Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Breaking news

Wehrlein slammed for Audi DTM controversy remarks

Former DTM racer Christian Abt has slammed Pascal Wehrlein for remarks made after the "push him out" scandal, saying the Mercedes driver needs "safe driving training."

Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

XPB Images

Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Christian Abt
Car of Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM
Timo Scheider, Audi Sport Team Phoenix Audi RS 5 DTM
Pascal Wehrlein, HWA AG Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM

Wehrlein had attacked Audi after being taken out along with Mercedes teammate Robert Wickens in the last-lap incident at Spielberg sparked by Timo Scheider, claiming "Audi have started a big war" and expressing his hope that "no one is buying an Audi" in the next couple of days.

Abt, whose elder brother Hans-Jurgen runs the Abt Sportsline DTM squad, raced in the tin-top series for Audi between 2000 and 2007, and the 48-year-old took to social media to vent his frustration with Wehrlein's remarks.

I cannot stand anymore what is being written all day long.

Christian Abt

"What is shocking to me is that a young driver [Wehrlein] apparently is not able to catch his car after such a small hit, but instead is pulling Audi to pieces verbally," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"I think safe driving training would be a good thing for him to do.

"Otherwise, he could just watch some videos from the DTM past. Then he would see how driving standards used to be at the time."

"I cannot stand anymore what is being written all day long", Abt continued. "Do you think it was different in the past? Just have a look at those races.

"Then you will realise what kind of things manufacturers took the liberty of doing. This is racing after all – and no day trip."

Abt also lamented that nowadays rows between drivers are fought online rather than being resolved at the race track – as they used to be in his day.

"Now it's done via Facebook and Twitter. In my opinion, this is not racing anymore. Just let those guys entertain you and live on."

"If nothing happens in DTM you always complain about performance weights. In fact, you should be happy that finally there is some excitement on track."

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Scheider pleads for understanding after "push him out" controversy
Next article Season half-time in DTM: More races, more spectators and more excitement

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA