DTM – Stars and Stories from the Red Bull Ring

• Rising star Kamrad impresses with performance on Saturday
• Taxi power astounds Olympic swimming champion Wellbrock
• Formula 1 safety car driver Mayländer enjoys DTM visit

Kamrad sends DTM drivers into the race after a concert on the grid
Spectators were warmed up nicely ahead of the 13th DTM race of the season on Saturday afternoon. Kamrad put the drivers and fans in the mood with a performance from the podium, including such hits as "I Believe" and "Feel Alive". The rising star was invited to the Red Bull Ring by TGI and was impressed by the motorsport spectacle: "There is a great atmosphere here. I am happy to have been a part of it. I would like to take to the track at the wheel of a race car, but would be afraid of breaking something. On the whole, it is impressive how much know-how and work goes into the DTM." After his performance, Kamrad sent the DTM field into the race with the "Drivers start your engines" sign.

Safety car legend Bernd Mayländer visits the DTM
Every motorsport fan knows him, even though he has never won a Grand Prix himself: Bernd Mayländer, driver of the Formula 1 safety car for the past 25 years. Now 54 years old, he also enjoyed success as an active racing driver. His achievements include winning the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and the 2001 DTM race in Hockenheim. Mayländer was a guest of Dekra at the Red Bull Ring, where he enjoyed the atmosphere and followed the crucial phase of the DTM title race closely. "I am happy to get another taste of the DTM. Even in my day, when it had a different name, the Red Bull Ring was a highlight. There are many overtaking opportunities and the mountain views are beautiful. However, it can very quickly start to rain very heavily here, and it is always possible that the safety car will make an appearance. In Formula 1, you have to drive the safety car at the limit on a wet track. That certainly gets your pulse racing. However, as professionals, we all have to cope with those kind of conditions," said Mayländer.

Star chef Güngörmüş gives nutrition tips for racing drivers
Ali Güngörmüş was visiting the DTM for the first time. The 48-year-old was the first German-Turkish chef to receive a Michelin star and had a few nutrition tips up his sleeve for the DTM drivers. "I recommend that the drivers eat light, high-protein food, with vegetables and pulses, before the race. I got to go out in the Race Taxi and was surprised how extremely hard the driver was on the brakes," said the TV chef, known for his appearances on TV shows "Küchenschlacht" and "Koch anders".

Claudia Pechstein takes on the Ring on four wheels
She enjoyed great success on blades: Claudia Pechstein won five gold medals over 5000 and 3000 metres in the sport of speed skating. The woman from Berlin visited the DTM in Spielberg and was full of praise for the event: "It is super cool here. You get so close to the drivers and cars. That is unique in sport." Pechstein was also impressed by the laps in the Schaeffler DTM Innovation Taxi. "Despite the constant ups and downs, the car still sits perfectly on the track. It was incredible what speed you can take into even tight corners. You get strong centrifugal forces in speed skating too, but that is nothing compared to in a race car. I could have stayed out there for hours," Pechstein revealed.

Memory of an epic battle: DTM champion Paffett meets Glock
Visiting the Alpine circuit in Austria, two-time DTM champion Gary Paffett took the opportunity to reminisce about a legendary DTM battle in 2018. Back then, the Brit was embroiled in a ferocious duel for victory at the Hockenheimring, with the current McLaren driver eventually coming out on top. Paffett recovered well from that disappointment, going on to win his second DTM title at the end of the season. The two rivals met each other again at the Red Bull Ring, but this time in the paddock. "The battle with Timo in Hockenheim in 2018 was simply unbelievable. I have obviously watched it a few times - but probably not as often as Timo, because he won in the end," said Paffett. Glock replied with a grin: "I dared to go for it and make my comeback. I would obviously be delighted if Gary were also to return to the DTM." Paffett had a clear tip for this year's title race: "I am backing René Rast, who I know to be a fierce competitor from my active time as a racing driver. Privately he is a nice guy, but on the track he is uncompromising. That is what you need to be if you want to be champion."

Olympic swimming champion Wellbrock on the power of the Race Taxi
Florian Wellbrock watched his first DTM race live on Saturday, having only attended visited a practice day in Oschersleben. The multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist in long-distance swimming included a stroll through the paddock in his visit to the Red Bull Ring. The 28-year-old was a guest of Abt Sportsline and took the opportunity to inspect the Kempten-based team's garage and chat to the drivers. After the 13th race of the season, the swimmer got to know the track in Spielberg in a 640-hp Audi R8 LMS GT2 – and was amazed by what he experienced. "The power and dynamics of a race car are unbelievable. It is hard to describe that feeling you get when the car brakes from 230 km/h to 60 km/h. A great experience!"

BWT enjoys its home outing in the Alps
DTM partner BWT invited 1,700 guests to celebrate its home outing at the Red Bull Ring in style. The water technology company, which has its headquarters in the Austrian town of Mondsee, has impressed in the DTM with its "Bottle-Free Zone", which forms part of the racing series' sustainability concept and eliminates the need for single-use bottles. Guests experienced three days of spectacular motorsport up close and personal from the BWT stand at the circuit in Styria.

VKB-Bank invites guests to a talk with Thomas Preining
This year, VKB-Bank is Presenting Partner of the DTM race in Spielberg for the first time. With over 600 employees and more than 30 branches, it is the largest Austrian bank with a cooperative ownership structure. On Saturday evening, those responsible at VKB gave a talk in the DTM VIP Hospitality, during which they outlined their motorsport involvement, which is intended to strengthen the domestic economy and promote the automotive industry and technological innovation in the alpine republic. Markus Auer, General Director of VKB, welcomed their special guest: DTM driver Thomas Preining. "A great event with fascinating talks and super guests," was the summary of the racer from Linz.

HRT Ford Performance wins the "Pit Stop Tyre Change Challenge"
On Saturday evening, the Vierol Fan Box was the venue for a spectacular competition: 26 teams, each consisting of two people, went head to head in the "Pit Stop Tyre Change Challenge". In action were DTM drivers, mechanics, media representatives, partners and officials. The challenge: to change a front tyre and a rear tyre as quickly as possible. The participants gave it their all, and even presenter Patrick Simon was amazed by the high standard. Ben Dörr and bodybuilding legend Markus Rühl were particularly strong in third place, behind the runners-up from the Manthey EMA team. However, it was Fabio Scherer and Clement Fay from HRT Ford Performance who proved to be unbeatable. The duo changed the tyres in 9.5 seconds and were rewarded for their victory with a golden wheel gun. "Events like this are super for team building. You also get to see how difficult a tyre change is, and how well our guys are in the races. We hardly practiced, so the win was a big surprise, but a nice one," said Fabio Scherer.

Wings for Life launches charity campaign
This season, the DTM is supporting its new charity partner Wings for Life. The foundation supports global research projects aimed at curing paraplegia and has launched a new charity campaign: on the United Charity website, Wings for Life is auctioning various unique DTM items, including a racing overall belonging to BMW driver Marco Wittmann and a yearbook signed by Porsche racer Thomas Preining. Every euro raised goes directly into spinal cord research.