DTM 2022: Nico Müller stays, Rolf Ineichen comes
NOW THERE ARE THREE SWISSERS AGAIN While Ricardo Feller has been fixed since January, another Swiss joins the team with Rolf Ineichen on Lamborghini. Meanwhile, Nico Müller is hoping for a better second season with Rosberg.
Despite Philip Ellis' change of scene, Switzerland will certainly be represented by three strong drivers in the top-class 2022 DTM field. Like ABT newcomer Ricardo Feller, Nico Müller will also compete in an Audi R8 LMS evo - in the hope that Team Rosberg will make some changes.
Hope for improvement in the team
After a podium at the first DTM Weekend 2021 in Monza (P2 in Race 2), the 29-year-old from Berne in fact experienced one disappointment after another. In contrast to Team ABT, with which he had clinched the runner-up title in each of the previous two years with the turbo touring cars, Rosberg made no progress with the GT3 sports cars.
Nico Müller: "There will be some structural changes in the team in 2022, so I'm confident. We should be able to test more before and between races to draw conclusions about the direction we should take. We've also been able to prepare more specifically because we already have a season with the GT3 car behind us.We now have to do everything we can to move forward, because the championship will be contested again. Rosberg also has to prove itself as a team and they want to show that they can do better than last year."
Müller's teammate will be the American Dev Gore, as in 2021. While the Swiss wants to fight for the DTM title, Gore, who has significantly less experience in motorsport, plans to further reduce his gap to the top.
WEC racing and development work for Audi
At the same time, Müller is also racing in the World Endurance Championship in the new Vector Racing team in the LMP2 class. The season starts in mid-March with the prologue - the official test drives - and the subsequent 1000-mile race at Sebring.
The archaic U.S. race track in the heart of Florida is new territory for him. The LMP2 races are good practice for 2023 when Audi returns to the scene. The Swiss has long been busy with development work.
A courageous step by Rolf Ineichen
Rolf Ineichen (center gallery) takes another step up the career ladder. The fast Lucerne gentleman driver pilots one of the four Lamborghini Huracan GT3s from Grasser Racing. The 43-year-old is very familiar with the team and the car, but as a silver driver among the many professionals with platinum and gold ratings, he will have a tough time.
Having and mastering a racing sports car just for himself is a major new challenge for the multiple winner in races for the ADAC GT Masters and GT World Challenge Europe, where he shared it with mostly professional partners. However, factory driver Mirko Bortolotti, who is one of his three DTM teammates, will certainly continue to provide him with advice and support as an opponent.
Rolf Ineichen: ""DTM has fascinated me for many years. At Grasser Racing, I've learned a lot in recent years and feel ready to tackle a new, exciting adventure in the DTM."
Ellis focuses on the U.S.
As already reported, Philip Ellis (gallery, right) is no longer entered in the DTM. Last season's shooting star (one victory and two further podium finishes) is now contesting the American sports car championship in the GTD class as a GT works driver for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. His team, Winward Racing, is based in the USA.
However, it is planned that the car from Zug will be used at one or two endurance races in Europe to support customer teams. For example, at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and Spa. Ellis is currently in Florida, where he will compete in the traditional 12 Hours of Sebring in the Winward Audi R8 on March 19. Last year's winning team finished sixth at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
