DTM Oschersleben 2012: Preview

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• Mercedes-Benz has won five times at Oschersleben since 2000

• Gary Paffett and Jamie Green are first and second in the championship; THOMAS SABO / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG and Mercedes AMG occupy the top two positions in the team standings; and Mercedes-Benz leads the manufacturers’ championship

• There have been 13 DTM races at the 3.696km Oschersleben circuit since the DTM’s debut there in 2000. The race distance is 51 laps or 188.496 km. The pit stop window is open between laps 13 and 39

Comments prior to the eighth race of the season at Oschersleben

Gary Paffett (31, England, THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Coupé):
- leads the drivers’ standings in the DTM with 109 points
- won in 2005 and 2007 at Oschersleben

“The fans can look forward to another exciting race at Oschersleben. The circuit is very tough on the cars and drivers. Track characteristics are similar to Zandvoort – there aren’t many straights where you can rest and the kerbs are very high, plus you have to use them in just the right way to achieve a fast lap time. My THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé had very good pace at Zandvoort, and, barring incidents, we should be able to achieve a good result at Oschersleben. We raced in the wet here last year, but we’ll have to wait and see what the weather has in store for us this weekend.”

Jamie Green (30, England, Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
- lies second in the championship on 93 points
- posted the fastest lap at Oschersleben in 2007 and finished on the podium in 2005 and 2006

“We made the best of a tricky race in Zandvoort, and I’m second in the championship behind Gary with three races still to go. In the past, I’ve had two third-place podium finishes at Oschersleben and would love to get another podium this weekend – and maybe even my first win at this circuit. As is so often the case, qualifying is especially important at Oschersleben. But as Gary and I showed in Zandvoort, you can still climb through the field on Sunday if your race pace is good.”

Christian Vietoris (23, Germany, Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé):
- secured his first DTM points at Oschersleben in 2011
- won twice in 2006 in Formula BMW and once in 2009 in the Formula 3 Euro Series at Oschersleben

“Oschersleben is a great track and I know it inside out, since I competed here lots of times during my days in Formula 3. Basically, the circuit is quite slow compared to others on the calendar and most of the corners are taken in first or second gear. You need a car that has good traction and is stable through the slow corners. And then you have to be sure to do well in qualifying. Last year, I ran a good race in difficult conditions and collected my first DTM points with fifth place, so I’m returning to Oschersleben with fond memories.”

David Coulthard (41, Scotland, DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
- moved into the Top Ten last year here in Oschersleben

“It’s my third visit to Oschersleben with the DTM. I now know all about the track’s specific characteristics and what it takes to achieve a good result at this tricky circuit. The main thing is to qualify well and that’s an area where I need to improve. The team and I have been working on just that since the last race. In Zandvoort, I climbed nine positions during the first lap to P13, and at Oschersleben I will be pushing hard to secure a decent result for all our fans in the stands and watching on TV at home.”

Ralf Schumacher (37, Germany, Mercedes AMG C-Coupé):
- finished in the Top Ten for the first time in his second DTM race in 2008 at Oschersleben

“Oschersleben is a very tough circuit and the corners are particularly challenging, but I have fond memories of this track where I secured my first top ten result in my second DTM race in 2008. Racing in Oschersleben is never dull. There are always plenty of fans at the track who come to wish us luck and cheer us on loudly. As has been the case for the last couple of races this season, ticket sales for the Oschersleben weekend look very promising and show that the DTM is growing in popularity. After my tenth place in Zandvoort, I want to score another good result for the fans at Oschersleben.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“Oschersleben has been an integral part of the calendar since the advent of the ‘new’ DTM in 2000. Next weekend will mark the 140th race start for Mercedes-Benz in this new DTM. So far, we have scored 81 wins in 139 races, which means that Mercedes has won over 58 percent of all the DTM races during the last eleven and a half years. Championship leader Gary Paffett will be driving his Mercedes AMG C-Coupé in his 90th DTM race, 19 of which he has won.

“The excitement is set to continue both in the fight for the win at Oschersleben and in the championship standings. The top seven drivers in the standings are separated by 47 points and there are a maximum of 75 points available from the remaining three races. Our team is motivated and focused on defending our lead in the three championship categories of the drivers’, team and manufacturers’ rankings.”

* Official photo and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *

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