DTM title contender Ricardo Feller: Audi’s entry into Sauber threatens his career

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Racing driver Ricardo Feller (23) rides a wild rollercoaster in the final phase of the DTM. Short review: The man from Aargau raced onto the podium at the Sachsenring, but was set back due to a crash in the evening. Two weeks later, Feller made a memorable comeback from 26th on the grid to the podium at the Red Bull Ring; the euphoria was enormous. But then there was another setback in the second race in Austria with a 15th place.

But Feller told Blick in Spielberg: “I am very happy with the season, we have made great progress with the team and have scored points in every race.” With this consistency, Feller is still in the title race.

No Swiss has ever won the DTM title

The man from Aargau travels to the final in Hockenheim third overall. But with 31 points behind leader Thomas Preining (25, Austria), Feller probably needs a miracle to write Swiss motorsport history. A Swiss has never won the DTM crown.

But even if it is not enough to win the title, Feller as an Audi factory driver and his Abt team have certainly entered the league of the best touring car drivers in Europe. But he still faces an uncertain future. The reason for Feller’s crazy career situation mainly lies in Switzerland. More precisely, in Hinwil ZH.

Audi will join the Sauber Formula 1 team as a partner and engine supplier from 2026. For this major project, Audi is cutting back on its full commitment to the rest of motorsport.

Factory support for Feller and his Abt team will end in 2024. The bad news came during the summer holidays. «I had only had a three-day holiday with my girlfriend and wanted to rest for a while, but this news came on the first day. “That was the end of the takedown, there was a certain amount of bewilderment,” Feller says.

Feller would prefer to stay in the DTM

Formula 1 mainly threatens its future. The son of the garage owner always avoided F1 and even as a junior never dreamed of the premier class because the route via Formula 3 and Formula 2 was far too expensive for him. Feller always dreamed of the DTM, where he is now competing for the title for the first time in his second year. “I consciously chose Audi and Abt at the end of 2021 and would do it again.”

It is now unclear what will happen next for the great Swiss racing promise in 2024. “Let’s see what options present themselves. I listen to my gut feeling,” says Feller. Le Mans is also floating around as an idea. But he actually wants to continue driving the DTM, because he says: “I would like to be here again in a year’s time. But as championship leader!”

Source : Blick