Mercedes Benz will be leaving the DTM at the end of the 2018 season and will be entering the Formula E championship from 2019 onwards. With this brand new racing program, Mercedes-Benz will compete at both ends of the motorsport spectrum.
On the one hand, Mercedes will continue to dominate the Formula 1, which is the highest class of motorsport and competition, and on the other, the Formula E, which embodies the transformation of the automobile industry.
Since the founding of the “new” DTM, we have seen a lot of great races, spectacular duels and a competition at eye level in so far 18 consecutive races. We were able to celebrate championships and we had to accept defeat. Mercedes enjoyed every second.
“The years in the DTM will always remain a major part of our motorsport history,” says Toto Wolff. “My thanks go to all the employees who have done great work in the DTM for years and have made Mercedes-Benz the most successful manufacturer of the series. Even if such a farewell is of course difficult, we will do everything in this and next season to bid us with as many titles as possible from the DTM. We owe this to our fans and ourselves. ”
In the past 26 seasons, Mercedes has won ten times the drivers’ championship, thirteen times the team ranking and six brand championships (both DTM + ITC). Together with their fans, the Germans celebrated 183 races, 128 pole positions and 540 podium places.
“With the withdrawal from the DTM, a long-term motor sport era comes to an end for us. We look back with pride at the commitment of our teams, drivers, partners and the numerous helpers behind the scenes, who have often made the DTM a fascinating platform for our customers and brand fans, “says Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “Now is the time to go new ways.”
Formula E is comparable to an exciting start-up company
Electromobility is already a very important factor for Mercedes Benz, which will continue to grow in the future. The formula E offers the perfect platform to demonstrate the competitiveness of battery-driven drive trains from the EQ technology brand.
“Mercedes-Benz markets future battery-powered vehicles under the EQ label,” says Dr. Jens Thiemer. “The Formula E is a logical step for us to demonstrate the performance of our attractive battery-powered vehicles and to boost the EQ in motorsport and marketing.”
Toto Wolff sees the Formula E as a completely new racing series, which reflects above all the rapid changes in the automotive industry: “As in any other sector, we want to be the benchmark in the premium sector in motorsports and also to enter new innovative paths. We cover this perfectly with Formula 1 and Formula E. The Formula E is comparable to an exciting start-up company: it offers a brand-new format combining the race with a strong event character to promote current and future technologies. For a manufacturer, Formula E is an interesting platform to present electrification to a new audience. And this in a different format than any other motor sport series offers. I am delighted to be able to extend the existing entry-level option by one year to the 2019/20 season. So we have the time to get to know the series and to prepare ourselves adequately for the entrance. ”
“Today is a great day to welcome Mercedes to the Formula E family,” says Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E. “This is growing the growing number of manufacturers involved in the electric revolution. Today’s step shows how much the world is changing – not just in motorsport, but in the entire automotive industry. We are witnessing a change which first transforms our cities and then our streets. Formula E is the championship that embodies this change. Together with all our teams and manufacturers, we will continue to strive for technologies to get better and cheaper electric cars. “
