WWR driver Auer fights for the DTM title!
Victory for Lucas Auer and Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD Racing in the Saturday race at Hockenheim. A heavy crash for David Schumacher.
The 2022 DTM season will be decided in a real nail-biting finale. After his triumph in the Saturday race at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, Lucas Auer (28, Kufstein) of Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD Racing is just two points behind leader Sheldon van der Linde (BMW) and can crown himself 2022 DTM champion on his own merit in Sunday’s final race. Four drivers still have a chance of the title in the final showdown.
Auer’s team-mates, on the other hand, were unlucky. Last year’s champion Maximilian Götz (34, Uffenheim) complained of poor balance and had to settle for 15th. Team rookie David Schumacher (20, Salzburg) retired after a crash; he was unhurt, but given the heavy damage to his Mercedes-AMG GT3 he will not be able to take part in tomorrow’s race.
Having gone into the final race weekend eleven points behind the leader, Lucas Auer clearly demonstrated his title ambitions in morning qualifying, putting the number 22 KNAUS car on pole, which earned him an extra three championship points.
The start of the race was turbulent. A first incident on the opening lap, which triggered a safety car phase, was followed on lap 7 by a heavy crash that also involved David Schumacher, who had started 14th, and led to the race being stopped. Like five of his fellow drivers, the son of six-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Ralf was taken to hospital in Ludwigshafen for a check-up, but the doctors soon gave the all-clear. “I was driving on the left next to Preining through the fast right-hander before the East Grandstand when he moved to the outside. We touched, both turned right, and from then on I was just a passenger. The impact was really heavy,” said Schumacher, who was already ninth at the time of the crash.
At the front, Auer faced the toughest attacks from the competition after the restart, but kept his cool and celebrated his second win of the season after 30 laps, putting himself in a brilliant position for the final day: “It was an incredibly hard race. I had great battles with the BMWs and I’m mega happy that we brought the win home, helped by my guys’ perfect pit stop. I’m simply proud that we can be part of a real showdown tomorrow.”
Maximilian Götz, on the other hand, was very frustrated after the race. Already in qualifying the dethroned defending champion had complained about balance problems with the BWT car. In the end he was “only” eight tenths behind polesitter Auer, but given the incredible competitiveness of the DTM that meant 24th on the grid. In the race the Franconian came through the various incidents unscathed but could not make decisive progress. “The car was completely out of balance,” complained Götz. “Understeer alternated with oversteer, traction was poor – we have to analyse carefully what was going on.”
WWR team principal Christian Hohenadel once again had mixed feelings about his team’s performance: “Of course we are all delighted about Luggi’s strong race, which gives him a brilliant starting position for tomorrow’s showdown. Huge praise also goes to the pit crew, who delivered two first-class mandatory tyre changes. Max was far from his normal pace, which we have to analyse closely. And we are all glad and relieved that David came through that heavy impact without notable injuries. Tomorrow a real motorsport thriller awaits us, which fans shouldn’t miss.”
The last race of the 2022 DTM season also starts at 1.30 pm on Sunday. ProSieben broadcasts live from 1 pm, and on tv.dtm.com racing fans can find all the information about cars and drivers.