Outstanding team performance by Mercedes-AMG DTM squad in tricky, wet conditions in Moscow. Robert Wickens (SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) won the first race of the weekend from fellow Mercedes-AMG drivers Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM), Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) and Maximilian Götz (Mercedes- AMG C 63 DTM).
With his second win of the season, Wickens reclaimed the lead in the DTM drivers’ standings. Now on 108 points after eleven races, he is three points ahead of Marco Wittmann (BMW) in second place overall. For Wickens, this was also his fifth podium of the season and his fifth victory overall in the DTM. Mercedes-AMG lead the manufacturers’ standings by five points from Audi after taking the top four positions in the first race in Moscow.
In Moscow, British driver Gary Paffett tackled a race from pole position for the twelfth time in his DTM career and celebrated a special anniversary at the same time – the 2005 DTM Champion completed his 140th DTM race on Saturday. Of the current crop of drivers racing in the DTM, he is in fourth place behind Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider (both 171 races) and Martin Tomczyk (169 races) as regards numbers of DTM starts.
Finishing behind Paffett, Maximilian Götz came home in fourth place, achieving the best result so far of his DTM career. Earlier, Götz had qualified in P4, securing his best result to date in a DTM qualifying.
DTM rookie Felix Rosenqvist completed the Top Ten. The Swedish driver is making his DTM debut this weekend at the Moscow Raceway and finished in the points in his very first DTM race. Rosenqvist replaces Esteban Ocon, who used to race the FREE MEN’S WORLD Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM car. The Mercedes junior made the move up into Formula 1 during the summer break to drive for Manor Racing and will contest his first F1 Grand Prix next week in Spa-Francorchamps.
Lucas Auer (BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) placed 18th. Christian Vietoris (BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) was 23rd and Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) came home in P24.
Looking ahead to race 2: The twelfth race of the 2016 DTM season will start on Sunday at 12:13 CEST (live on ARD at 12:05 CEST). The third free practice session will be staged at 08:10 CEST and the second qualifying session at 09:50 CEST (live on EinsFestival at 09:45 CEST). The Mercedes-AMG DTM Race Hub at mercedes.me/racehubdtm, featuring live timing data, live commentary, fan voting and exclusive video clips hosted by Thore Schölermann will give an insight into what’s happening behind the scenes at the Mercedes-AMG DTM Team during each race weekend.