Mercedes-Benz will field no less than eight DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupes for the 2015 DTM campaign, divided into three separate teams which will battle for glory next year.
The brand with the three-pointed star announced that it will rely on the services of three teams in the DTM next season, after German officials announced that French team ART Grand Prix will debut next year in the touring car series.
“We are delighted to now have on board a strong third team for the 2015 DTM season, long-standing partner ART Grand Prix. We have in the past achieved many successes in Formula 3 with ART Grand Prix. We would love to repeat that success in the future in the DTM,” explained Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport division.
In the past, Mercedes-Benz and ART Grand Prix have enjoyed a long-standing partnership in Formula 3. Working together in the Formula 3 Euro Series, ART Grand Prix (known as AMS Formule 3 to begin with) and Mercedes-Benz achieved 78 victories, 55 pole positions and 70 fastest laps during 2003-2010.
The outfit won the team championship seven times (2003-2009) and took the drivers’ title six times (2004 Jamie Green, 2005, Lewis Hamilton, 2006, Paul Di Resta, 2007 Romain Grosjean, 2008 Nico Hülkenberg, 2009 Jules Bianchi).
“We’ve known Mercedes-Benz for many years from working together in the Formula 3 Euro Series, during which time we’ve come to really appreciate them as partners. To be picked by the most successful brand in the annals of the DTM to become their latest team fills us with enormous pride,” said Frederic Vasseur, ART Grand Prix team principal.
ART Grand Prix was founded in 1996 by Frédéric Vasseur, going by the name ASM F3 Team. After initially enjoying a number of successful years in Formula 3, the team joined the newly formed GP2 Series within the context of Formula 1 in 2005.
There, ART Grand Prix produced the first two GP2 champions in history in 2005 and 2006, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who are currently both MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 drivers.
