Mercedes DTM Announces Exit After 2018 Season
Giancarlo Perlas July 25, 2017
Mercedes-AMG just announced that it will exit the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters or DTM after the 2018 season. However, the three-pointed star brand confirmed its entry into Formula E.
According to Motorsport.com, the move of Mercedes DTM would mean that only two constructors will be left in the sport by 2019. Currently, Mercedes is only rivaled by Audi and BMW in DTM.
Mercedes DTM’s Fighting Spirit Remains Strong
Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff assured everyone though that the planned exit would not mean they will be relaxing in their remaining seasons. Wolff said they will continue to gun for the titles as they owe it to the fans and to themselves.
Wolff thanked his team for their work during their involvement in DTM. He stated that every team member helped make Mercedes become the most successful DTM manufacturer of all time.
In October last year, Mercedes revealed that it is entering Formula E. Following that, the company and Formula E Holdings entered into an agreement for a debut in the season five series of the sport, which will run from 2018 to 2019. However, recent developments have driven the team to postpone their debut in season six. Wolff explained that the period would give them time to properly understand Formula E and ensure that their entry would be done in the right way.
Mercedes DTM History
Formula E focuses on electric-powered cars. The inaugural championship of the sport was in Beijing back in September 2014. Since its inception, there has been a growing list of companies that showed its interest in the organization. Mercedes will also be joining BMW and Audi in the all-electric race.
Mercedes traces back its history with DTM in 1988. Along the way, it produced title holders like Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Scheider. The German carmaker left the series in 1996 but returned to the current incarnation of the sport in 2000.
More success came for the team 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 when it continued racking titles. Gary Paffett, Paul di Rest and Pascal Wehrlein were notable titleholders produced by Mercedes in the modern-day DTM.
