The two former Formula One drivers David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher will once again be racing the AMG Mercedes C-Class for the 2011 season. They are the best-known members of the DTM Mercedes-Benz teams. Both drivers each have more than twenty years’ motor racing experience, and from a joint total of 426 Grand Prix starts they secured 19 Formula One wins between them. David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher have quickly become fan-favourites in the DTM.
David Coulthard, 40, Scotland, made his DTM debut in 2010. He marked the end of his first year by securing his best result of the season at the final race in Shangai (8th place) and by posting the fastest lap. In 2011, the Scotsman will line up on the grid once more for Team Mücke Motorsport in the Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class.
From 1994 to 2008, Coulthard contested 246 Formula One races, 150 of them for McLaren-Mercedes. Between 1996 and 2004, he posted twelve of his thirteen Grand Prix wins for the Silver Arrows team and, in 1997, gained the first victory for McLaren-Mercedes in Australia. Jointly with Mika Häkkinen, Formula One world champion in 1998 and 1999, (Mercedes-Benz DTM driver from 2005-2007), Coulthard won the constructors’ world championship for McLaren-Mercedes in 1998. In 2001, he was world championship runner-up.
As an ambassador of ‘Wings for Life’, David Coulthard is keen to make the public more aware of this charitable foundation for paraplegics. The Scotsman hopes that his efforts will help the charity with its research into treatment for people suffering from spinal injuries. By agreement with team sponsor Deutsche Post, Mercedes-Benz are also making display space available on the bodywork of Coulthard’s car to publicise ‘Wings for Life’ and the work that he does for the organisation.
Ralf Schumacher, 35, Germany, began his DTM career on 13th April 2008 in Hockenheim and quickly became one of the most popular drivers in the championship. 2011 will be his fourth DTM season and his first in the AMG Mercedes C-Class with his new title sponsor Salzgitter.
Schumacher concluded his Formula One career at the end of 2007 after eleven seasons and 180 Grand Prix races. Having secured six Grand Prix victories, he is the third most successful German Formula One driver in history after his brother, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Michael Schumacher, and reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.
David Coulthard: “I’m very pleased to be contesting the DTM series once more in 2011 for Mercedes-Benz. My year of apprenticeship is over – now I’m looking to make some real progress. DTM motor racing is a close-fought championship and is characterised by the fans’ enthusiasm and the direct contact between drivers and spectators. That’s something that I wasn’t familiar with in Formula One. For me, DTM is also an excellent platform for raising public awareness of the ‘Wings for Life’ charity. I learnt a lot last year, and have laid good foundations for my second season. After gaining my first DTM point at the final race of the season in Shanghai in 2010, I would like to make my fans happier this season by scoring points more often.”
Ralf Schumacher: “I really like being a part of DTM and the Mercedes-Benz family. Subtle nuances are important in this hard-fought series. If you can just improve the car’s setup by a fraction, then you can reduce your lap times significantly. After three years in the DTM and two seasons with the HWA team, I feel at ease in the AMG Mercedes C-Class and I’m ready, together with my new sponsor Salzgitter, to make the next move in my fourth DTM season.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “We’ve got two of the DTM fans’ favourites, David and Ralf, in our team again for 2011. David adjusted quickly to DTM racing and improved continually during his first season – finally securing his first point and posting the fastest lap time in Shanghai. I trust that he will continue to improve in his second DTM season. It’s Ralf’s fourth DTM year and he’s already got a lot of DTM experience, and I’m certain that he can do even better. Ralf’s pole position at the Norisring proves that he’s got the potential.”
