Canadian Spengler gets raw deal from Mercedes

Bruno Spengler

Maybe it's time for Bruno Spengler — the best race car driver Canadians never knew in 2010 — and his handlers to consider a move to NASCAR in 2011.

Spengler was rewarded for a great 2010 season in the ultra competitive DTM sports car series with a lump of coal this holiday season by his Mercedes racing team.

After leading the series right up until the final race at Shanghai, Spengler should have fully expected the team to give him at least a Formula One trial in the off-season.

But that gift went to teammate Paul di Resta, who now is rumored to be moving to the Mercedes-backed Force India F-1 squad next year.

Mercedes racing boss Norbert Haug, who has kept Spengler in line with annual promises of promotion to the top series, didn't even make mention of the 27-year-old Canadian when he anointed di Resta as F-1 ready.

"We support Paul to be in Formula One next year," Haug said.

DTM is the closest thing there is to NASCAR in Europe and Asia and Spengler has shown over and over he can wheel the big sedans as good as anyone, anywhere. Standard-Freeholder.com