The Mercedes-AMG factory driver won the DTM’s first title of its new GT3 era last year for the HRT outfit before switching to Winward Racing for this season.
But from grids averaging at 20.3 cars last season, grid sizes this year have increased to an average of 28.25 cars per round, with the addition of factory drivers from Lamborghini and Porsche and returning three-time DTM champion Rene Rast raising the bar.
