Mercedes-AMG DTM racer Arjun Maini shows incredible pace in Hockenheim

Bangalore-based
Maini
has
already
shown
a
predilection
for
performing
strongly
on
the
circuits
he
has
previously
raced
on
before
and
the
Indian
continued
his
run
this
past
weekend
finishing
eighth
overall
during
the
weekend’s
second
race.

Maini
looked
a
good
bet
to
secure
his
first
podium
finish
of
the
season
after
a
strong
first
free
practice
session
that
left
him
at
the
top
of
the
standings
for
the
first
time
this
year.
The
result
gave
Maini
the
confidence
to
experiment
with
his
car’s
setup
during
the
weekend’s
second
practice
session
before
the
Indian
claimed
a
stunning
fifth
place
during
the
weekend’s
first
qualifying
session.

Unfortunately,
Maini
failed
to
capitalize
on
his
strong
pace
with
the
usually
composed
Mercedes
driver,
making
a
rare
driving
error
as
the
field
made
its
way
towards
the
circuit’s
hairpin
on
the
first
lap.
The
Mercedes
man
misjudged
his
braking
and
he
careened
into
the
fellow
Mercedes
driver
Lucas
Auer,
with
the
ensuing
impact
ending
his
race
prematurely.
The
mistake
also
earned
Maini
a
five-place
grid
penalty
with
the
ramifications
coming
during
the
weekend’s
second
qualifying
session.

Despite
the
previous
day’s
events,
Maini
put
in
an
impeccable
performance
during
Qualifying
2,
with
the
Indian
claiming
third
overall,
missing
out
on
pole
by
just
.11
of
a
second.
However,
the
penalty
meant
he
would
ultimately
start
eighth
and
despite
gambling
on
an
alternate
strategy
that
saw
him
pit
later
than
the
drivers
around
him,
Maini
ended
the
race
in
P7
on
the
Track.
However,
due
to
a
5-sec
Pitstop
infringement
penalty
the
Indian
Driver
ultimately
finished
in
P8.

“The
weekend
was
a
mixed
bag
for
me,”
Maini
stated.

“We
definitely
had
the
pace
for
a
top-five
finish
and
I
accept
full
responsibility
for
the
incident
down
at
the
hairpin.
I
apologized
to
Lucas
[Auer]
after
the
race
and
the
penalty
definitely
compromised
my
second
race.

“Despite
the
end
result
there
are
a
lot
of
positives
to
take
away
from
the
weekend
and
I
feel
that
both
my
overall
pace
and
performance
have
improved
significantly
since
the
season
started.”

“We
head
to
the
Norisring
for
the
final
round
of
the
championship
and
I’m
hoping
both
my
GetSpeed
Racing
Team
and
I
can
end
the
season
strongly.”

Despite
the
end
result,
the
DTM
rookie
performed
admirably
over
the
course
of
the
weekend.
The
Norisring
is
a
track
Maini
has
previously
raced
on
and
given
his
season
so
far,
a
strong
end
to
his
first
year
in
Germany’s
premier
racing
series
is
a
definite
possibility.

The
DTM
finale
will
take
place
in
a
week’s
time
on
October
8-10,
2021.

Source:
Media
Release