Squad of drivers now complete: Christian Vietoris becomes test and reserve driver

Another DTM comeback: Christian Vietoris completes driver line-up for the 2018 season as test and reserve driver

• Christian has six years of experience in the DTM, twice finishing fourth in the drivers’ classification
• Christian Vietoris: “After a year’s absence, I’m obviously delighted to be back in motorsport, and as a member of the Mercedes family.”
• Ulrich Fritz: “We’ve known Christian for a long time now. He’s a very fast racing driver and a terrific team player.”

The opening round of the 2018 DTM season in Hockenheim is fast approaching. The Mercedes-AMG Motorsport DTM Team has completed its squad of drivers for the upcoming special anniversary season with the signing of DTM race winner Christian Vietoris. He will provide back-up for the team at all ten race weekends as a test and reserve driver and will take the place of one of the six drivers if needed.

“After a year’s absence, I’m obviously delighted to be back in motorsport, and as a member of the Mercedes family,” said Christian, who is the third driver returning to the DTM in this year’s squad along with Daniel Juncadella and Pascal Wehrlein. “My batteries are fully charged, and I’m ready to step in as substitute driver in the DTM. After six years in the DTM with Mercedes, I have a lot of experience and I’m ready whenever the team needs me.”

Christian lined up for six years with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport in the DTM from 2011 to 2016. During this time, he secured one win, three pole positions, nine podiums and two fastest laps. He had his two most successful seasons in 2013 and 2014 when he was the team’s best driver, finishing fourth in the drivers’ standings in both years. His maiden win in Oschersleben in 2014 remains one of the highlights of his DTM career to date when, thanks to deploying the right strategy, he finished on the top spot of the podium in difficult, variable weather conditions from 16th on the grid.

“We’ve known Christian for a very long time. He’s a very fast racing driver and a terrific team player,” said Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport DTM Ulrich Fritz. “He knows the team and the way we do things and has several years of DTM experience. It’s exactly these qualities you want in a reserve driver, who needs to be ready to jump into the car at short notice and perform well. We know what we’ve got in Christian and are pleased to have found an experienced driver to complete our squad.”

The first weekend of the new 2018 DTM season begins with a home race for the team in Hockenheim on the weekend of 4th – 6th May.