Dienst to Sub for Buhk in Space Drive Merc at Hockenheim

Muecke Motorsport has confirmed that Marvin Dienst will stand in for Maximilian Buhk at the penultimate round of the DTM season at Hockenheim next month.

Buhk is unable to take part in the Hockenheim fixture due to clashing commitments in ADAC GT Masters where he drives for fellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 outfit HTP.

Buhk and Raffaele Marciello are currently second in the GT Masters standings with six races remaining, including a pair at the Sachsenring on  October 2-3.

Muecke Motorsport has enlisted Dienst for the DTM double-header on the same dates, handing the German racer his debut in the German championship.

Dienst last drove for Muecke in the 2014 ADAC Formel Masters series, where he took three race wins in a season that was won by Mikkel Jensen.

The 24-year-old now races in the Silver Cup class of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup for Mercedes squad Toksport WRT.

Dienst has also previously handled a GT4 car fitted with the Space Drive steer-by-wire technology that is installed in Muecke Motorsport’s GT3-spec DTM challenger.

The system developed by Schaeffler Paravan lacks a physical steering column and instead uses digital signals to link the driver’s inputs with the vehicle’s movements.

“We are delighted to welcome an old acquaintance to the Space Drive cockpit at Hockenheim,” said Muecke Motorsport team boss Peter Muecke.

“Marvin Dienst earned his first spurs with us as a young professional. We hold him and his expertise in very high regard. He is also already familiar with the Space Drive system.

“Especially with a development project like this, it is important to work with different development drivers.

“We started the project with Gary Paffett who was already able to provide us with important feedback for the development during the test drives, as well as Maximilian Buhk during the last ten DTM rounds.”

Dienst added: “I am very familiar with the Mercedes-AMG, with the steering and of course with the track at Hockenheim. It’s my home track.

“The Space Drive technology has come a long way since last year. It felt very good from the start.

“I know the car, I know the steering and still it’s something else to go into such a fiercely competitive field as the DTM. I’m looking forward to the race weekend.”