0 Pascal Wehrlein to drive DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé in colours of VfB Stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz combines motor racing and football: Mercedes junior Pascal Wehrlein lines up for the third DTM race of the season at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring (1st-2nd June) in a car sporting paintwork especially for the fixture. To mark the occasion of the DFB Cup final between VfB Stuttgart and FC Bayern Munich on Saturday 1st June in Berlin, Wehrlein’s DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé will be decked out in VfB Stuttgart’s white/red club colours for the Spielberg weekend. The logos of the five-time German football national champions and three-time DFB Pokal (German Cup) winners are displayed on the bonnet, side doors and the rear of the car.

Mercedes-Benz has close ties with VfB Stuttgart: Mercedes-Benz Bank is the main sponsor of the German side and Mercedes-Benz the exclusive automobile partner of VfB Stuttgart. In addition, the six-time DFB Cup finalists contest their home games in the Mercedes-Benz Arena and travel to away matches in a new Mercedes-Benz Travego Edition 1 team bus.

Pascal Wehrlein: “Football is my biggest passion after motor racing. I am therefore especially pleased to race at Spielberg in a car sporting VfB Stuttgart’s white/red design. This is something very special for me since I am from the small town of Sigmaringen not too far from Stuttgart. As far as I’m concerned, Saturday is all about qualifying initially, but the evening belongs to football. I think it would be nice for all VfB Stuttgart fans for their club to win on Saturday and then see me produce a decent result on Sunday. I will watch Saturday’s game in our hospitality suite and can’t wait to find out whether the guys can deliver. Anyway, I will do my best on Sunday to secure a place as far up the field as possible in my VfB Mercedes AMG C-Coupé. I hope that fans have a really exciting time this weekend and enjoy the action both on the football pitch and on the track.”

Fredi Bobic, VfB Stuttgart’s Director of Sport: “This is a great initiative that emphasises the special relationship between the two partners. We hope, of course, that we can emulate Pascal’s performance on Saturday afternoon in the final that same evening. Hopefully, Pascal will then round off a perfect weekend for Stuttgart and the region on Sunday with a successful outing on the track.”

~ Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH ~

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Pascal Wehrlein to drive DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé in colours of VfB Stuttgart

0 Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Pascal Wehrlein coaches Andreas Ivanschitz and Sebastian Prödl

On 27th May 2013, the two footballers Andreas Ivanschitz and Sebastian Prödl, who play for the Austrian national squad, took part in very special preparations for their World Cup qualifier against Sweden on 7th June in Vienna: The two Austrians had a unique training session with Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Pascal Wehrlein at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The event was also a prelude to the third round of the DTM that likewise takes place this weekend at the Red Bull Ring (June 1st-2nd).

During the driver training exercise, instructor Wehrlein went through three basic routines with the two players, giving tips regarding how to accelerate and brake correctly and how to find the ideal racing line. Following on from the practical element of the session, they subsequently sat in the passenger seat of Wehrlein’s C63 AMG Performance Car and experienced some high-octane racing excitement.

Pascal Wehrlein: “This driver training session was a nice variation to our routine in the run-up to the race weekend at the Red Bull Ring, and because I’m a big football fan, it was great to meet Andreas and Sebastian. Both performed well on the exercises and obviously had fun driving around the racetrack. It was very enjoyable for me too, giving the guys a few tips. It was also really super driving the Mercedes AMG C 63 Performance Car on a circuit that is set in such beautiful landscape.”

Andreas Ivanschitz: “It’s a great feeling testing yourself to the limit on a racetrack, especially when you’ve got Pascal by your side. He’s a real pro who supports you with valuable tips and advice. But I’ve also noticed that I don’t make a very good passenger – I prefer to do the driving myself.”

Sebastian Prödl: “I’ve never driven a car like the Mercedes AMG C 63 before, and it is obviously a unique experience. You get a tremendous sense of freedom out on the track and the chance to probe your own limits. It’s really very special when man and machine combine in this way. Thankfully, Pascal was there to rein me in a bit.”

~ Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH ~

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Pascal Wehrlein coaches Andreas Ivanschitz and Sebastian Prödl