Monza: Happy ending for Nico Müller 🎥
WINNERS OF TWO ROOKIES Only in the second race at Monza were the two Swiss drivers able to make their mark. Nico Müller celebrated second place on Audi and Philip Ellis sixth on Mercedes. The victories went to two DTM rookies. The GT3 premiere of the DTM, which has existed since 1983, can be described as a success. Numerous tough position battles among various brand representatives [...]
The GT3 premiere of the DTM, which has existed since 1983, can be described as a success. Numerous fierce position battles among various brand representatives provided the best entertainment.
Triple premiere on the winners' podium
The two winners proved that a new era had been ushered in with the switch to GT3 sports cars. In the first sprint over 50 minutes plus one lap, 19-year-old Liam Lawson in a Ferrari 488 was celebrated.
Never before has a New Zealander been on the podium, and the Italian brand, like the factory-supported AF Corse team, made a fitting debut.
Victory on the birthday
While the Red Bull protégé had made it all the way to the front from midfield (7th) thanks to perfect strategy and a tire-saving driving style, Kelvin van der Linde dominated the action on Sunday.
On his 25th birthday, the South African, who has made Germany his home, first snatched pole position and turned it into a clear victory with the Audi R8 LMS from Team ABT. For the team from Allgäu, this was the first DTM triumph as a privateer team since Nürburgring 2003 with the Audi TT-RS.
The highlights of race 2 show the tough position battles with Nico Müller and the South African's superior winning drive.
Audi not up to speed on Saturday
Van der Linde, like Nico Müller, benefited from the success ballast for the Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG rivals who had dominated the previous day (2nd and 3rd place).
Müller only started eighth, but managed to hold this position despite spinning after a collision that was not his fault. However, more than sixth place would hardly have been possible for him and his Rosberg team.
Hard earned second place
Müller tackled the second sprint in fourth place with the ten-cylinder that had become faster thanks to the Balance of Performance. While his victorious Audi factory colleague prevailed right at the start, the Swiss had to work hard to gain positions against Lawson and Kelvin's brother Sheldon van der Linde in the fastest BMW M6.
While the previous day's winner paid for a duel with a spin and dropped back, Müller nestled in second place thanks to a perfect strategy for changing tires, which he maintained until the finish.
Nico Müller: "On Saturday we were simply too slow overall and then I was also unlucky with the collision. In the second race we had tough battles and I'm already looking forward to the next duels. That was a really good DTM start."
With the four points from the first and the 18 from the second race, the reigning vice champion occupies third intermediate position after the first of eight DTM weekends with 22 points behind the two rookies Kelvin van der Linde (38) and Liam Lawson (27).
First points for convincing Philip Ellis
The second Swiss only managed to score one countable success at his first DTM weekend after sensationally being the fastest driver of the day in Friday's free practice with the Mercedes-AMG of Winward Racing. On Saturday, the driver from Zug retired on the second lap in fourth place with a technical defect.
On Sunday, Ellis, who started tenth, soon made up a few positions and finished sixth. His teammate Lucas Auer took third place.
