Mercedes-Benz will compete with seven cars in the 2014 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season, after it was announced that they will retain the services of Christian Vietoris, Pascal Wehrlein and Robert Wickens.
Mercedes had previously announced that Gary Paffett and Daniel Juncadella would remain in the team for 2014, with former F1 drivers Paul di Resta and Vitaly Petrov also racing for the marque.
The announcement also marks a slight increase in cars for the three-pointed star, who ran six AMG C-Coupé’s in the 2013 season.
Mercedes-Benz Head of Motorsport Toto Wolff is pleased to welcome back the young drivers to the team alongside former DTM champions Paffett and Di Resta.
“Our DTM squad for the 2014 season is a good mix of successful DTM winners such as Gary and Paul, plus aspiring DTM drivers like our Mercedes juniors,” said Wolff. “We clearly did not quite live up to our expectations last season, which is why we intend to do much better in the new season.
“With two DTM champions, two ex-Formula 1 drivers and a bevy of young, well-proven DTM drivers, we will achieve even more race wins this year and aim ultimately to have a good crack at the title.”
Vietoris, who finished fourth overall in 2013, was the most successful of Mercedes’ young chargers last year and the 24-year-old heads into his fourth season in the DTM aiming for his first victory.
“I reached my personal goal of a position in the top five last year, for sure,” said Vietoris. “And I finished on the podium four times, but unfortunately, never quite made the topmost rung. I would really like to change that this year. My team and I intend to go flat out to achieve our objective.”
Canadian Wickens finished just one position behind Vietoris in the 2013 championship and took his first win in the DTM with a masterful drive at the Nürburgring.
“My goal last season was to consistently finish in the points and maybe even achieve a podium – I did even better than that with three podiums and my first DTM victory,” said Wickens. “I aim to build on those results in 2014 and improve further. I definitely got the taste for victory at the Nürburgring.”
Wehrlein remains the youngest DTM driver at just 19 years of age and endured a challkenging maiden season in the DTM with the German finishing last in the championship standings with just three tenth-placed finishes to his name.
“My début season last year was okay, but this season I would like to do even better and improve even more,” admitted Wehrlein. “I want to finish regularly in the points this year and maybe spring one or two surprises as the season progresses.”
The DTM begins at the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg on the weekend of the 3rd and 4th May.