How the DTM title can be won - Mercedes' Wehrlein on the brink
Mercedes Formula 1 reserve Pascal Wehrlein heads to this weekend's DTM finale at Hockenheim with one hand on the silverware
Wehrlein, who turns 21 this Sunday, holds a 37-point lead over Audi's Edoardo Mortara, with 50 on offer across the two races.
Mattias Ekstrom and BMW's Bruno Spengler are 38 and 46 behind, respectively.
The situation for all three of Wehrlein's challengers is essentially the same - win both races and hope the Mercedes youngster has a torrid weekend.
Mortara and Ekstrom, though, could mathematically snatch the title with a victory and a podium, or even fourth in Mortara's case.
"It's his championship to lose," Ekstrom told Autosport.
"I think we can only win it with massive luck, and that's how it is.
"We'll go to Hockenheim and try to get a big trophy, fight for race wins and have some fun, but the championship is fairly gone.
"I think he needs to screw it up big time."
If he can seal the title, Wehrlein will become the DTM's youngest-ever champion, eclipsing Marco Wittmann, who secured the 2014 championship aged 24 years and 294 days.
Wehrlein finished second in the opening race of the season at Hockenheim in May.
"It's a very good situation," he said.
"I'm very confident. I like the track, and the first race I was on the podium, so we definitely have a quick car there."
AS IT STANDS
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pascal Wehrlein | 165 |
| 2 | Edoardo Mortara | 128 |
| 3 | Mattias Ekstrom | 127 |
| 4 | Bruno Spengler | 119 |
HOW WEHRLEIN CAN SEAL THE TITLE
On Saturday...
- Finish ahead of Mortara, Ekstrom and Spengler
- Finish third or better if Mortara or Ekstrom win
- Finish seventh or better if Spengler wins
- Finish sixth or better if Mortara or Ekstrom finish second
- Finish eighth or better if Mortara or Ektrom finish third
- Finish 10th or better if Mortara finishes fourth
On Sunday...
- Finish third or better
- Finish fourth the races in fourth and ninth, or better
- Finish the races in fifth and eighth, or better
- Finish the races in sixth and seventh, or better
HOW MORTARA CAN WIN THE TITLE
By winning both races - 178 points...
- Take title on countback (seconds) if Wehrlein finishes fourth and 10th
- Wehrlein finishes lower than fourth and ninth in the two races
- Wehrlein finishes lower than fifth and eighth in the two races
- Wehrlein finishes lower than sixth and seventh in the two races
By winning one race, finishing second in the other - 171 points...
- Take title on countback (seconds) if Wehrlein finishes seventh and lower than 10th
- Take title on countback (seconds) if Wehrlein finishes eighth and ninth
- Wehrlein finishes lower than ninth in both races
By winning one race, finishing third in the other - 168 points...
- Take title on countback (seconds) if Wehrlein finishes ninth and 10th
- Wehrlein finishes lower than ninth in 10th in both races
By winning one race, finishing fourth in the other - 165 points...
- Take title on countback (seconds) if Wehrlein fails to score all weekend
HOW EKSTROM CAN WIN THE TITLE
By winning both races - 177 points...
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes fourth one day and fails to score the other
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes fifth one day and ninth the other
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes seventh each day
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes sixth one day and eighth the other
- Wehrlein finishes lower than fourth and 10th in the two races
- Wehrlein finishes lower than fifth and eighth in the two races
- Wehrlein finishes lower than sixth and seventh in the two races
By winning one race, finishing second in the other - 170 points...
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes eighth one day and 10th the other
- Wehrlein finishes lower than ninth in both races
By winning one race, finishing third in the other - 167 points...
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein finishes ninth in one race and lower than 10th in the other
- Take title on countback (wins) if Wehrlein is 10th in both races
- Wehrlein fails to score all weekend
HOW SPENGLER CAN WIN THE TITLE
- Win both races to move to 169 points
- Take title on countback (thirds) if Wehrlein finishes ninth each day
- Wehrlein finishes ninth and 10th, or lower, in the two races
Follow both legs of the DTM title decider as they happen with Autosport Race Centre Live from 12.30pm Saturday and 2.15pm Sunday (UK time)
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