Gary Paffett, driver of the THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, came in second in the DTM grand finale at Hockenheim. Finishing the 2012 season as championship runner-up, four points behind Bruno Spengler (BMW). The newly crowned champion won the last race of the year by a 2.2-second margin.
Gary Paffett led the championship table from the first race of the year right through to the last, scoring points in nine out of the ten races on the calendar. Going into the closing race weekend of the season, the Englishman held a three-point lead over Bruno Spengler. The newly crowned champion of 2012 began his DTM career with Mercedes-Benz in 2005, subsequently winning nine races in an AMG Mercedes C-Class.
Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) crossed the finish line fourth today. The Englishman is the only DTM driver to have scored points in all ten races this season and ends the championship campaign in third position.
THOMAS SABO / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG were second and Mercedes AMG were placed third in the DTM team championship. With 168 wins, ten drivers’, thirteen team and nine manufacturers’ titles, Mercedes-Benz is the most successful manufacturer in the DTM.
Since the first works entry in 1988, Mercedes-Benz drivers have secured a total of 489 podium finishes, including nine this season, in 353 races.
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé) both finished in the points – ninth and tenth respectively – in this home race for Mercedes-Benz at Hockenheim. Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) bowed out in her 74th and final DTM race with a P13 finish. Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) came home in 15th place. David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) both had to retire in the closing race of the season. Coulthard was likewise competing in the DTM for the last time.
On lap 29, Gary Paffett secured a 1:35.402, the fastest of the 42 laps. This was Paffett’s ninth fastest lap in his DTM career and his second at Hockenheim. This season, Mercedes-Benz drivers have posted fastest race lap six times in total. Since 1988, Mercedes-Benz drivers have achieved the fastest lap time in 168 races.
A total of 128,000 spectators attended the DTM finale weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun) at Hockenheim.
Race summary
The start: Gary Paffett finishes the first lap in third place. Jamie Green moves up four positions to sixth. Christian Vietoris goes up three positions to eleventh. Ralf Schumacher races up through the field from 17th on the grid to twelfth.
Lap 5: Paffett in third place, Green sixth. Schumacher, David Coulthard and Vietoris in P11, 12 and 13 respectively.
Lap 8: Schumacher overtakes Martin Tomczyk (BMW) and is now tenth.
Lap 10: Green finds a way past Joey Hand (BMW) in a scrap for fifth place.
Lap 11: The pit stop window is open and Paffett comes in for his first mandatory pit stop. As he exits the pits, he overtakes Augusto Farfus (BMW) and moves into second place.
Lap 12: First change of tyres for Green and Vietoris.
Lap 13: Schumacher and Coulthard pit.
Lap 14: First pit stop for Susie Wolff.
Lap 18: Paffett in second place, 3.5 seconds down on Bruno Spengler (BMW).
Lap 20: Paffett in second place, Green fourth, Schumacher ninth and Vietoris tenth. Robert Wickens retires in the pits.
Lap 22: Schumacher comes in for second pit stop.
Lap 23: Coulthard put into a spin by Timo Scheider (Audi) and retired. Second mandatory pit stop for Vietoris.
Lap 24: Paffett in P2 pits for second time.
Lap 25: Final mandatory pit stop for Green.
Lap 30 : Paffett reduces deficit on Spengler to two seconds since pit stop.
Lap 32: Ten laps to go, and the gap is now only 1.3 seconds.
Final lap (Lap 42): After 42 laps and a total race distance of 192.108km, Gary Paffett finishes the last race of the season in second place. Jamie Green is fourth.
Comments after the race:
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Second:
“My team has done brilliantly well this season in terms of performance and it is very unfortunate that we missed winning the championship title in the last race by four points. So in the immediate aftermath of the race, disappointment sits deep, of course, because from my point of view we deserved to win the championship title just as much as Bruno Spengler and BMW. Congratulations to Bruno on his first DTM title! We will go on the attack again next year to take the championship.”
Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Fourth:
“Third place in the Drivers’ Championship, my best result so far, proves that I had a strong season in 2012. I had a chance of winning the title in the finale at Hockenheim this weekend, but nevertheless, I am satisfied with my year. Congratulations to Bruno Spengler and BMW. Bad luck for Gary, he deserved the title win.”
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Ninth:
“It’s good to have scored two points in the grand finale at Hockenheim. That’s a nice way to sign off at the end of a long and exciting season. I’m sorry for Gary that he missed out on the title by such a slender margin. He put in a fantastic performance today which unfortunately wasn’t rewarded with the championship crown. Congratulations to BMW and to Bruno Spengler who was a member of the Mercedes-Benz family for so many years.”
Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé), Tenth:
“Tenth place was unfortunately the best result possible for me today. The start went well, but I was stuck behind Martin Tomczyk’s BMW for quite a long spell. That cost me a lot of time and had a negative effect on my race. Otherwise, I think that a place higher up the field would have been a distinct possibility. But a points-scoring finish is nevertheless a good way to end the season ”
Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 13th:
“I’m leaving the DTM with mixed emotions – I want to laugh and cry at the same time. I would have liked to have secured a better result than P13 for my fans, but I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life. My thanks go to Mercedes-Benz for their continued support.”
Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 15th:
“Congratulations to Bruno Spengler and BMW on winning the title. Gary and Bruno staged a thrilling chase right through to the final lap. My own race was a bit chaotic. I would’ve liked to finish my rookie season with a championship point or two, but unfortunately, that wasn’t to be. What a pity.”
David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), retired:
“Competing in my last race here at Hockenheim in front of so many DTM fans has been a great honour. I had obviously intended securing a better result on the occasion of bowing out from the DTM. However, you can’t pick and choose in the DTM, this is racing at the highest level. I have had an absolutely brilliant time during the past three years in the DTM and will always look back with fondness to this period in my life. Many thanks to Mercedes-Benz and to all our fans everywhere.”
Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), retired:
“My goal was to go into the winter break with a decent result under my belt. Unfortunately, it has not been possible, and so at the moment I am quite disappointed, but overall I’m pleased with my debut season in the DTM. I’ve learned a lot and have secured my first points in a top class field. I intend building on that achievement in the future.”
Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“Today marks the end of the first DTM season contested under the new regulations. Gary Paffett has played a strong role throughout, particularly in this final race in which he staged a thrilling chase that ultimately fell short of victory.
Congratulations to Bruno, BMW and Team Schnitzer on winning the title. We end this magnificent season with our heads held high, and in this closing race, we showed once again that we have the necessary speed to compete for the win.
Bruno’s victory is well deserved. In 2012, he has achieved what was denied him previously in five attempts when he drove for us, and so we offer him our congratulations.
I want to thank Gary and Jamie Green, who finished third in the championship, plus all of our drivers and our teams for their hard work. I wish we could have secured the title to reward all our hard-working colleagues – but a four-point deficit is no reason to be sad.
As one season ends, another begins, and we will start 2013 even stronger than before.”
Race: Top Ten
| Pos | Driver | Make | Time |
| 1. | Bruno Spengler | BMW | 1:07:59.069 |
| 2. | Gary Paffett | Mercedes-Benz | + 2.214 |
| 3. | Augusto Farfus | BMW | + 11.954 |
| 4. | Jamie Green | Mercedes-Benz | + 23.479 |
| 5. | Dirk Werner | BMW | + 25.384 |
| 6. | Edoardo Mortara | Audi | + 41.701 |
| 7. | Andy Priaulx | BMW | + 42.265 |
| 8. | Joey Hand | BMW | + 42.843 |
| 9. | Ralf Schumacher | Mercedes-Benz | + 43.878 |
| 10. | Christian Vietoris | Mercedes-Benz | + 45.138 |
Drivers’ Championship: Top Three
| Pos | Driver | Make | Points |
| 1. | Bruno Spengler | BMW | 149 |
| 2. | Gary Paffett | Mercedes-Benz | 145 |
| 3. | Jamie Green | Mercedes-Benz | 121 |
Teams’ Championship: Top Three
| Pos | Team | Points |
| 1. | BMW Team Schnitzer | 178 |
| 2. | THOMAS SABO / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG | 170 |
| 3. | Mercedes AMG | 131 |
Manufacturers’ Championship
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1. | BMW | 346 |
| 2. | Audi | 335 |
| 3. | Mercedes-Benz | 329 |
Jamie Green, driver of a Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, and Ralf Schumacher took home a victory on Saturday in the first DTM Team Relay Competition. On Sunday, Green finished second, Gary Paffet, driver of the THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, finished third, both overtaken by Audi driver Mattias Ekström who finished first.
The weather played a major role on Sunday, with rain showers and a damp track adding significantly to the excitement of the race. In the quarter finals, a mere 90 thousandths of a second separated the Audi A5 DTM of Swedish driver Mattias Ekström and the BMW M3 DTM of reigning DTM champion, Martin Tomczyk from Germany. In the end, Tomczyk was defeated in front of his home crowd. In the semi-final, Ekström beat British Mercedes driver Paffett while Green made his way into the final with a tiny margin over Bruno Spengler (BMW). “A slight error cost me victory,” Spengler explained.
Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) finished in second place in the DTM individual competition at Munich’s Olympic Stadium. The Norisring winner lost out to Mattias Ekström (Audi) in the final two races, run over six laps each time. Two Mercedes-Benz drivers progressed through to the semi-finals – Green and championship leader Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé). Paffett was joint third with Bruno Spengler (BMW).
On the first day of racing on Saturday, Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), currently placed second in the championship, won the inaugural team competition. Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé) were third. Positions 1 and 3 were the best possible result in accordance with the regulations which state that no single manufacturer may finish in P1 and 2. A total of 45,000 spectators attended the DTM race in Munich on Saturday and Sunday.
The Format: After the team competition on Saturday, all 22 DTM drivers took part in the individual competition on Sunday. Championship leader Gary Paffett and the top three drivers from each manufacturer in the DTM drivers’ championship received a bye and did not race until the heat for the final sixteen (for Mercedes-Benz that was, apart from Paffett, Jamie Green, Christian Vietoris and David Coulthard). The preliminary heat and heats for the final sixteen were run over four laps. Starting with the quarter finals, the race distance was over six laps, which included a mandatory pit stop. The winner was determined in the final in two runs.
Preliminary Round: Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) won his race against Timo Scheider (Audi), who raced in the finals of the team competition on Saturday, one and a half seconds ahead. Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) won the next duel against Joey Hand (BMW) by three-tenths, but did not go through to the quarterfinals because of a subsequent one-second time penalty. Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) were eliminated in their respective races against Miguel Molina and Adrien Tambay (both Audi).
Round of 16: Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) beat Rahel Frey (Audi) in the first round by six seconds. In the second round, David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) got the jump on Molina with a 0.062-second lead. Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) won against Audi driver Filipe Albuquerque by 1.2 seconds. Robert Wickens and Christian Vietoris were eliminated in their races against Martin Tomczyk and Augusto Farfus (both BMW).
Quarter-finals: The quarter-final races took place on a wet track after intermittent showers of rain. Paffett beat his Mercedes-Benz team-mate Coulthard in the first round by just eight-tenths of a second. Green won his quarter-final heat against Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) three-tenths ahead.
Semi-finals: Paffett lost to Mattias Ekström (Audi) in the first of the semi-finals and so finished joint third with Bruno Spengler (BMW) in the individual standings. Green secured a place in the final in a thrilling duel against Spengler.
Final: Rain began to fall again before the start of the final. Green won the first of two runs against Mattias Ekström (Audi) by just under two seconds. In the second run, however, the Swedish driver beat Green to win the individual competition.
Comments on Sunday:
Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Second:
“Too bad that we didn’t achieve an outright win in the final, but I’m satisfied with second place and winning the team competition on Saturday. My first final run was good, but conditions were tough on the second run and I lost some time during the pit stop into the bargain. It was an exciting race, and the crowds braved the rain and cheered us in the stands – they deserve a special mention.”
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Third:
“Third place twice, in the team competition and then in the individual contest, plus the relay victory for Ralf and Jamie yesterday and Jamie’s second place today – yes, it was a very successful weekend for Mercedes-Benz in Munich. Of course, I would really have loved to have won, but the track on my side was slightly wetter than on Mattias Ekström’s. But still, I’ll be going into the summer break and the next race at the Nürburgring with a real sense of achievement. Even after the rain, the track afforded a surprising amount of grip and we had plenty of speed – it was a whole lot of fun!”
David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Quarter-finals:
“The track was very slippery and conditions difficult after the rain. Gary was faster in our race and won. I hope the fans in the stands had a lot of fun, despite the bad weather. Well, anyway, I enjoyed myself in the cockpit.”
Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé), Round of 16:
“I felt very much at ease on the circuit in the Olympic Stadium. I proved that on Saturday by securing third place in the team competition with Gary. I got away to a good start again today, but unfortunately, didn’t manage to finish ahead on my track, since it was probably a little slower compared to the other.”
Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Round of 16:
“It’s nice to have got this far, but unfortunately, the competition is now over for me. Martin Tomczyk had fresh tyres and mine were used, which made the difference. Overall, it’s been a very successful weekend for Mercedes-Benz, and that should give us some extra motivation for the second half of the season.”
Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Preliminary Round:
“I’m a bit disappointed because I had planned to do more on this second day. The start is run over such a short distance and is particularly important, given that the field is so evenly matched. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be my day. Now I’ll be focusing on the forthcoming race at the Nürburgring.”
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Preliminary Round:
“Too bad, after winning the team event along with Jamie, I was hoping for more today in the individual competition. Unfortunately, my side of the track was still a little damp and I had the disadvantage of having run out of fresh tyres, because I was in the finals yesterday. Nevertheless, I’ve had a lot of fun this weekend racing here at the Munich Olympic Stadium and after Saturday’s successful outcome, I’m looking forward even more to the next race at the Nürburgring.”
Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Preliminary Round:
“Unfortunately, I exited the individual competition after the first round. Although I would obviously have liked to have progressed further, I took the opportunity to enjoy the competition along with the fans in the Munich Olympic Stadium, and cheered on my team-mates. It was a very successful event as far as being a mere spectator goes.”
Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“A very successful weekend for Mercedes-Benz with the best possible result, first and third in the Manufacturers’ competition on Saturday and second and third place for Jamie Green and Gary Paffett in the Drivers’ competition on Sunday.
Two of the four drivers in the semi-finals were Mercedes drivers and a win was definitely in the offing, since Jamie Green was the clear leader in the final with the fastest laps on both tracks and the best pit stops – the die was cast, however, when Jamie was slowed down by a stalled engine when coming back out after his second pit stop. So, congratulations to Mattias Ekström and Audi on a well-deserved victory in the final.
The DTM race at the Munich Olympic Stadium will also be remembered for a terrific crowd who stuck it out in today’s rain and had plenty of fun and saw lots of thrilling action. Coverage by television, radio, print and electronic media has been very comprehensive and positive, which shows that the DTM in the stadium is well accepted.
Many thanks to all the teams, of all the competitors who made this possible, to the ITR, the DMSB and partners of the Olympic Park. This great event is the result of their joint, cooperative efforts.”
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) won the 2012 DTM season opener at Hockenheim from sixth place on the grid with a 4.7- second lead on Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé). It was Paffett’s 18th Victory in the DTM and his fourth at Hockenheim. It was the British driver’s 26th podium in the 82nd DTM race of his career and his seventh in a DTM race at Hockenheim. With 18 wins and a winning rate of 22%, Paffett has achieved the greatest number of victories among those drivers currently contesting the DTM. Paffett and Green secured the 100th one-two victory for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM since 1988.
It was the sixth consecutive Mercedes victory at their home race in Hockenheim (opener and finale), and their third win in a row at a DTM season opener (Paffett 2010 and 2012, and Bruno Spengler, 2011). Overall since 1988, Mercedes-Benz has won 32 of 65 DTM races at the Hockenheimring. During the same period, Mercedes-Benz drivers were victorious 166 times in 343 DTM races.
Paffett’s victory was the first success in the new DTM era in the three-way battle between the three premium brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz and the first victory for the new DTM Mercedes AMG C Coupé, the successor to the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the history of the DTM with 85 victories in 159 races.
Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé) advanced from 15th on the grid to finish fourth. Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) were also amongst the points, finishing seventh and eighth respectively. Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) and Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) ended the day in twelfth and 14th positions. DTM rookie Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) was forced to retire from the race.
Jamie Green set the fastest lap with a time of 1:34.901 minutes – the sixth time he has done so at Hockenheim. It is also the 36th time in 65 DTM races at this venue that a Mercedes-Benz driver has posted the fastest lap time. Nine of the last ten fastest laps here were set by a Mercedes-Benz driver.
A total of 142,000 fans attended the DTM opener at Hockenheim this weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun). Some 71,000 spectators were at the track for Sunday’s first race of the new DTM era.
Race summary
Comments after the race:
Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Winner:
“What a fantastic start to the new DTM era. Many thanks to the team for their hard work – my THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé was tuned perfectly. After a difficult season in 2011, I am pleased to have found the way back to the podium top spot. I’ve always believed in the team and my speed and that’s now paid off. The scrap with Jamie was really exciting and always very fair, which is exactly how racing should be, simply terrific!”
Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Second:
“Second place on the podium – what a great way to start the 2012 season! The setup of my Mercedes AMG C-Coupé was perfect for today’s race, so a big ‘thank you’ to my team. I got off to a great start and was able to overtake Mattias Ekström early on to take the lead. The contest with Gary was exciting and always very fair. His first pit stop was even faster than mine, so he came out of the pit lane ahead of me. Even so, I’m well satisfied with my second place and am delighted with the one-two win for Mercedes-Benz in the first race of the season.”
Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé), Fourth:
“I had a terrific race at the season opener. After qualifying, I would never have dreamt that I could move up from 15th position to fourth, but my C-Coupé was really well prepared and very fast. The pit crew too did their work brilliantly. Overall, it was a great team effort and I’m also very pleased for Gary and Jamie and their one-two victory.”
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Seventh:
“This was a thrilling and exciting start to the new DTM era. I think that the race made exciting entertainment for the many fans in the stands and at home watching on TV. My result could have been better, but I made a mistake and got a penalty, which I have to accept. My pace was good, so I’m really looking forward to the race next weekend at the Lausitzring.”
David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Eighth:
“A P8 finish and three points in the first race of the season is a good result for me. After all the uncertainty in the winter, it was good to actually drive the car under race conditions and to find out where we are relative to the opposition. The one-two victory for Gary und Jamie shows that our C-Coupé is very fast. However, this competition is very tight and there is still everything to play for.”
Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Twelfth:
“What a great start to the season for Mercedes-Benz! I’m very happy for Gary and Jamie, and our team result – five C-Coupés in the Top 8 – was just fantastic. My race was predetermined to some extent since I couldn’t do much from my position on the grid, but a twelfth place from the last row is not a bad result. At the next race in Lausitz, I want to secure a better grid position and improve my placing.”
Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 14th:
“I didn’t manage to finish in the points today, unfortunately. But personally, I think 14th place at the start of the season is quite an achievement for a rookie, especially in such a hard-fought competition as this. I have learned a lot from this first race and I’m sure it will put me in good stead for the rest of the season. I’m pretty sure that with the superb support of the Mercedes team, I will continue to improve as the year progresses.”
Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), retired:
“Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the best of starts in my first DTM race. To add to that, after just five laps, I had a collision with two other cars – my car was damaged and so I was no longer able to match the pace.”
Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“Our new C-Coupé was really on song today. This one-two finish for Gary Paffett and Jamie Green is the best possible reward for everyone who has worked so hard on the design and construction of our new DTM C-Coupé. My thanks to everyone – that was some of the best motor racing ever. It just does not get any better, especially Jamie’s and Gary’s overtaking. Super! This represents our 100th one-two victory in the DTM. Five Mercedes AMG C-Coupés finished in the Top 8, and 65% of all the available points went to our drivers and teams. We’ve made a solid start to the new DTM. We will now focus on the race at the Lausitzring next weekend, but first, we have a little celebrating to do with everyone who has worked so hard.”
Former Formula One driver David Coulthard retains his place in the Mercedes-Benz line-up for the 2012 DTM season. The 40-year-old Scot is about to start his third year in the DTM as a member of Team Mücke Motorsport. Coulthard was Formula One championship runner-up in 2001. He won a total of 13 races during his F1 career, twelve of which were for McLaren Mercedes, including the first victory of the new Silver Arrows era on 9th March 1997 in Melbourne (Australia).
When he made his DTM debut in 2010, Coulthard quickly established himself as a fan favourite in the paddock. He scored his first DTM point in the 2010 season finale in Shanghai, where he also set fastest lap.
Prior to the DTM phase of his racing career, Coulthard competed in 246 Formula One races between 1994 and 2008. Twelve of his 13 Grand Prix victories were during his time at McLaren-Mercedes, with whom he also won the constructors’ title in 1998 and finished runner-up in the drivers’ championship in 2001. Since 2009, Coulthard has attended all Formula One races as a member of the BBC television team covering F1. His expert opinions are rated highly by viewers and professional colleagues alike.
Coulthard is one of the founding ambassadors for Wings for Life. The Scot has worked unstintingly for the charity foundation over a number of years, spreading the message worldwide and helping to generate donations to finance its research projects. Founded in 2004 by Heinz Kinigadner and Dietrich Mateschitz, this registered non-profit foundation promotes research into finding a cure for paraplegia caused by injuries to the spinal cord. With the agreement of sponsor Deutsche Post, Mercedes-Benz has made available advertising space on the bodywork of Coulthard’s car to draw media attention to Wings for Life and to its driver’s role as ambassador for the organisation, thereby helping boost fund-raising impact.
In his first two years in the DTM, Coulthard drove the AMG Mercedes C-Class, the most successful car in series history with 85 victories from 159 races.
David Coulthard: “In 2012, the DTM enters a new era. New cars, new technical regulations and a third manufacturer promise to make the championship more exciting than ever before. That’s why I’m looking forward even more to my third year with Mercedes-Benz in this highly competitive championship. The popularity of the DTM and the huge enthusiasm of the fans make this yet another excellent platform to draw attention to Wings for Life, the charity organisation for which I have been such a committed advocate over many years. I now have two years of DTM experience to draw on. My first impressions of our DTM Mercedes AMG C‑Coupé are very positive – especially the paddle shift on the steering wheel which I know very well from my time in Formula One. In the past two years, I’ve had to learn a lot about the engineering, the driving technique and about DTM racing in general. I know my team well now and, after 15 years as a member of the Mercedes-Benz family, I feel really at home. In 2012, I want to continue my progress and post some respectable results.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “David Coulthard is one of the best-known and most popular drivers in the DTM. He has played a prominent role in Mercedes-Benz motorsport history since winning the first race with the then brand-new McLaren Mercedes Silver Arrow in the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. David went on to record a dozen more Formula One victories with us, including several Monaco GPs and also the classic race at Spa in Belgium. In 2001, he was Formula One World Championship runner-up with McLaren Mercedes. In 2012, David Coulthard will be contesting his third DTM season, and this time he has set his sights even higher. Last year, there were several races in which David was amongst the very fastest in the field over the entire distance. As soon as David can turn this speed into better grid positions and quicker starts, he will be a real contender. And this is our shared goal for 2012.”