There is a long and successful tradition that links Mercedes-Benz with the Nürburgring, starting with the birth of the Silver Arrows in 1934. This weekend, the marque with the three-pointed star is welcoming a group of special guests to the seventh round of the 2013 DTM season at the Nürburgring. The winning AMG customer teams from the 24-hour races in Dubai, at the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps will be calling in on the world’s most popular touring car series and bringing their cars with them. Accompanying record DTM championship winner Bernd Schneider will be Sean Edwards, Nicki Thiim (Black Falcon) and Maximilian Götz (HTP Motorsport).
The success scored by Schneider, Götz and Buhk in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in late July also marked the 100th triumph for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 since the customer sports programme was inaugurated in 2010. With further victories in the endurance races in Dubai (24 hrs) for Khaled Al Qubaisi, Bernd Schneider, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Sean Edwards, in Bathurst (12 hrs) for Thomas Jäger, Bernd Schneider and Alexander Roloff, and at the Nürburgring (24 hrs) for Bernd Schneider, Jeroen Bleekemolen Sean Edwards and Nicki Thiim, the SLS AMG GT3 has won the Grand Slam of GT3 endurance classics this year. Record DTM champion Bernd Schneider, who was an ever-present member of the squad, achieved a historic personal treble with three consecutive victories in the 24-hour classics in Dubai, on the Nordschleife and in Spa-Francorchamps.
Maximilian Buhk und Maximilian Götz had already had an extremely successful 2012. Each driving a gullwing SLS AMG GT3, Buhk won the FIA GT3 European Championship while Götz was taking the title in the ADAC GT Masters. As a reward for their successes in GT3 customer sports, Buhk and Götz have been invited to a test session on 17th September at the Lausitzring where they will drive a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Class and acquire a feel for the series.
“I am delighted that Mercedes-AMG and HWA have shown the confidence in me to offer this opportunity to drive a DTM car,” says Buhk. “I’m feeling very excited about getting into the cockpit of a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Class, and I’ll be trying to get as much experience as possible.” Götz too is looking forward to the DTM test at the Lausitzring: “This is a major opportunity for me. With this test, Mercedes-AMG are helping me to turn a dream into reality. I just can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a DTM car there.”
As part of the support programme for the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, Mercedes-Benz DTM drivers Gary Paffett and Christian Vietoris completed a lap of the Nordschleife in a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Performance Car. “Although I’ve been in motorsport for quite a few years now, that was still a fantastic experience, and I have huge respect for the achievement of all the competitors who drive at night and in all weather conditions on the Nordschleife,” said Paffett. His ‘chauffeur’ for the outing, team-mate and local favourite Christian Vietoris, agreed: “The Nordschleife is similar to Spa-Francorchamps and they are both a special experience, so I can only congratulate the two Maximilians on their outstanding performance on the long track.”
Uli Fritz, Head of AMG Customer Sports:
“We are pleased to be inviting Maximilian Buhk and Maximilian Götz to test a DTM car. This is the first time we have offered this opportunity to young drivers from the AMG customer sports programme. The two have already proved last year that they are capable of great things in the SLS AMG GT3. Now we are looking forward to seeing how competitive they are in the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Class. This test shows what great prospects are available to successful young drivers in the AMG customer sports programme. The SLS AMG GT3 has already proved its competitiveness this year by winning the Grand Slam of GT3 endurance races. The fact that we offer our customer teams such enticing prospects makes our programme all the more attractive.”
Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“Maximilian Buhk, Maximilian Götz and our entire Mercedes AMG customer sports team have produced a fantastic performance this year. The SLS AMG GT3 has so far won all the GT3 long distance classics, and Bernd Schneider was a member of the squad on each occasion. My compliments to the entire team on this superb achievement. Mercedes-Benz has a long tradition of promoting talent in motor racing – from Formula 3 right through to the DTM and Formula 1. We also keep an eye on the performance of the drivers in the customer sports segment. With their success in the SLS AMG GT3, the two Maximilians have seized the opportunity to showcase their talent in a high-performance vehicle. Against strong competition, they have shown that they are ready to step up to the next level. With our DTM driver line-up for the current year, we have demonstrated that we are prepared to put our faith in young and fast drivers – an approach that has already yielded dividends this season in the form of podium finishes. For their outstanding performance in the gullwing Mercedes, the two Maximilians fully deserve this forthcoming DTM test.”
Source : Mercedes