Bernd Schneider: The Ultimate Benchmark

Remarkably little stays constant in the DTM. Alfa Romeo, BMW and Opel have all come and gone. Superstar drivers Mika Hakkinen, Jean Alesi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen gave their illustrious careers an all-too-quick fillip here. Even the championship itself managed to morph into the ITC, before imploding when costs got too high and returning again in 2000.

Nonetheless, there are two things in the DTM of today that were there 15 years ago: Mercedes and Bernd Schneider.

Mercedes have been steadfast competitors in Germany's premier tin-top series since its early-90s heyday, through to its ITC disaster, and back around from rebirth at the turn of the millennium.

While Alfa Romeo, BMW, Opel and Audi have all occasionally usurped their authority, the three-pointed star remains the most successful marque in the series' chequered history.

Much of that is down to that Schneider, who, at 43 years old, is about to embark on his 14th season as a Mercedes DTM driver, and 17th with the marque in total. He's just as capable of scrapping for the title today as he was when he first appeared on the scene.

The only driver to have competed in every race since DTM's revival in 2000, Schneider heads into 2008 searching for a sixth title with as much relish as when he first landed a works AMG deal with Mercedes back in 1992 alongside Klaus Ludwig.

"Racing a car is still a lot of fun for me - that's my motivating force," says Schneider, who also competed in nine Formula One Grands Prix during the 1988-90 seasons with Zakspeed and Arrows. "This force still is as strong as it used to be years ago.

"To battle it out with the young drivers, in a perfect car supported by a perfect team, is just too much fun for me to think about retiring. As long as I'm offered this opportunity, I'm going to continue. That's what I've always said."

Ludwig was already something of a DTM legend when Schneider arrived on the scene, having won the 1992 and 1994 titles. Few would have suspected at the time that Schneider would go on to surpass all the records in a career that also includes four ITC wins and 11 FIA GT victories.

It has led to Schneider being labelled by some as 'the Schumacher of touring cars'. While the comparisons - beyond his nationality - are obvious, it's not a mantle Schneider is particularly comfortable with:

McLaren-Mercedes F1 and HWA-Mercedes DTM cars in 2005 © XPB/LAT

"I don't think that you can compare F1 and DTM. The same applies to comparing Michael and me. He raised the bar for every racing driver to a level that won't be achieved again. No matter how many DTM titles I win, he is in a class of its own."

After quickly establishing himself as a front-runner, Schneider cemented his team leader status in 1995 with his first title. When Opel went on to prevail in a battle of the expensive, technology-laden ITC cars in '96, Schneider made the seamless transition to sportscar racing, still with Mercedes, winning the FIA GT Championship in '97 and competing at Le Mans in '98 and '99.

The return of the DTM in 2000 elevated Schneider to belated super-stardom. He dominated the championship in that season, and triumphed again in 2001 and '03.

Then the youngsters came. With Mattias Ekstrom, Gary Paffett and Christijan Albers all peaking in 2004 and '05, Schneider was pushing 40 and was in danger of being undermined by the next generation. Suddenly retirement was being mooted, but Schneider insists it was never a consideration.

"In this professional series the pressure is enormous, so success is the top priority, no matter how old the driver. In DTM, you have to prove yourself again and again. That's something I have learned in the past.

"When things didn't go that well for me in 2005 I was massively criticised from all sides - my career was called into question. It doesn't matter how many races you've won, you have to deliver every year. And that's what I have to do again in 2008."

It was just as well he didn't consider retiring. Mercedes resisted the temptation to demote him to a 'used' car in favour of another young charger and he repaid their loyalty by romping away with a fifth title.

An indifferent 2007 season again flagged up rumours of retirement, and Schneider is well aware of the competition for his plum spot in the Mercedes 'A' team. He already had to fight off Paffett and Paul di Resta, and now Ralf Schumacher seems to be joining the queue.

"From my point of view, Ralf's recent F1 results didn't reflect his true competitiveness," says Schneider. "When racing for BMW he proved that he has what it takes to win races. I'm convinced that Ralf will be able to battle it out at the front of DTM when racing a competitive car."

With 35 victories under his belt, Schneider has won everything there is to be won in the DTM and, while he is perhaps not the title contender he once was, 2006 proved that he can never be written off.

Indeed, with arguably the best car at his disposal, and the excitement of younger team-mates to contest his superiority, Schneider says he has no reason to retire just yet.

"I am not planning to retire - that's pure nonsense. I will continue and I'm well-prepared for the new season."