The Mercedes-AMG driver, Maro Engel, has experienced great frustration after his performance in the DTM race held at Norisring, where he finished seventh due to an unexpected blockage during his pit stop. His teammate, Tom Kalender, entered the pit area just as Engel was about to resume the competition, causing an incident that clearly harmed his chances of advancing.
Engel, who had managed to climb positions after starting from twelfth, expressed disappointment stating: “I was able to advance well on wet tires, but unfortunately there was a misunderstanding during the stop.” His team completed the maintenance session in just 6.8 seconds, but the need to brake to avoid a penalty caused him to lose precious time.
Details of the blockage
His race engineer, Mauricio Moreira, called over the radio to prevent Engel from leaving too early, warning: “Stop, stop – stay behind Kalender.” Engel, reflecting on the situation, clarified that his team had acted correctly, although it remains to be determined how the blockage occurred.
A misunderstanding in the team
Thomas Jager, sporting director of the DTM department of Mercedes-AMG, explained that the situation was the result of a misunderstanding, as the original plan was for Kalender to enter at the end of lap 40, moments before Engel. Kalender’s stop was delayed, causing the incident that blocked Engel at a crucial moment in the race.
“With such a short lap, everyone was focused on the stop, and unfortunately, they forgot to coordinate whether we had to keep Maro or Tom off the track at that moment,” Jager added. This lack of coordination ultimately cost Engel valuable time in an intense race.
Implications for the standings
Engel, who currently holds second place in the overall standings, realized that the setback could have cost him some positions, as after his stop, the drivers occupying the spots between four and six were three to five seconds ahead of him. “Maybe they denied me the opportunity to improve,” Engel reflected, looking forward as he continues to compete in the DTM.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
