Photo: Daimler AG
In a surprising turn of events, the last champion that the Stuttgart company had in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meistershaft) will return in the German touring car championship from 2014 with the same team that made him champion in the first place.
This way, Mercedes-Benz will field no less than two former DTM champions in the new season, as both Englishman Gary Paffett and the aforementioned Paul Di Resta will each drive a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupe in the upcoming season.
Paul Di Resta: “It feels really good to be back in the DTM and to see so many familiar faces again. The DTM is a fantastic racing series with three strong premium brands, a very competitive field and a very evenly matched bunch of drivers. I’m really looking forward to working with the whole Mercedes-Benz DTM team and being part of another championship challenge. Much has changed since my last DTM race in Shanghai in 2010 with new cars, a new set of rules and a third manufacturer, but what has not changed is my enormous appetite for success. Mercedes-Benz has given me a car that I can use to fight for wins and the title. However, I realize that it will not be easy. My competitors already have two years of experience with the new generation of vehicles, but, starting with today’s first test, I’ll be going flat out in order to be capable of winning at the Hockenheim season opener in early May.”
The 2014 DTM season opener will take place at Hockenheim on the weekend of 3-4 May.
Paul Di Resta: “It feels really good to be back in the DTM and to see so many familiar faces again. The DTM is a fantastic racing series with three strong premium brands, a very competitive field and a very evenly matched bunch of drivers. I’m really looking forward to working with the whole Mercedes-Benz DTM team and being part of another championship challenge. Much has changed since my last DTM race in Shanghai in 2010 with new cars, a new set of rules and a third manufacturer, but what has not changed is my enormous appetite for success. Mercedes-Benz has given me a car that I can use to fight for wins and the title. However, I realize that it will not be easy. My competitors already have two years of experience with the new generation of vehicles, but, starting with today’s first test, I’ll be going flat out in order to be capable of winning at the Hockenheim season opener in early May.”
The 2014 DTM season opener will take place at Hockenheim on the weekend of 3-4 May.
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