Mercedes return to Donington after seven years.

The third round of the 2002 DTM takes place at Donington Park this weekend, returning the series to the oldest existing race track in Great Britain and the scene of battles between many of the predecessors of the current DTM field.

Opened in 1931, Donington played host to the DTM and its ITC spin-off three times between 1993 and 1995, with Mercedes driver Bernd Schneider holding the lap record in a DTM car with a time of 1min 32.03secs. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the return of racing to the Derbyshire circuit - a spell that has seen it pack several glamorous events into its schedule.

In 1993, Donington hosted the European Formula One Grand Prix, is the venue for the annual British Motorcycle Grand Prix and, until this year, was also a regular stop on the World Superbike calendar. The three DTM events' six race wins were shared between by Alfa Romeo - with Christian Danner, Nicola Larini and Alessandro Nannini - Mercedes-Benz - both with Schneider - and Opel -with Manuel Reuter.

Mercedes drivers Schneider, Uwe Alzen and Bernd Mayl?nder all raced at Donington in 1995. In that year, the multiple series champion achieved pole position, won both heats and posted the fastest lap in each race. New team-mate Jean Alesi participated in the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington for Ferrari, but retired after 36 of the 76 laps.

"The sweeping corners at the back of the track from Craner Curves to McLeans and the Melbourne and Goddards hairpins are very challenging, and it's not easy to find the optimum set-up," Schneider admitted, "The hairpins offer good opportunities to overtake."

"I like the atmosphere at Donington, especially the fast corners at the back, where the track sweeps along the spectator banking," agreed Alesi.

Although Scotsman Peter Dumbreck is the only British driver among the ten Mercedes-Benz DTM pilots, all of them can count on support from numerous particularly interested fans. About 1000 colleagues from Mercedes-Benz Formula One partner McLaren and the Formula One engine subsidiary Ilmor have been invited to Donington by Mercedes-Benz Motorsport to watch the race.