DTM 2008 – Hockenheimring II: Audi preview

Audi enters DTM finale with head start

Ingolstadt — It was the most extensive factory programme in AUDI AG motorsport history to date. On

 Sunday, 26 October it could become the most successful ever: If Timo Scheider clinches the DTM title for Audi at Hockenheim, then the brand with the four rings will have won everything there was to win this season.

In June Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish scored the third successive victory for the Audi R10 TDI in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner won the American Le Mans Series title with the diesel sportscar, Alexandre Premat and Mike Rockenfeller in the European based Le Mans Series.

Audi has also been on the road to success from the very beginning of the 2008 DTM season. The new Audi A4 DTM made a perfect debut in Hockenheim by taking a spectacular one-two-three finish. Since then Audi has not relinquished its hold on the championship lead of the most popular touring car series.

Now, Audi has the chance to successfully defend a DTM title for the second time since 1990/1991. Like Mattias Ekstrom before him, Timo Scheider comes this time to the final race of the year at Hockenheim with a two point advantage. Two different drivers also won the title for Audi at the Hockenheim finale in 1990 and 1991: 1990 with Hans-Joachim Stuck, 1991 with Frank Biela.

This time Audi’s hopes rest on the shoulders of Timo Scheider, who already boasts an impressive record this season: He celebrated two victories with his GW:plus/Top Service Audi A4 DTM. The 29-year old started four-times from pole position, and mounted the podium seven times. Without a jump start at Mugello and an unfortunate tyre choice at the Nurburgring and at Le Mans the German, who lives on the shores of Lake Constance, would have long been champion.

The fans can look forward to a thrilling finale. Advance tickets sales have exceeded 60,000 and, as a result, last year’s record crowd (152,000 spectators throughout the weekend) could even be beaten.

Timo Scheider took pole position at Hockenheim at the start of the season. The championship leader also has good memories of the final race: In 2006 he was the best driver of a year-old car. At the 2007 finale he claimed his first ever DTM podium finish. Now he aims to win his first DTM title and, in front of his home crowd, fend-off Paul di Resta’s attack in the Mercedes-Benz.

Timo Scheider has a two point advantage over his rival. This means that di Resta must finish in front of Scheider — a small but not unimportant psychological advantage for the Audi driver.

As usual ARD broadcasts qualifying and the race live on “Das Erste”. Free practice is shown by www.dtm.tv in the Internet. Audi.tv shows the highlights and background reports. Whoever prefers to watch the eagerly awaited finale at the track can still order tickets from the Audi Ticket-Hotline +49 (0)841 / 8947777 or online at www.audi-dtm.de.

 

Quotes before the DTM finals at Hockenheim

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “At the last race at Le Mans we already had the title in our hands until halfway through the race. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fix it. This means there is now a big showdown at Hockenheim. The atmosphere will be fantastic. I’m convinced that the grandstands will be full. We’ll do everything to bring the championship home for Audi.”

Timo Scheider (GW:plus/Top Service Audi A4 DTM #10): “We scored a memorable one-two-three at the start of the season at Hockenheim, and history shows that the final races at Hockenheim have always gone well for me. I’ve actually always finished my years positively there, which is why I’m particularly pleased that the finale is held at Hockenheim. It definitely won’t be plain sailing with just a two point lead over Paul (di Resta), but in fact a battle royal. The many German fans in the stands will certainly act as extra motivation for me.”

Mattias Ekstrom (Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #1): “I’m really looking forward to the finale. We won at the start of the season at Hockenheim, which also happens to be my goal for the last race.”

Martin Tomczyk (Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #2): “It’s great to finish each season at Hockenheim. The atmosphere is always excellent there. I hope that it stays dry and we will see an exciting championship battle that obviously goes in favour of Audi.”

Tom Kristensen (Audi A4 DTM #9): “Without a shadow of a doubt Hockenheim will be very interesting. There’ll be hoards of spectators there. The championship battle between Timo (Scheider) and di Resta is very close. I personally hope that I can finish the season with a good result. We were always quick this season. My team always gave me a good car; unfortunately we had more than our fair share of bad luck in the races.”

Alexandre Premat (Audi Bank/Shell Helix Audi A4 DTM #14): “It’ll be hard for us at Hockenheim because we’ll have heaviest 2007 car in the field. I want to do a good job again. We’ll see what the weather does. My goal is to take ninth place and therefore be the best driver of a 2007 Audi.”

Mike Rockenfeller (S line Audi A4 DTM #18): “A long season comes to an end for me. The weather at Hockenheim can also be very unpredictable. I would like to continue my run of good form that we’ve seen in the past races, which was particularly good more recently in qualifying.”

Markus Winkelhock (Playboy Audi A4 DTM #19): “Hockenheim is a race where there is always loads going on. It is also my home race and Hockenheim is a circuit that really suits me. I hope that we can win the title with Audi there.”

Oliver Jarvis (Best Buddies Audi A4 DTM #15): “It’s great to be returning to a circuit that I already know. Things ran well for me there at the season opener, I got into the top-eight in qualifying. I hope that I can score a few points.”

Christijan Albers (Audi A4 DTM #21): “We’ll have a pretty tough time with the 2006 cars at Hockenheim. However, it’ll be an exciting final. I hope that Audi can win the title.”

Katherine Legge (Audi A4 DTM #20): “I drove my first DTM race at Hockenheim, which means we’ll be able to see just how we have improved during the season. It’ll be a great final. The spectators can look forward to a really fantastic race.”

Hans-Jurgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “The DTM will see one of the most exciting final races ever. Travelling to Hockenheim with a two point lead is a small cushion, but not really reassuring. As a team we’ll have to try to deliver an absolute top performance. The car can do it. I believe that Timo (Scheider) is also well capable of keeping his cool. It goes without saying that I hope things turn out well for us.”

Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix): “It’s a shame that the season is already nearly over again! Our team is extra motivated for Hockenheim after the great result at Le Mans. We’ll do everything within our power so that Timo (Scheider) can take the title at the finale and score a few points ourselves as team.”

Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg): “Hockenheim will certainly be very tense for all concerned. I hope that we can help to bring the championship home. Le Mans went a little disappointingly for us as team, which is why we hope to turn the tide at Hockenheim.”

-credit: audi

 

Actual Standings

 

DTM 2008 – Ekstrom wins rain lottery at Le Mans

 

By Nancy Knapp Schilke - Motorsport.com

Mattias Ekstrom and his Audi Abt Sportsline crew won what truly was a rain lottery today on the Le Mans Bugatti circuit. The one major variable in the German Touring Car Masters series (DTM) race in France was the ever changing rain in the area — from light showers to driving rain — adding to the usual action in the German series.

Ekstrom inherited the lead when Audi factory teammate and points leader Timo Scheider dived into the pits on lap 11 and remained on slicks. Soon the track was starting to form rivers along the circuit and the usual mandatory two pit stops became four or more.

Even with a case of the flu, the Swede was able to take his third race win this season by over four seconds to second place Paul di Resta from the Mercedes camp.

“This wasn’t bad for a sick racer. After I was frustrated with a bout of flu all weekend I’m now totally happy about victory,” said Ekstrom. “The race was great and my Audi A4 was running perfectly from the start to the final lap. I couldn’t wish for more than this except, of course, that I would have liked still being in the race for the title. The decision has been postponed to the finale. There, we’ll be giving everything to clinch the title with Timo for Audi.”

While Ekstrom celebrated his 13th career victory, di Resta was also pumped about his podium finish. Placing his AMG Mercedes second in the penultimate round forces the championship battle to the season finale in Hockenheim on October 26th.

“It was not the right decision to start with rain tyres, but in conditions like today, it is difficult to make the right choice,” di Resta said. “It’s super that I finished second despite my extra pit stop and that I am only two points behind Timo Scheider — we knew that it would rain in the final third and my team had the perfect timing for the change; that was crucial. My speed was good despite the handicap weight which we now got rid of for the final race.

“I look forward to Hockenheim and I want to win in the great finale and thus clinch the championship title,” he added.

Frenchman Alexandre Premat for Audi Sport Team Phoenix ended third in the 2007-spec on his home turf. He was one of only four drivers who did just the required pit stops and ran the entire race on slicks.

“A fantastic weekend! Standing on the podium at my home race makes me very proud,” smiled Premat. “My team and I gave everything in qualifying and the race and were rewarded by third place. My team did everything right in terms of strategy so that I was able to attack at any time during the race.”

Scheider finished sixth and holds a two point lead over di Resta. The German now needs to stay in front of the Scotsman in the DTM finale. “It was the right decision to go into the race with slicks. Advancing from fifth to first is definitely something special. Unfortunately, we timed our second stop two laps too early, that’s too bad. We’ll chalk this up to experience now and concentrate on the finale,” he said.

Race results 

Standings after Le Mans 

See DTM race videos at Power Sport 

 

DTM – Paul di Resta keeps up title chase with Catalunya win

By Tom Haapanen - Motorsport.com

Paul di Resta needed a victory to keep his DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) championship hopes alive, and it’s the first-place trophy that he will be taking home from today’s race at the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona.

Paul di Resta, Team HWA AMG Mercedes, AMG Mercedes C-Klasse. Photo by xpb.cc.

“I probably had the fastest car in the field,” di Resta reflected. “It was (part of) my goal to avoid too many risks as I didn’t want to drop back in the points’ standings.”

di Resta started his Mercedes C-class from the second row, behind teammate Bernd Schneider and the championship leader, Audi’s Scheider. The two title chase rivals took the lead from the start, dropping Schneider to third before the first corner, and the fight was on from there.

“Unfortunately, I had wheelspin at the start,” Schneider rued his start. “I really had to battle for third place in the first corner.”

In the lead, Scheider made his Audi A4 look as wide as the rules would allow, and while di Resta could hound him, he was unable to make his way past. Through the first pit stops, the gap never grew to a full second.

“I was having a great fight with Timo (Scheider),” di Resta recounted. “At some parts of the circuit, he was faster, but at other parts, I was. The overtaking manoeuvre was absolutely clean and Timo played along perfectly. I knew that I would have to be very close to him all the time in order to being able to start an attack at all.”

With Mattias Ekstrom choosing a different strategy, he took the lead after the the leaders made their first stops on lap 15, with Scheider and di Resta slotting in behind him. On the second stint, though, di Resta had the measure of Scheider, the young Scot making his move stick with a pass into the La Caixa turn at the end of the back straightaway.

And that was it for Scheider: the German could do nothing but watch di Resta’s taillights disappear into the distance, as his rival stretched out his lead, eventually getting the gap up to about five seconds, and 4.531 seconds at the finish.

“I am not at all disappointed with second place,” said the Scheider after his second-place finish. “My start was good and I was able to overtake Schneider before the first corner. After that, di Resta put me under quite some pressure. He was a little bit faster and made good use of a slight gap. Being on the podium today was our goal!”

	Start: Timo Scheider, Audi Sport Team Abt, Audi A4 DTM and Paul di Resta, Team HWA AMG Mercedes, AMG Mercedes C-Klasse battle for the lead. Photo by xpb.cc.

The gap between Scheider and di Resta shrank down by two points with today’s race, and there are now seven points separating the two, with two races remaining. Scheider needs a second and a third place to guarantee the championship, were di Resta to win the last two remaining races — a tough task in itself, with DTM adding another 5 kg of weight to the winning car after each race.

Meanwhile, Paul Green and Stefan Ekstrom are now effective out of the hunt; the two tangled hard and repeatedly on the final lap in their struggle for fifth place, and the end result was that Ekstrom received a 50-second penalty in lieu of a drive-through one.

After Audi protested the penalty, the stewards upped it to a disqualification, and assigned a 30-second penalty to Green as well, dropping him to eighth place. Green and Ekstrom are now 16 and 18 points behind Scheider, a daunting task given the German’s consistency in scoring points this season.

Outside the championship fight, Schneider drove a steady, quiet race to finish third, moving up the field toward the end of the race. 7.2 seconds separated Scheider and Schneider at the finish.

“I couldn’t really keep up with di Resta and Scheider out in front,” the Mecedes-Benz veteran admitted. “I had hoped to be able to fight with Timo for second place. But unfortunately, we had a slight problem during the pit stop which cost us some time. After that, I could work with my tyres quite well and I was running pretty much on my own. For a man of my age, it is quite comfortable not having somebody right behind me all the time.”

Bernd Schneider, Team HWA AMG Mercedes, AMG Mercedes C-Klasse. Photo by xpb.cc.

Martin Tomczyk took fourth for Audi, 4.2 seconds adrift of Schneider, followed by the 2007-spec Audis of Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat.

After Tom Kristensen’s grid penalty and Ralf Schumacher’s fines for pit lane violations in qualifying, the stewards were kept busy in the race as well. Apart from Ekstrom’s and Green’s last-lap antics, Susie Stoddart, Katherine Legge and Oliver Jarvis were all penalized. Gary Paffett, who finished 11th, raced under appeal after being initially excluded for a parc ferme violation.

Results

Standings after Catalunya