Huge bad luck for Maro Engel: The Winward Mercedes pilot, who went into the race from starting place, first got into each other in the first curve with Grasser-Lamborghini-Pilot Luca Engstler and then came in fourth place before the start of the pit stop window to change the tire, which destroyed his race.
But how did the faux pas come about? “Unfortunately we had a delay in the GPS,” explains Engel in an interview with Motorsport-Total.com. “The radio message came when I got out of the steep wall. Then I turned into the box – and of course that was annoying. There was certainly more in it today.”
What exactly does angels mean? From the perspective of racing engineer Mauricio Moreira, Engels Winward-Mercedes had already driven over the start-finish line when he scored his pilot to get to the box.
GPS point at Engel “somewhat shifted”
This is also confirmed by team boss Christian Hohenadel. “In principle, the GPS point was just too fast on the track,” says the ex-racing driver. “It was a bit shifted.” Engel’s racing engineer then sparked: “Pit this lap!” No wonder that Engel followed immediately.
“Maro has thrown her anchor,” says Hohenadel on the fact that his pilot delayed from high speed so as not to miss the boxing entrance and speaks of a “totally unfortunate” situation. Especially since Zandvoort belongs to Engels strongest routes and often sets highlights in changeable conditions.
“We can’t turn the time back,” says Engel after tenth place. What would have been possible? “I think we would have fought for the podium. Güven was in front of me and he won the race.”
Pushed off from Engstler? Angel calls for punishment
The fact that the Turkish Manthey-Porsche pilot came in front of angels at all has to do with the first curve, because he and Grasser-Lamborghini-Pilot Engstler got in the way. “I was on the outer lane, then get one at the corner output and find myself with two wheels in the gravel, while on the right two vehicles drive past on the right,” says Engel.
He is angry with the fact that there was no penalty for Engstler: “The rules in the DTM say something else,” he alludes to the fact that the opponent has to be left enough in the traditional series.
Engel, who is now 20 points behind brand colleague Lucas Auer in the championship in the championship, but is already looking at the Sunday race, which is started at 4:30 p.m. His motto: “” put down, keep going and look ahead. “