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Engel Tops Two-Day Pre-Season Test at Red Bull Ring

DTM teams come together for first pre-season test under ADAC rule…

Photo: Mercedes-AMG

Maro Engel set the pace in a two-day pre-season DTM test at the Red Bull Ring, narrowly leading defending series champion Sheldon van der Linde.

The Mercedes-AMG factory driver reeled off a best lap of 1:28.117 aboard the No. 48  Team Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

The German team and its ‘Mamba’-themed Mann-Filter liveried car are new to the series in 2023, while Engel returns to the championship after contesting last year’s season with GruppeM Racing.

The test, which took place across Saturday and Sunday at the Austrian circuit, marked the first time DTM teams collectively took to the track since the ADAC completed a takeover of the series from previous rights holder ITR over the off-season.

Engel set his quickest time during Sunday’s running when most of the test’s quickest laps were recorded.

Sheldon van der Linde, defending his series crown with Team Schubert, set the second-quickest time of the test by recording a 1:28.138 aboard the No. 1 BMW M4 GT3.

Haupt Racing Team driver Arjun Maini completed the top three, ahead of Ayhancan Guven and Marco Wittmann.

Wittmann, Van der Linde and Engel only completed half of the test. All three drivers were absent from the opening day of running, racing at the third round of the NLS at the Nürburgring instead.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, Mirko Bortolotti, who will spearhead a three-car Lamborghini lineup for SSR Performance, was also absent due to his clashing commitments with Prema in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He was replaced by Sandy Mitchell.

Mercedes-AMG Junior Jusuf Owega, piloting the second Landgraf Mercedes, recorded the sixth quickest time ahead of Rene Rast.

Rast had topped running on Saturday with a best lap of 1:28.469, but an improved time of 1:28.417 put the No. 33 Schubert BMW seventh overall.

He remained ahead of Abt Sportsline pairing Ricardo Feller and Kelvin van der Linde, with Luca Stolz completing the top ten.

Series newcomer Luca Engstler racked up the most mileage during the test.

The Audi factory driver completed 288 laps behind the wheel of the No. 8 Liqui-Moly Team Engstler Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

One team was absent from the test: Tresor Orange1, which recently confirmed a pair of entries for Patric Niederhauser and Mattia Drudi, did not take part.

Davey Euwema is Sportscar365's European Editor. Based in The Netherlands, Euwema covers the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, among other series.

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