Final weekend of the 2015 DTM season at the Hockenheimring (16th - 18th October 2015)

Stuttgart, Germany – This coming race weekend (16th - 18th October) at Hockenheim is not only the grand finale of the DTM season but also a home fixture for the Mercedes-AMG DTM Team.

The track: The 4,574-metre Hockenheimring is traditionally the venue for the first and last race weekend of the DTM season. With cars reaching speeds of up to 270km/h, the Parabolica to hairpin section is the fastest of the entire year. 64 percent of a lap is driven at full throttle.

The race weekend: The first race on Saturday (starts at 13:30 CEST, live coverage on ARD from 13:00) has a duration of 40 minutes plus one lap. The second race on Sunday (starts at 15:15 CEST, live coverage on ARD from 15:00) lasts 60 minutes plus one lap. There is a mandatory pit stop in the second race. Mercedes-AMG's Pascal Wehrlein leads the drivers' standings going into the last two rounds of the season by a margin of 37 points over Edoardo Mortara (Audi). In the team standings gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG are 40 points clear in first place.

Nico Rosberg at Hockenheim: Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg is determined not to miss out on the grand finale to the DTM season at Hockenheim and will be putting in a guest appearance at the ninth and last race event of the campaign on Sunday. During his visit to Hockenheim, he will be touring the Mercedes-Benz Erlebniswelt exhibition and signing autographs. He will also be answering questions from journalists at a press conference in the Baden-Württemberg Center on Sunday at 1pm.

Comments ahead of the DTM races at Hockenheim:

Gary Paffett (34, England):
Car number: 2
Team: EURONICS/BWT Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"I have mixed emotions going into Hockenheim. I'm obviously looking forward to the weekend because, based on our recent form, we should have a competitive car. Hopefully we can go there and score some good points so that we finish the season on a high. It is the end of the season, and I think ART and myself have been working really well. We're just getting to the point where we want to be, and that's to be competitive. In that regard, it's a bit disappointing that the season is coming to an end now. But I think we can build on that over the winter and go from there."  

Paul Di Resta (29, Scotland):
Car number: 3
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"It's sad to see the season is almost over. Still, I'm looking forward to the last two races at Hockenheim. We should be very strong there, and it would be nice to finish the championship off with two very strong points scoring positions. Afterwards, we can go into the winter break and build on that for next year."  

Robert Wickens (26, Canada):
Car number: 6
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"After an up and down season, my targets for Hockenheim are to score two strong results and to help Mercedes bring home the manufacturers' championship. With Hockenheim being a home race for Mercedes-Benz, this would be the perfect place for it. I've competed on many race tracks in my career, but the fantastic atmosphere in the Motodrom and on the Mercedes grandstand is unmatched anywhere."  

Christian Vietoris (26, Germany):
Car number: 8
Team: gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"I'm obviously looking forward to this final race weekend after the last three didn't go so well for me. I am glad that we have one last chance to get the most out of the season. We've unfortunately slipped down in the championship standings after the last couple of races. For the sake of my crew and for myself, I'm hoping for a good conclusion. That would also give us some positive momentum to take into the winter tests. The team has worked hard throughout the year and deserves good results at the weekend."  

Daniel Juncadella (24, Spain):
Car number: 12
Team: PETRONAS Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team Mücke)
Car: PETRONAS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"Hockenheim is a special venue, because it's also where we had the season opener. For me, the year hasn't gone perfectly, but Hockenheim is a track that I really like. So I'm hoping for a good result to round off the season. We are well placed in the championship, and Pascal has a chance of winning the DTM title. We're all delighted about that. If the weather forecasts are to be believed, rain could be an additional factor during the races."  

Lucas Auer (21, Austria):
Car number: 22
Team: EURONICS/BWT Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"I've won quite a few Formula 3 races at the Hockenheimring, and I've now had my first experience of DTM there. I'm really looking forward to the last two races of the season. I would like to round off the season in style. Basically, the whole season has been good for me. I'm getting better from race to race. There were also a few highlights, such as my pole position. Now I want to take forward that positive feeling from the Nürburgring and go all out on the attack at Hockenheim." 

Maximilian Götz (29, Germany):
Car number: 84
Team: PETRONAS Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team Mücke)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"The weekend at the Nürburgring was very successful for me. I posted the best result in my DTM career to date. Qualifying also went well. We've got the balance and setup just right. We'll now try to carry that through into the last two races at the Hockenheimring. My target is therefore to once again put in a good qualifying performance so that I'm starting from among the Top Ten. In addition, I'm working to get myself fully prepared. The track really suits my style, and I love competing on it. With the Hockenheimring hosting two race weekends, all of the drivers are now familiar with it. Consequently, I'm expecting this final weekend to be very competitive and exciting. Obviously, I'm also hoping that we win the championship title."  

Pascal Wehrlein (20, Germany):
Car number: 94
Team: gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: gooix Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"We're already approaching the final weekend at Hockenheim. On the one hand, it's sad to see the season coming to an end. But on the other hand, I am very happy with how the year has gone so far and that I'm in a good position in the title chase. Consequently, I'm looking forward to the last two races of the season in front of my friends, my family and the many fans in the Mercedes grandstand."  

Ulrich Fritz, Head of Mercedes-AMG DTM:

"The race weekend at Hockenheim represents the climax of an action-packed and exciting season. The whole team has delivered an outstanding performance so far. We now need to maintain this form in the last two races, so that we come away with a tangible reward. We are in an excellent position to win titles in both the drivers' and the team championships. And we are still in with a chance in the manufacturers' championship. Because Hockenheim counts as our home race, we traditionally have the support of many fans and employees. Every seat in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand will certainly be taken. I am very happy about this, because after all, it's for the fans that we race our cars. I'm certainly hoping that we will give them good cause for cheer this weekend. But until then, we still have plenty of work to do."  

Canadians In BOLD