Formula 1 appearance for DTM leader Maro Engel

Maro Engel had a special role to play on Saturday during the Formula 1 weekend at Zandvoort: The DTM championship leader swapped the steering wheel of his Mercedes-AMG GT3 for a trophy and presented the Pirelli Pole Position Award in Formula 1 to the reigning world champion, Lando Norris. The Briton had earlier set the fastest lap in qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix. Engel was the first DTM driver to have the honour of presenting the award to the winner of the Formula 1 qualifying session.

“It was a special honour to present the Pirelli Pole Position Award to Lando Norris. The initiative came about through the DTM. As the current DTM championship leader, I was given the opportunity to take on this special task, which of course delighted me greatly. Pirelli is also the DTM’s tyre partner, and I think it’s great that a link between the DTM and Formula 1 can be forged in this way. It also shows just how valuable such partnerships are and what special opportunities they can lead to. “For me, it was certainly a lovely moment to be on the other side of the fence here in Zandvoort,” said Engel after the presentation in Zandvoort, where he himself won a DTM race in 2023.

For the Mercedes-AMG driver, the event in the premier class on the Dutch North Sea coast was a welcome change of pace before the DTM title race enters its decisive phase.

In three weeks’ time, Engel will travel to the penultimate DTM round at the Sachsenring (11 to 13 September) as the championship leader. With four races remaining, the 40-year-old is just one point ahead of Porsche works driver Thomas Preining. The championship will be decided in October at the season finale at the Hockenheimring.