DTM: Müller wants to be runner-up 🎥
FINAL HIGHLIGHT AT HOCKENHEIM The final race weekend will see a summit meeting between the DTM and the Super GT Series from Japan. In addition, the runner-up championship between Nico Müller (Audi) and Marco Wittmann (BMW) is still at stake. Two years ago, cars from the Japanese Super GT series did a few show laps before the DTM race at Hockenheim. Now, this weekend, three [...]
Two years ago, cars from the Japanese Super GT series did a few show laps before the DTM race at Hockenheim. This weekend, three cars from Japan's most popular racing series will now take part in both DTM races, albeit out of competition. The same will happen in reverse on November 23/24, when the DTM will host the Super GT at Fuji with seven cars. Six manufacturers in the same field has never happened before in the modern era of Europe's most popular touring car series.
Müller's anticipation of the comparison
Their well-known drivers will not be giving their DTM colleagues any presents. The current Super GT champion Jenson Button will be on the grid for Honda. Ronnie Quintarelli, who is the record champion of the Super GT series with four championship titles, and Tsugio Matsuda will start for Nissan. Nick Cassidy and Ryō Hirakawa represent the Lexus brand with the 2017 championship team.
The only Swiss DTM driver is also looking forward to the comparison with the Japanese cars.
Nico Müller: "This is a signpost for the future. The joint Class 1 regulations now make this possible. It's great when brand diversity is promoted. And having a former Formula 1 world champion in the field in Jenson Button is a highlight for everyone."
Who will be runner-up?
All the more reason for the Bernese to put himself in the limelight once again with his Audi RS 5. Especially since there's still a lot at stake for him. While his brand colleague René Rast has already been crowned champion, Müller still has to defend second place overall against Marco Wittmann.
But with a 41-point lead and 56 ready to go, everything would have to go against the Swiss and for the German BMW spearhead. Wittmann won the opening race at Hockenheim in May. Therefore, nothing will change in terms of approach.
Nico Müller: "The greatest pressure is now off because the title fight has been decided. But I'm trying to get the maximum out of our package once again and concentrate on securing the runner-up championship. After all, a lot can still happen."
Either way, his sixth DTM season has already been tremendous. So far, Müller has two wins, five second places and three third places under his belt. With two more podiums, he could complete the dozen. What's more, he could be the only driver to score points in all 18 races.
Festival of classics
Many fans, also from Switzerland, will travel to Hockenheim this weekend not only because of the DTM. At the end of the season, the organizers are reviving their history with two attractive fields.
At the Touring Car Classics, former DTM drivers will race original cars from the 1980s and 1990s at the end of the event on Sunday. And the DRM Classics brings together touring cars and GT cars from the legendary German Racing Championship from 1972 to 1985. With the likes of Stuck, Mass, Heyer, Röhrl and others, icons from that era are behind the wheel. They turn their high-speed laps for 20 minutes every day.
dtm.com/en/event-guide/2019-hockenheim-finale1TP5Race
