The seventh of nine races in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Japan and the DTM season finale at Hockenheim. Schaeffler looks forward to an action-packed motorsport weekend (October 14/15) with chances of winning titles.
Following a season that to date has impressed with four victories – to include success in the prestigious 24-hour race at the Le Mans and the home round at the Nürburgring – plus two additional podiums, Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley are leading the WEC drivers’ championship. With an advantage of 51 points and 78 yet to be awarded, Schaeffler and Porsche have the chance of clinching an early title win at the upcoming event in Japan.
Their teammates, Neel Jani, André Lotterer and Nick Tandy – also racing in a Porsche 919 Hybrid in the top LMP1 class – made for one-two wins in the last three races. In the manufacturers’ championship, Schaeffler and Porsche may decide the title in their favor early as well. It would be the third consecutive title win for both companies in both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ championship.
Fuji Speedway will host the third from last WEC race in 2017. The 4.563-kilometer track has been a fixture on the calendar ever since the WEC’s 2012 inaugural season. Having participated in three events between 2014 and 2016, Schaeffler and Porsche, in 2015, celebrated a victory clinched by Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Mark Webber.
Thanks to a strong season that to date has seen him score a total of eleven top-ten results, including his victory at Zandvoort, Mike Rockenfeller is ranked in fourth place overall of the DTM drivers’ standings. With a 38-point deficit to fellow Audi driver Mattias Ekström, Rockenfeller even still has a theoretical chance of clinching his second title win after 2013 in the fiercely competitive touring car series.
For the last two races in 2017, the DTM campaign is traveling to the Hockenheimring. The 4.574-kilometer track in Germany’s Baden-Württemberg region is hosting a DTM finale for the 24th time. Mike Rockenfeller has finished on podium on the Grand Prix circuit three times, most recently in the first race of the 2017 season opener.