– Mercedes-AMG and DTM leader Maro Engel are under enormous pressure two weekends before the end of the season: The Winward Mercedes driver took out the second title contender of the brand with the star in the race during the AMG-internal collision at the Nürburgring with Lucas Auer and now leads the overall standings by only one point ahead of Manthey-Porsche archrival Thomas Preining.
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As a penalty for the collision, Engel is, to make matters worse, moved back three places for the Saturday race at the Sachsenring, where Porsche took both wins last year and overtaking maneuvers are difficult. Does Mercedes-AMG now have to put everything on one card – and thus on Engel – because Langraf driver Auer is fourth with a 24-point deficit?
“I think Winward will focus on Maro – and Landgraf on me,” Auer shakes his head in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com and does not believe in an internal preliminary decision. “We will give everything to be within striking distance in Hockenheim.”
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Especially last year gives Auer hope, when he was precisely the one who suffered: Because back then, the later champion Ayhancan Güven was already 46 points behind leader Auer as eighth three weekends before the end and still became champion. “That’s why we are both still fully in the fight,” he feels confirmed.
Despite Auer’s words of endurance, it can be assumed that Mercedes-AMG will discuss before the Sachsenring weekend how the Austrian should best behave if Engel suddenly appears in the rearview mirror. Team orders are officially forbidden, but – if everyone plays along – hardly provable.
The question is whether Auer will play along: Because last year Engel overtook him at the Sachsenring in both races in the final phase, although the Landgraf brand colleague was leading the championship and had over 20 points lead in the overall standings. Auer has probably not forgotten that.
Mercedes-AMG does not believe in a preliminary decision in the title fight
But how does Mercedes-AMG see the current situation? Does the priority have to be on Engel? “There are still four races, nothing is lost,” says Thomas Jäger, who acts as Sporting Director for the DTM area at Mercedes-AMG. Engel is currently the hotter AMG iron in the fire, “on the other hand, we see what can happen in a race.”
Not only the AMG collision shows how dynamic the title fight is, but also the ups and downs among the competition. “We have seen in between that Nicki Thiim suddenly was gone, now he is back. Preining was gone, is back. That means it is important for us to take points away from the competitors,” Jäger makes clear.
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Therefore, the goal is “that we – as we always try – drive in at the front as a unit.”
Engel clearly takes responsibility for the collision
The collision itself has long been put behind by those involved – also because Engel clearly took the blame on himself. “It was very tight – Marco (Wittmann; ed.) on my left, Luggi on the right. And we all entered the corner at different angles. In the end, I have to say: It was my fault,” says the Winward Mercedes driver.
Despite the lost points, now applies “wipe your mouth, look ahead – and focus on the Sachsenring.”
Should Engel – also considering what is at stake – have acted more cautiously? “I wouldn’t say so,” answers AMG project manager Jäger. “In the start phase and in the first lap, everyone tries to see what is possible.”
Preining about Engel: “That is none of my business”
No one does that “intentionally or anything else,” is certain for the ex-DTM driver. “I believe the grip was simply worse at this point than Maro estimated – and that’s why this unfortunate contact happened.”
Beneficiary Preining says, however, that especially in the first corner at the Nürburgring, where there can easily be four cars side by side, you “always have to weigh the risk.” “In my situation, it is clear that you take the risk if you have to catch up. It’s the same for Luggi. In this case, I don’t complain.”
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Should Engel have taken less risk? “He has to analyze that and form his own opinion. That is none of my business.”
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