Just a few weeks ago, Maro Engel extended his contract with Mercedes-AMG. The works driver, who has impressed with enormous consistency over the past two years and finished third in the drivers’ standings, celebrated his 40th birthday this year. However, he is not thinking about ending his career.
But what goals does the monegasque by choice have for the future? “I would also love to win races or championships that I have already won again, but there are also a few that I haven’t won yet,” he smiles. “For example, the DTM title. That’s certainly a big goal.”
Engel, who has completed nine DTM seasons so far – and who made his first comeback in the traditional series in 2017 and his second in 2022 – has so far achieved one victory in the Class 1 and one in the GT3 era, as well as a total of 15 podium places.
Engel is the man for difficult race tracks
The GT3 specialist’s form curve in the DTM, which also shows again and again on the Nordschleife and in the rain, has clearly shown an upward trend over the past two years.
Speaking of the Nürburgring Nordschleife: Engel won the 24-hour race on what is perhaps the most difficult race track in the world in 2016, and he also took four victories in the GT classic in the urban canyons of Macau. In 2021 he took the GTD victory in the 24-hour race in Daytona, and in 2023 he also achieved the GTD Pro victory in Florida.
Engel also became champion of the then Blancpain endurance series in 2018, and in 2024 he repeated the sprint title in the successor series GT World Challenge Europe. But what else is on his prey list besides the DTM?
Which classics Engel has a score to settle with
“The 24-hour race in Spa hasn’t worked out yet. It’s similar with the 12-hour race in Bathurst,” he still has two classics on his list. “So we’ll roll up our sleeves and tackle it. The rest is racing and takes place on the track – you don’t always have that in your own hands. But that’s the beauty of it.”
While other GT3 drivers dream of prototype racing or, like DTM champion Ayhancan Güven, are about to switch to Formula E, in which Engel competed from 2016 to 2018, the Mercedes-AMG works driver clearly sees his future in the GT3 sector.
“This is my home,” he clarifies. “I have a lot of fun, that’s the most important thing. That’s why the most important thing is that you have the motivation and the goals. That’s the case – and that’s why I just feel very comfortable here.”