The DTM reaches its final event at Hockenheim with five drivers in real contention for the title and another five with calculators in hand. Sheldon Van der Linde starts as the rival to beat with his BMW M4 GT3.
The 2022 DTM season has been a real roller coaster in which some pilots have known how to move better than others. With two races to go, ten drivers arrive with mathematical options to be champions, although only five seem to be in the final race for the title. Sheldon Van der Linde is the leader and rival to beat at the controls of the Schubert Motortsport BMW M4 GT3.
Hockenheim is the natural cradle of the DTM, so to speak. It is the track that opens and closes the event on a regular basis, but this season it has had to settle for hosting only the last appointment of the season. It has a length of 4,574 meters and a total of 17 curves that draw a path with two different sections.
Christian Engelhart and Leon Köhler are new to the DTM grid at Hockenheim
In the first half there are acceleration zones and straights, divided by heavy braking. On the contrary, the second part is more twisty, which requires finding the ‘set up’ compromise. Perfect setting for the battle for the title between Sheldon Van der Linde, Lucas Auer, René Rast, Thomas Preining and Mirko Bortolottiin which also with calculator in hand are Luca Stolz, Nico Müller, Dennis Olsen, Kelvin Van der Linde and Maximilian Götz.
Sheldon Van der Linde starts the weekend with 130 pointseleven units more than the sum lucas auer after the streak of positive races that the Mercedes driver has added in recent days. For its part, René Rast ranks third overall with 118 pointsdespite having suffered two retirements in the last five races. Thomas Preining with his victory in Austria reaches 116 points, for the 114 of Mirko Bortolotti.
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other actors
Luca Stolz, Nico Müller, Dennis Olsen, Kelvin Van der Linde and Maximilian Götz They are the other five drivers who have mathematical options to fight for the title, although they are quite limited. However, that does not mean that they can be a judge and part of the fight for the championship. All of them have achieved podiums, victories and notable positions in recent races, although they have lacked a step to join the leading group.
However, the DTM grid is littered with talent and aside from the top five title contenders and these five drivers, there are other names of their own who can do well at Hockenheim. Nick Cassidy has scored two wins in the last three raceswhile Ricardo Feller and Felipe Fraga also know what it’s like to win this season.
Two novelties on the grill
The last DTM grid in the 2022 season features two major changes. One ‘prolongs’ from the Red Bull Ring, since the young German driver Leon Köhler will once again replace Esteban Muth. A replacement that has nothing to do with Muth’s performance or some kind of sporting issue and yes because of the surgery that the Belgian is going to undergo and that will take him away from the tracks for weeks.
For its part, Christian Engelhart will debut in the DTM at the controls of the #92 Porsche of the SSR Performance team replacing Laurens Vanthoor. In this case, it is indeed a matter of sporting profile, since Porsche and the team have decided that Vanthoor focus on the development tests of the Porsche 963 and leave the gap for him to the 2020 ADAC GT Masters champion.
Schedules of the DTM 2022 at the Hockenheimring
All the activity of the DTM in Hockenheim can be followed through its official website and his YouTube channel.
Photos: DTM