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N8 AUTOSPORT.COM 18 APRIL 2019DTMPietro Fittipaldi, grandson
of two-time Formula 1
world champion Emerson, is
edging towards a season in
the DTM. The Haas F1 tester
and sometime IndyCar
driver is being given a tryout
in the WRT Audi squad this
week in what is likely to be a
precursor to a full-time drive
in one of its customer RS5s.
Fittipaldi was due to drive
the solo car WRT is allowedto enter in the pre-season
test at the Lausitzring on
Wednesday and Thursday
this week. Team boss
Vincent Vosse explained
that the reason he was
driving the car was because
a deal was in the offing.
“Pietro will be in the
car for the test and we are
working as though he will be
in the car for the full season,
but we can’t say that it is
confirmed yet,” said Vosse
ahead of the test. “He’s avery good kid and I’m
excited about having him
in one of our cars.”
Should the deal fail to
come off, the likelihood
is that WRT will run only
a single car in its maiden
season in the DTM. Vosse
has stressed the importance
of running a potential
candidate for the seat
alongside South African
Jonathan Aberdein in the
only official pre-season test.
GARY WATKINSFittipaldi closes on DTM with Audi test
Ta n a k b e co me s
co-team principal
at Estonian squad
WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPWorld Rally Championship contender Ott
Tanak has lined up his post-driving future
by taking a stake in MM Motorsport, the
team set up by fellow Estonian rallying
hero Markko Martin.
While Tanak’s star remains very much in
the ascendancy, he is laying the foundations
for life beyond the WRC in joining Martin
on board at the Tallinn squad.
“This sport comes from the inside –I have known it all of my life and I don’t
want to work outside of it,” Toyota star
Tanak told Autosport. “When I lost the
drive with M-Sport in 2012, I told myself
it was all over and I would go and set up
my own team to run other cars. I did
that and I will do it again.
“We have been working together since
I have known him [Martin],” added Tanak,
who drove for MM Motorsport between
2009-11, making his first appearances in the
WRC. “And working together is a fair thingto do. Estonia’s quite small, so it’s more
efficient to be working together than apart.
When I stop, this is the next step.”
“You have that saying in English,” said
Martin, who peaked with third in the WRC
with Ford in 2004. “It’s something about
ducks, or birds going away and then coming
home – home to roost! Roughly speaking,
that’s what Ott is doing here. He started his
serious rally career here with these people
and it’s nice to see him coming back.”
DAVID EVANSPIT + PADDOCK