DTM: Audi's Mortara coy on Mercedes link

Audi DTM star Edoardo Mortara has refused to be drawn on speculation that he is set for a switch to Mercedes for 2017.

The 29-year-old Italian, who was narrowly defeated to the 2016 crown by BMW's Marco Wittmann in last weekend's finale, has been with Audi since he joined the DTM in 2011. Before then he was a protege of Audi sister marque Volkswagen in Formula 3, winning the 2009 and '10 Macau Grand Prix races and the '10 F3 Euro Series crown.

With Mortara set to return to Macau next month for a crack at the GT World Cup with Audi, he said that it was not appropriate to make any comment about next year.

"I am going to Macau with Audi to battle for the world title in GT," he said. "So from my side you can expect no announcement yet."

He also played down the significance of his post-race radio message to the Abt Audi team, which was broadcast on the TV coverage and sounded like it could be a farewell.

"It was more of a thank-you message," said Mortara. "The guys have been working very hard, and if you take into consideration that we have been battling a BMW with a wider rear wing and that was lighter it shows we also had the best car. I was basically just grateful for driving such a good car."

MORTARA CRITICIZES BMW 'WARFARE'

Mortara also expressed his displeasure with the tactics of Wittmann's BMW teammates as he raced up the field to victory in the final race of the season last Sunday.

He had to pass BMW drivers Maxime Martin and Tom Blomqvist before he was able to grab the race lead from Wittmann, whose eventual fourth-place finish was enough to seal the title.

"It was true war out there," said Mortara, who signaled his displeasure to Blomqvist for one maneuver.

"I felt I was in the middle of the jungle, with every BMW trying to take me out of the race, proper and simple," said Mortara. "I had some pretty unfair moves from Blomqvist – that wasn't nice but I managed to overtake the guys in front of me and go away, even though all four corners of the car were gone. It was pretty difficult to drive, even if I found a race rhythm."

Originally on Autosport.com