That is one way to explain a suspicious position swap. According to Motorsport.com, the DTM paddock was set buzzing at Hockenheim when race leader Lucas Auer suddenly lifted his foot in the Mercedes-Arena and waved fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Maro Engel straight through into the lead.
Now, let's look at the rules. DTM regulations have strictly banned manufacturer agreements and team orders since 2022, carrying a hefty threat of a 250,000-euro fine for anyone caught playing games. On lap five, the telemetry didn't lie, showing Auer circulating 1.5 seconds slower than Engel in the second sector alone. Engel didn't exactly hide his gratitude either, telling reporters that friends like Lucas are good to have around and noting that Auer knew what was at stake for the championship.
Here is where it gets clever, though. The rulebook's paragraph 20.2 forbids direct or indirect instructions or agreements from manufacturers and teams, but it doesn't criminalize a driver deciding to be a good mate entirely of their own accord. If Auer acted independently, Mercedes-AMG walks away clean.
And Auer's explanation for the whole wild affair? Foot cramps. Yes, really. Speaking as the Landgraf Mercedes driver after taking his first win of the season, the 32-year-old admitted it sounds a bit unserious while unable to help smiling himself. He explained that a heated first lap followed by a red flag and a restart caused him to tense up, bringing on foot issues and drama that made yielding the safest path forward.
Naturally, the German governing body DMSB checked the radio traffic for both Auer and Engel to sniff out any foul play. Unsurprisingly, the airwaves were completely clean of managed instructions. Without concrete evidence of a pre-race agreement, the officials couldn't touch them.
Ultimately, the whole debate mattered very little to the final result anyway. A botched 16.4-second pit stop dropped Engel back down the order, allowing Auer to fight back and win the race while Engel crossed the line fourth. That leaves Engel 22 points adrift in the title fight heading into the final day of the season, needing a catastrophic Sunday for Thomas Preining to salvage the championship.
