Marco Wittmann (DE) heads into the final races as the front-runner of
the drivers, with 176 points. His advantage over the two Audi drivers
Edoardo Mortara (IT) and Jamie Green (GB) is 14 and 39 points. Fifty
points are up for grabs in Hockenheim, so one of these three drivers
will be the 2016 DTM Champion. In the team standings, BMW Team RMG is
in second place, as is BMW in the manufacturers’ standings.
BMW has celebrated 14 DTM victories at the Hockenheimring to
date. Wittmann was last on the list of winners at the BMW M4 DTM’s
debut at the start of the 2014 season. At the first race weekend of
the 2016 season, Augusto Farfus (BR) and Maxime Martin (BE) finished
on the podium in second and third in Sunday’s race.
Martin Tomczyk (DE) and António Félix da Costa (PT) will end
their DTM careers in Hockenheim. Both drivers bid farewell to their
long-time companions in the paddock and the media representatives
during a get-together in the BMW Hospitality on Friday.
Félix da Costa has already started the first chapter of his new
main task as a racing driver: Last weekend he contested the Hong Kong
ePrix for MS Amlin Andretti at the start of the FIA Formula E
Championship season. The team is supported by BMW. After 45 laps, the
man from Portugal crossed the finish line in fifth place.
Quotes ahead of the ninth race weekend of 2016 in Hockenheim.
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director):
“The situation going into the season finale in Hockenheim couldn’t be
any more thrilling. I’m already very proud of what we have achieved
this year with a great deal of team spirit and consistency. We lead
the drivers’ standings with Marco Wittmann. After we decided, in the
best interests of the sport, not to take his exclusion in Hungary to
the court of appeal, we will do everything we can to make sure Marco
brings home his advantage and claims the title for the second time.
Considering his performances this season, he would deserve the title
without any doubt. It is not going to be easy, but the opportunity is
there – and we want to take it. In the manufacturers’ and team
standings we are in second place and ready to pounce. Let’s see what
the races in Hockenheim bring. The 2016 DTM is characterised by the
equality of all the individual packages that we haven’t seen often,
and I’m sure that the finale will also provide plenty of drama. Martin
Tomczyk and António Félix da Costa bid farewell to the DTM this
weekend. I hope they both end their DTM chapters with good results.”
Stefan Reinhold (Team Principal, BMW Team RMG):
“Naturally there is a lot of tension going into these crucial two
races of the DTM season. Our team has done an outstanding job
throughout the year, which is why we are still in with a chance of
winning the drivers’ and team championships at the season finale. We
are perfectly prepared and now also want to enjoy the weekend. We need
to get everything possible out of the car on the track, and to finally
get the reward for our good performances.”
Ernest Knoors (Team Principal, BMW Team MTEK):
“A DTM season of highs and lows for us draws to a close in
Hockenheim. We had a few highlights, but we weren’t able to exploit
our full potential consistently enough throughout the course of the
season. Augusto Farfus was on the podium at the season opener in
Hockenheim. It would be nice for the whole team if we ended the year
with a similarly good result.”
Bart Mampaey (Team Principal, BMW Team RBM):
“Going into the finale in Hockenheim we can already look back on a
positive DTM season for our team. Our drivers have been on the podium
six times, and we are in third place in the team standings two races
before the end. That shows just how well and consistently we have
worked this year. Now the focus is on picking up as many points as
possible for BMW once again in the battle for the title.”
Charly Lamm (Team Principal, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“It is the last DTM weekend for each of our drivers Martin Tomczyk
and António Félix da Costa. The strong race that they both had in
Budapest on the Sunday gave us all renewed motivation for the final
sprint at the end of the season. Now we want to bid farewell to our
two drivers with good results.”
Marco Wittmann (car number 11, BMW Team RMG):
“It feels good heading to the final two races of the season at
Hockenheim and still being in with a chance of winning the title. That
shows we have done a good job throughout the year. Now we need to
approach the season finale with a cool head and try to keep out of any
scuffles. It won’t be that easy since the races in Hockenheim are
usually action-packed.”
Timo Glock (car number 16, BMW Team RMG):
“It’s hard to believe that the final DTM weekend of 2016 is just
around the corner. I’m looking forward to Hockenheim, a track that we
know very well. The atmosphere there is extraordinary. I hope that we
will be able to deliver another top performance and that it will be a
successful weekend for BMW Motorsport. We want to put on another great
show for the fans.”
Bruno Spengler (car number 7, BMW Team MTEK):
“Hockenheim is another highlight of the DTM season at the end. The
ambiance is always very special at the final race weekend of the
season, and the large number of fans provides a fantastic atmosphere.
And then there is the track, with its long straights that are good for
overtaking. No doubt there will be an exciting end to the season.”
Augusto Farfus (car number 18, BMW Team MTEK):
“I really like the track in Hockenheim. I have already won there in
the DTM and have been on the podium a few times – including at the
2016 season opener. Unfortunately, I went on to have a difficult
season. Which would make it all the more rewarding for the team and me
to get another highlight.”
Tom Blomqvist (car number 31, BMW Team RBM):
“I’m really looking forward to the final race weekend, even though it
is a shame that it means the season is over already. I’m looking
forward to the track because it is so much fun. It’s impossible to
predict how the season will end. The start in Hockenheim was quite
difficult for us, but then we developed well. Now I’m excited to see
how this weekend goes.”
Maxime Martin (car number 36, BMW Team RBM):
“In the DTM you never know exactly where you are when you come to a
race weekend. But we have mostly performed well in Hockenheim and won
a few titles at the finale. Our rivals made a good impression in the
recent races, but we will do everything we can to keep up with them in
the battle for the title.”
António Félix da Costa (car number 13, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“It is definitely not going to be a normal DTM weekend. It is the
season finale, and that is always something special. But it’s going to
be extremely emotional for me this time since these are my final two
DTM races. Then I am bidding farewell to BMW Team Schnitzer. Our goal
is to pick up as many points as possible in the battle for the title.
I’m definitely looking forward to it and will try to really enjoy it
one more time.”
Martin Tomczyk (car number 100, BMW Team Schnitzer):
“It will be a very special weekend for me. It will be the final DTM
races of my career and I want to enjoy them as much as possible.
Naturally, the main goal is to win the manufacturers’ and drivers’
titles for BMW and Marco. We all need to pull together for that. It’s
not going to be easy, but I hope that we will achieve it together and
that I can play my part.”
Statistics: Hockenheim.
Length:
4.574 km
2015 winners:
Timo Scheider, Audi (race 1)
Jamie Green, Audi (race 2)
2015 pole positions:
1:32.637 minutes, Maxime Martin, BMW (Race 1)
1:32.645 minutes, Gary Paffett, Mercedes (Race 2)
Best-placed BMW 2015:
Maxime Martin, 3rd place (race 1)
Maxime Martin, 6th place (race 2)
DTM debut:
1984
BMW wins:
14
BMW pole positions:
7
BMW fastest laps:
17
BMW podiums:
37
Statistics: BMW DTM drivers.
BMW Motorsport media schedule (all times are local).
2016 DTM calendar.
6th-8th May – Hockenheim (DE), 20th-22nd May – Spielberg (AT),
3rd-5th June – Lausitzring (DE), 24th-26th June – Norisring (DE),
15th-17th July – Zandvoort (NL), 19th-21st August – Moscow (RU),
9th-11th September – Nürburgring (DE), 23rd-25th September – Budapest
(HU), 14th-16th October – Hockenheim (DE).