Susie Stoddart will seek to pick up her first DTM points of the year later this month as the series heads 🥂to Brands Hatch for the eig🥃hth round of the campaign.

Ahead of her 'home' round, Susie spoke to mahbx.com Radio during ꦬMobil 1's ꦑDTM preview event at Brooklands about her year to date...

mahbx.com:
Are you pleased with your season so far Susie?

Susie Stoddart:
Yeah I think it's been a solid start to the year. I wouldn't say I am overly happy with it but I wouldn't say I am🎶 disappointed with it either. There are four races left and there is the chance to get some good results in, but I have made progress and have improved on last year.

The situation changes every year in terms of how quick and how good your car is, but I have done a better job tha👍n last year. For me, it is great to have Gary Paffett as a team-mat⛄e given he is a past champion and a Formula One test driver. If I can get close to him, I know I am on the limit of the car and am doing a good job.

mahbx.com:
You've finished most of the races this year but haven'🐠t yet scored. Is that frustr🃏ating?

Susie Stoddart:
No. I think it always been my aim to scor✅e points but you have to realistic about your cha𝄹nces of achieving that. There are a lot of '07 cars that have scored points and I have been close and put in some good performances. For sure, I want to score points and it's what I'll be working on.

mahbx.com:
How tough was the last round at the Nurburgring?

Susie Stoddart:
The race was very late and it was difficult for the teams to know when to call you into the pits. But it was a pretty good race for me. I made a good start and was high up at the start but we probably made a mistake in making a third stop for wet tyres. Overall it w😼as a successful weekend for Mercedes though.

mahbx.com:
How much are you looking forward to Brands Hatch?

Susie Stoddart:
For me I don't class Brands Hatch as a home race as its hours away from my hometown in Scotland! But it will be nice to do all my intervi💯ews in English and race in front of a home crowd if you can call it that. It is a shame we are on the Indy circuit rather than the GP circuit but it should be a good weekend and Lewis Hamilton is there doing a demonstration which will be great for the fans. We have a strong field of British drivers and I hope we get the people there to watch.

mahbx.com:
Do you think th💦e GP 💜circuit would be better for the DTM then?

Susie Stoddart:
I think the drivers would rather have the GP circuit but the DTM is based on the fans and that is what makes it successful. For them, I think it is better to see the cars on the Indy circuit as they can see them all the time and the racing sh෴ould be tight and close.

mahbx.com:
How important is it for Britain to have a round?

Susie Stoddart:
Mercedes support young British talent and there are four British drivers in the nine driver line-up - so it is important to have a round in Britain. We have the chanceღ to show the British fans how good the cars are and what a good championship it is.

mahbx.com:
Cr𒀰owd numbཧers can be lower than in Germany - is that a worry?

Susie Stoddart:
In Germany the DTM is massive; it is only just behind Formula One so people really appreciate it and enjoy the racing. It isn't as well known in the UK but I hope we get a good showing with lots of peopl♔e in.

mahbx.com:
We mention🔜ed the weather at the Nurburgring 🦩and the UK summer weather can be unpredictable. Do you think that could make it a lottery?

Susie Stoddart:
Yeah for sure. In the DTM it is hard for vi꧑sibility when you get a lot of rain and there will be a lot of traffic at Brands Hatch with such a short lap but it will mak𝔍e for an exciting race for the spectators.

mahbx.com:
Are you enjoyingﷺ racing a more up to date car this s🐷eason compared to the past two years?

Susie Stoddart:
Yeah but if y♉ou look at it, it hasn't been a massive step with the weight differences. But it is nice to step up the order a little and hopefully we can keep going that way in future.

mahbx.com:
What's it like having an ex-F1 race winner in Ralf Schumacher as a fellow♋ Mercedes runner?

Susie Stoddart:
He has shown how tough DTM is as he is one of the most successful German F1😼 drivers and he has seen how competitive the series is. He has done a good job so far but has seen how tough the series can be.

mahbx.com:
There is an obvious rivalry with Katherine Legge which gets stoked ⛄up by the media🙈...

Susie Stoddart:
She is another one of the 18 drivers I have to beat and there is no special rivalry there; she iꦚs just a🤡nother racer. I think the media interest had died down a bit now as it isn't a female race; it is one race and one battle out there. And my aim is to be the top '07 Mercedes car.

mahbx.com:
What does the future hold?

Susie Stoddart:
My aim is to be successful in the DTM ad do well in the championship. Then we will see what hapꩵpens ꦍfrom there.

mahbx.com:
Would you appܫreciate the extra competition of a third manufacturer?

Susie Stoddart:
Without a doubt. It is a successful series as it is with just two manufacturers, so a third ♕one would mak🐠e it even better than it is now.