DTM: "Rocky", the Swiss in disguise 🎥
RED PASS FOR ROCKENFELLER Next weekend, the 2020 DTM finally gets underway. Alongside Nico Müller and Fabio Scherer, Mike Rockenfeller is now the third Swiss in the field. As a race driver, however, he remains German. In an interview with AutoMotoTV at his home in Landschlacht, Mike Rockenfeller talks about his life as a racing driver and much more. [...]
In an interview with AutoMotoTV at his home in Landschlacht, Mike Rockenfeller talks about his life as a racing driver and much more. Very interesting.
Mike Rockenfeller has lived on the Thurgau side of Lake Constance since 2007. First in Altnau, since 2013 with his wife Susanne and his two sons Phil and Paul in their own home in Landschlacht. Ex-Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein is one of his neighbors there.
Live here and have a say
"Rocky" feels so connected to his adopted country that he applied for Swiss citizenship some time ago. Last July 1, he received notification that he would be issued a Red Passport.
Mike Rockenfeller: "Firstly, I've lived here for so long now, secondly, our children were born here and speak Swiss German with their colleagues. And thirdly, I would now like to be able to actively participate as a citizen. It was always clear that I would like to become Swiss one day, too."
German racing driver with Swiss license
The design of his racing helmet, on which the Swiss cross is painted in addition to the German flag, draws attention to his two nationalities.
The Audi factory driver will retain his German citizenship and continue to appear as a German in racing. However, Rockenfeller has been driving with a racing license from Auto Sport Schweiz for some time now.
Tire whisperer
For the 2020 DTM season starting on the first weekend in August at Spa-Francorchamps, the Swiss by choice has his sights set on his second title win after 2013. His tire-friendly driving style in particular could be a key for him.
Mike Rockenfeller: "The turbo cars that we've been running in the DTM since 2019 have significantly more power than the naturally aspirated cars before. That has made tire management by the driver even more important. But competition in the DTM will definitely be tighter again in 2020, because I expect our competitor BMW to come out stronger after making some concessions."
The 36-year-old from Neuwied in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate is already tackling his ninth season for Audi Sport Team Phoenix. Rocky" won the DTM title with the Eifel-based squad in 2013 but subsequently went through an up-and-down ride.
He was the best Audi driver in 2014 as well, finishing third overall. After that, things went downhill: The tire generation of the time didn't suit his tire-friendly driving style and everything wasn't running smoothly at Phoenix either. With the softer, unheated Hankook tires used since 2017, Rockenfeller coped well from the outset and took two redemptive victories in 2017 at Zandvoort (NL) and the year before on the rough asphalt at Assen (NL).
Triumph and tragedy at Le Mans
Mike Rockenfeller has been competing with Audi in the touring car racing series since 2007. The first years at the wheel of a previous year's car were tough. Back then, "Rocky" mainly got motivation from sports car races that he contested in parallel with the DTM.
In 2010, he clinched overall victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours with the Audi R15 TDI. A year later, he had the most serious accident of his career to date in the French endurance classic - at the very moment when he had just gained a foothold in the DTM and won his first DTM race. The German had to bury his title hopes because he missed two races after the accident at Le Mans.
Numerous other victories on the long haul
With Corvette Racing and Marcel Fässler from Schwyz as his teammate, Mike Rockenfeller also drove and won US endurance races in the GT class in recent years.
In a Riley Porsche driven by an American team in 2010, he was the last German overall winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2006, he also won at the Nürburgring with Manthey Racing in a Porsche 996 GT3.
Stages of the career
- 1995 to 2000 Kart
- 1997 Champion DMV Junior Cup
- 2000 Champion Jörg van Ommen Kart Cup
- 2001 4th place Formula King
- 2002 10th place Porsche Carrera Cup
- 2003 2nd place Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercup
- 2004 Champion Porsche Carrera Cup and Supercup
- 2005 Champion FIA GT Championship class GT2, 1st 24 hours Le Mans GT2, 1st 24 hours Spa GT2
- 2006 Winner 24 hours Nürburgring, 5th GrandAm Series, 8th American Le Mans Series class GT2
- 2007 12TH DTM
- 2008 Le Mans Series Champion, 4th Le Mans 24 Hours, 11th DTM
- 2009 3rd 12 Hours of Sebring, 14th DTM
- 2010 Winner 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona, 7th DTM
- 2011 6th DTM (1 win)
- 2012 4th DTM, 3rd 24 Hours of Le Mans
- 2013 Champion DTM (2 victories), ADAC Motor Sportsman of the Year
- 2014 3RD DTM
- 2015 10th DTM (1 win), 3rd 24 Hours of Daytona
- 2016 19th DTM, 2nd 24 Hours Daytona Class GTE
- 2017 4th DTM (1 win), winner 12 Hours of Sebring Class GTE
- 2018 11th DTM, 3rd 24 Hours Daytona Class GTE
- 2019 4th DTM (1 win)
- 2020 DTM with Audi Team Phoenix
audi.com/en/experience-audi/audi-sport/audi-racing/dtm.html
