Source:DTM
Mercedes announced this week that they will not be participating in the 2018 DTM series and will leave the other two German auto makers BMW and Audi to fight it out in the class. Mercedes has said that they will focus their attention to the Formula E series as a works effort in the 2019-2020 season. Mercedes will join their German competitors in Formula E, as BMW and Audi has already taken to the full-electric racing series recently.
Source:Formula E
This departure from the DTM series is just another big manufacturer leaving a racing series in the last year in hopes of a new venture such as Audi’s departure from the World Endurance Championship last year.
Source:DTM
Head of Motorsport at Mercedes Toto Wolff has said that he wants Mercedes-AMG to not jump right into the sport and have a better understanding of the all-electric system so they will not compete in 2018 but will develop the best car they can for the 2019 season. This shows that Mercedes is placing a huge bet on the future growth of Formula E.
Source:Formula E
Wolff says that he hopes the move will put Mercedes at top of the most relevant racing series in the world. With his domination in the Formula 1 World Championship in the past few years.
Mercedes has been incredibly victorious in the DTM class over the years with 183 race wins and 10 driver championships. Mercedes first entered the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) series 1988.