Susie Stoddart is one of the five-strong British contingent racing in the DTM in 2007. In her first exclusive column for Crash.net, the fast young lady from Scotland tells us how she is enjoying her sophomore campaign in the series so far…
I learned a lot during my first year in the DTM. I went into it from British F3, but the transition from single-seaters across to tin-tops wasn’t too bad at all. The DTM machine is very unique. Ok, it’s a lot heavier than an F3 car, but both the pace and feel of the two are surprisingly similar. Obviously you can’t see as much in the DTM car, but I had already driven it twice anyway in the Autosport/
McLaren Young Driver of the Year Award, so I knew a little bit what to expect.
I think the most important thing from last year is I learned most of the circuits – I had never really raced on a lot of the European tracks before. I also learned all about pit-stops and how to conserve your tyres in long races. The other drivers such as Bernd Schneider and Mika Hakkinen were all very helpful too – they knew what I was up against in the 2004 machine. It’s like one big family at Mercedes. Of course everyone wants to be the best when they are at the race track, but away from it we all get on very well, and there’s a very good team spirit there.
It’s very difficult for technical director Gerhard Unger and the HWA team to make technical advances every year, because the regulations are so limited – there’s not an awful lot they can change on the cars. The 2005 machine is a superb car though – there’s not much you could improve on it to make it better, yet every year they have to try and find a few tenths to make the new version quicker.
I think Mercedes have done a very good job with the 2007 car; they’ve just been unlucky so far through circumstances. None of the drivers have scored good points in the first two rounds, but I think for sure you will see them as a force to be reckoned with towards the middle and end of the season.
