DTM: Nico Müller's crowning achievement 🎥
VICTORY AND VICE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE In the rain at Hockenheim, Nico Müller flew away from all his DTM colleagues on Sunday. With his third victory of the season, the Swiss Audi factory driver consolidated second place in the championship. The highlights from Sunday's wet race at Hockenheim show Nico Müller's triumphant drive. In the 17th race of the season, Nico Müller finished 15th in points for the first time on Saturday after a strategy gone wrong [...]
The highlights from Sunday's wet race at Hockenheim show Nico Müller's triumphant drive.
In the 17th race of the season, Nico Müller came away empty-handed for the first time in terms of points on Saturday after a failed strategy in 15th place. While his Audi colleague René Rast from Team Rosberg, who had previously been crowned champion, celebrated his seventh victory of the season, BMW spearhead Marco Wittmann, in second place in the standings, moved to within 21 points of the Swiss.
Perfect adjustment to the difficult conditions
So not much could go wrong again on Sunday and everything had to go right for Wittmann, who is always strong at Hockenheim, in order to clinch the runner-up title he was aiming for. Müller and his Abt Sportsline team were well prepared for the wet conditions announced for the second day of racing, both technically and mentally.
With pole position, the 27-year-old from Berne created an ideal starting position, especially in the rain. For the second time after race 1 at the Norisring. What's more, thanks to the three additional points, his cushion increased to 24 points - so if Wittmann had won, Müller would have had to finish at least ninth.
The desired end of the season
But such arithmetic games were soon no longer necessary. Heavy rain caused turbulent scenes, especially in the early stages, with many changes of position, a safety car phase and a race interruption. And Müller and his pit crew kept everything under control.
The reward was the third win of the season after Misano race 2 and Lausitzring race 1, and the icing on the cake of securing the runner-up title.
Nico Müller: "There's hardly anything better than ending the season with a victory. My team and Audi did a great job of making the car competitive overnight for the rain. We simply had the car we needed in these conditions today. To that end, we did everything right."
After the race is before the race
The Head of Audi Motorsport is also pleased about the end of his brand's most successful DTM season to date.
Dieter Gass: "To again occupy the entire podium in these difficult conditions with the rain and to celebrate the seventh victory in a row is simply fantastic. Our guys didn't make any mistakes today. I'm also very pleased that Nico was able to end the season with a win after the title slipped through his fingers."
No sooner said than done, the most successful Swiss driver in the history of the DTM (previously it was Marcel Fässler) is already thinking about the future.
Nico Müller: "I'm highly motivated for the coming season. The ultimate goal is always to celebrate the title. That's exactly what we'll be working on."
From the DTM to Formula E
But his thoughts are now turning to Formula E. The official test drives begin at the start of next week. After two seasons as a test driver for Audi, he will no longer be standing on the sidelines, but in the middle of the 24-strong field of drivers in an electric race car from Dragon Racing.
That's another story that's unlikely to be as successful as the 2019 DTM, but we're happy to be surprised.
