Why rules were broken for Ogier

Mercedes will be allowed to break the DTM rules for five-time World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier’s series debut at the Red Bull Ring next month, because it does not wish to distract attention from Alex Zanardi’s guest outing at Misano with BMW.

HWA Mercedes boss Ulrich Fritz explained that scheduling issues meant Ogier would only have been able to contest next week’s night races at Misano or the Red Bull Ring round. The Austrian event became the logical choice, despite series rules stipulating that guest drivers cannot race in the final three rounds.

“There was a very long discussion about it, and I have to say thank you to BMW and Audi who from the beginning said they would support it,” said Fritz. “We are doing these guest starts because we want to help DTM, to help the platform.

“We were quite sure we wanted to do it with him [Ogier] – it was just a matter that there was no time available other than the Red Bull Ring and Misano [weekends]. We didn’t want to jump into the guest race for Alex [Zanardi], and therefore everybody agreed on doing the Red Bull Ring.”

DTM chief Gerhard Berger added at last weekend’s Brands Hatch round: “Yes, [guest] drivers are not allowed for the last three rounds. We still have to discuss it to find a way but I think if everybody is OK with it then it should be not a problem to change.”

Fritz said that Mercedes decided to speak to a driver from outside the DTM circle after seeing former champion Mattias Ekstrom struggle in his farewell Hockenheim outing in this year’s season opener in Audi’s guest car.

Ogier drove a DTM Audi RS5 in 2013 as part of a car-swap with Mattias Ekstrom, and has completed three ‘taxi’ laps at Zandvoort. He then took part in a two-day test at Vallelunga last week (below), with Fritz describing his performance as “impressive”.

Ogier has previously raced cars – he won the Race Of Champions in 2011 and has competed in French Formula 4, the Volkswagen Scirocco Cup, ADAC GT Masters and Porsche Supercup – but his DTM guest outing will be his highest-profile yet.