Mamba shows its bite at first DTM test: Maro Engel with best time

• 13 hours of testing provided valuable insights at the Red Bull Ring
• First use of sustainable fuel in the DTM
• Luca Engstler was the most industrious driver, clocking up 288 laps on standardised Pirelli tyres

Spielberg. Perfect start to the 2023 DTM season: drivers and teams introduced themselves to the public for the first time during the Test and Media Days at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Maro Engel (D) laid down the first marker in six sessions and 13 hours of testing, recording the best time overall for the Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter in the legendary Mamba with the yellow and green design. Second-fastest on both days was last year’s champion Sheldon van der Linde (ZA) in the BMW M4 GT3 for Schubert Motorsport, followed by Indian driver Arjun Maini for the Mercedes-AMG Team. This taster has got fans looking forward to the first race weekend in Oschersleben from 26th to 28th May.

The drivers of the supercars from Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche completed an intensive testing schedule in Austria. On Sunday, Engel was delighted with his time of 1:28.117 minutes. “It was a good day, and it was a lot of fun working with the team. That was my first test in 2023 with the Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter. It is always just so much fun to drive in the Mamba. The car has a really big fanbase and it’s superb to feel all this support,“ said the 37-year-old works driver of his Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, the car with a design that enjoys cult status. This was also the first time that the race cars used environmentally friendly, innovative fuel from Shell, 50 percent of which consists of renewable components.

Audi works driver Luca Engstler from the Liqui Moly Team Engstler Motorsport showed that he is the most industrious driver: the 23-year-old completed 288 laps in Styria in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2, the most of all the DTM drivers. The racer from Wiggensbach is making his debut in the DTM: “It was a crazy weekend. As expected, there is immense media interest in the DTM. I am really proud to be on the grid. It was important for me and the team to gather as many kilometres and as many insights as possible. We still do have a bit of homework to do before the start of the season, but I am ready for the DTM.”

It will all start in around six weeks. Tickets for all DTM events are available at dtm.com. ProSieben will broadcast all 16 races in full, live on free TV.