WINWARD Racing’s podium run continues
Maro Engel finishes second in the DTM Sunday race at the Nürburgring and gains ground in the standings. Tough race day for Lucas Auer.
With his third podium in a row, Maro Engel made his ambitions in the fight for the 2024 DTM title clear in the Sunday race at the Nürburgring. Starting from pole position, the 38-year-old Monaco resident was on course for victory in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 designed in the colours of “130 Years of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport” and RAVENOL until lap 19, when an unnecessary move by a rival spun him round. With second place, Engel cut his deficit to the DTM leader to 12 points. Team-mate Lucas Auer had an unlucky race day and brought the “Mamba” entered by Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER home in twelfth.
Once again an early decision was made in morning qualifying, which took place on a wet and then drying track, making tyre choice a tricky affair. After the entire field had switched to slicks in the meantime, it was ultimately a last lap on rain tyres that earned Maro Engel pole position. Luggi Auer, on the other hand, didn’t get an optimal lap and had to settle for tenth on the grid.
From the start Engel kept his pursuers at bay and, thanks to another strong pit stop by the WINWARD crew, had built up a small cushion when a rival misjudged things coming out of the pits after his tyre change and spun the leading Mercedes-AMG GT3 round in the first corner. “A shame, of course we would have liked to win the race and we were in the best position until what happened happened. I think the pictures speak for themselves,” the Munich native commented on the clear-cut situation.
The Mercedes-AMG driver then cut his deficit to the leader from almost five to around two seconds but had to settle for second in the end. Maro Engel was happy to take the valuable points: “All in all we’re happy with two podiums here at the Nürburgring. My thanks go to the team, who gave me a super car and delivered two great pit stops. We keep fighting for the win, and of course it was important to move closer to the top of the standings in third overall.”
Lucas Auer, meanwhile, can’t shake off his bad luck. “A day to forget,” sighed the 29-year-old from Kufstein in Tyrol. “After the start I had to avoid a car spinning in front of me in the chaos, took a few hits myself and lost five positions in total. After that I didn’t have the pace to make real progress. We have quite a bit of work ahead of us.”
WWR team principal Christian Hohenadel drew a positive conclusion overall: “The Nürburgring didn’t disappoint once again, not least weather-wise. 62,500 spectators saw two exciting races. We were at the front all weekend. The incident with Maro was as annoying as it was unnecessary, but such things are sometimes part of motor racing. We’re keeping the title fight in sight and look forward to the next races.”
The sixth race weekend of the 2024 DTM season takes place from 6 to 8 September at the Sachsenring near Hohenstein-Ernstthal.