“Too greedy”: Did Lucas Auer lose his last title chance with this mistake?

– Are Lucas Auer’s last title hopes gone up in smoke because of this mistake? Shortly after the start of the second DTM race at the Sachsenring, which McLaren driver Ben Dörr won, the Landgraf-Mercedes driver slid through the gravel trap and dropped back to 19th position.

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“Today I have to admit a mistake because I went off in the first lap. That was definitely my fault,” Auer admits in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com. “I was too greedy, honestly. But not because I desperately wanted to move forward, but because I pushed hard – and under the bridge it was wet.”

The AMG driver had qualified eighth in the second qualifying session but dropped back to eleventh in the first meters because he had to yield to some drivers on rain tires. Auer, like most of his competitors, had chosen slicks for the start on the damp track.

The 32-year-old does not regret this decision because on most sections the slick tires were the better choice. “Except there under the bridge where I slipped, it was clear that it was still wet there, but the rest of the track was dry.”

Lucas Auer with a “mega comeback” on Sunday

That Auer still crossed the finish line in sixth place, was promoted to fifth due to Engel’s penalty, and thus limited the damage, was thanks to a perfect strategy and two late safety car phases. “Then we had a mega comeback. We had a great strategy,” the Landgraf driver is pleased.

“And then the safety car also helped me,” adds the Austrian, who at that point had “already overcut everyone anyway.” Auer came in lap 15 as the last driver for the first of two tire changes and had already fought his way up to eleventh place after the first stop.

After the second pit stop, the AMG driver was even in seventh place before the field bunched up again due to the safety car phase following the accident between Nicki Thiim (Comtoyou-Aston-Martin) and Jules Gounon (Winward-Mercedes).

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That would have actually suited Auer, but at the restart there was a collision between Maro Engel (Winward-Mercedes) and Kelvin van der Linde (Schubert-BMW), which triggered another safety car phase. “We had everything prepared for the last stint,” reveals the Austrian.

Auer: “As long as we can calculate, we’re in”

“And that’s why it was a shame that we didn’t have any more race laps because I had new tires,” Auer believes he might have moved further forward otherwise. Nevertheless, the Landgraf driver is not dissatisfied with his race overall.

“That’s generally a great job by the team,” emphasizes the 32-year-old, who despite his slightly counter-cyclical strategy had only a few free laps but “they were enough. That was good and you have to thank the team for the car.”

But because championship leader Thomas Preining (Manthey-Porsche) was able to finish second on Sunday, Auer’s deficit in the overall standings before the finale in Hockenheim has grown to 45 points. “I need a double win and two pole positions,” says the AMG driver with a smile.

Nevertheless, Auer, who has already been vice-champion twice but has never lifted the championship trophy, does not want to give up. “No, because as long as we can calculate, we’re in. Quite simple,” he says. “And the final reckoning will be at the very end.”

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