingly, everyone will be well sorted, and it will be correspondingly close and exciting …”
Spectators admitted, paddock open, tickets also available for inside grandstand
The supporting programme with the DTM Trophy, the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and the DTM Classic Touring Car Legends also promises visual and acoustic delights and plenty of spectacle on the race track. And motorsport fans can finally enjoy this spectacle up close again and stroll through the paddock while complying with 3G regulations. In addition to tickets for the South and Main Grandstands, tickets for the Inner Grandstand are now also available. From there you have a unique view of the Motodrom. When the racing cars turn into the stadium-like section through the super-fast right-hand bend and then brutally brake down in front of the legendary Sachs bend – in a crowd or even side by side – goose bumps are guaranteed. In the Fan Village with a show stage and presenter Jennifer Braun, visitors get their money’s worth, and during the Pitwalk on both race days, they even have access to the pit lane to see the DTM racing cars up close and get autographs and selfies of the world-class drivers.
Tickets are available online at tickets.dtm.com and on the DTM ticket hotline 01806-991166. Tickets can also be booked via the Hockenheimring hotline on +49 (0)6205-950 222.
