Audi target another victory at Barcelona
Things are so incredibly close in the DTM that everything must be perfect – especially with a 2004 car. I found a good basic set-up at Zandvoort that should also work at Barcelona and suit the fast corners there, especially the long corner before the start-finish. I want to do well there.” Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “Everybody breaks new ground at Barcelona. It was for the fans benefit that we decided to race on the short loop: They see a whole lot more on a shorter circuit. We are quite confident that things could run for us as they did at Zandvoort.” Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix): “We still don’t have a great deal of information about Barcelona. The circuit layout is slightly different than originally expected and it appears that the track surface has also been changed. We found a good basic set-up at Zandvoort which should give us a head start at Barcelona.” Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg): “We want to carry on at Barcelona where we left off in Zandvoort – in the points. However, we’d also like to get finally get ‘Stippi’ up the front. It should be possible, and we’ll be working hard to achieve this.” Facts about the DTM race at Barcelona Previous winners at Barcelona The DTM starts for the first time at Barcelona Circuit length 2.949 km Race distance 58 laps = 171.042 km
Audi driver Kristensen wins at Zandvoort
This was a 2004 revival except that this time Tom (Kristensen) was playing Mattias’ (Ekström) part in front of me. That was great teamwork with perfect pit stops. That I wasn’t able to keep Bernd (Schneider) at bay in the end is too bad. He was incredibly quick, was driving in my slipstream for ten laps and his tyres simply didn’t degrade – while mine did because I had to defend myself. That’s why he was able to overtake me three laps before the end.” Heinz-Harald Frentzen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Veltins Audi A4 DTM #6 5th place, + 13.474s “This was one of my most interesting races in the DTM. Unfortunately I had two mishaps in it: on the second lap I left the racing line and the tyres got dirty. It cost me three laps to clean them again. Then I’d made up ground before stalling the engine while pitting – that was the second mishap. Altogether, though, I was able to attack well and had some nice duels.” Timo Scheider Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Gebrauchtwagen:plus Audi A4 DTM #16 6th place, + 14.907s “My start was super but in the first corner I got into a bit of a jam. We had a communication problem because our radio didn’t work. Tactically, this may have cost us one place which I lost to Bruno Spengler. I found out what the strategy was from the pit boards, but of course with a one-lap delay. I want to thank my team and my engineer, Karl, who chose exactly the right set-up off his own bat.” Pierre Kaffer Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Castrol Audi A4 DTM #14 9th place, + 38.963s “I improved by two positions at the start and overtook Bernd Schneider. Unfortunately, he bumped me in ‘Tarzan Bocht’ and was wass able to pass me this way. During my first pit stop the wheel nut apparently got jammed. After that, my pace was pretty good. Still, ninth place is disappointing. Today, a better result would have been possible.” Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5 13th place, + 1m 11.684s “My start was very good.
Audi driver Frentzen is quickest again
That the Champion’s car from the 2004 season continues to be competitive too was proved by Nicolas Kiesa from the Audi customer team Futurecom TME: the Dane finished eighth in the first test and remained the fastest driver of a 2004-spec car in the afternoon as well. Grid positions will be decided in Saturday’s qualifying starting at 1:37 p.m. (local time). ARD will start broadcasting the fight for the pole position live from Zandvoort at 2:00 p.m. Quotes after Friday’s tests Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Fortunately, we had a streak of dry weather and were therefore able to work consistently. We’ve come up with good set-ups out on the track which we’re now going to consolidate. The long-runs were very good also. I think we’re well prepared for the weekend.” Heinz-Harald Frentzen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Veltins Audi A4 DTM #6 11th place / 1st place, 1m 34.487s “The weekend’s off to a very good start. the circuit here at Zandvoort does seem to suit me well. But the times on Friday never mean all that much in the DTM. Today, the set-up for the race was one of our top priorities. Even a fast lap on new tyres worked out immediately although we hadn’t even been shooting for it. First we need to do our homework for an optimum race trim.” Martin Tomczyk Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #4 1st place / 15th place, 1m 34.758s “I’m satisfied with the way today went. In the morning we worked for the qualifying and came up with a good set-up on the track, as my time confirmed. This afternoon the main focus was on the set-up for the race, with which I managed to do quite a decent long-run. Now we’ve got lots of data to analyse and then I’m hoping that we’ll be able translate it all into a good result tomorrow.” Christian Abt Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Playboy Audi A4 DTM #12 2nd place / 14th place, 1m 34.785s “I’m satisfied with Friday. In the first test we tried to set good times for the qualifying.
Audi driver Kristensen on the front row
Former Formula 1 racer Nicolas Kiesa was the quickest driver of a 2004-spec car in his DTM debut straight away. For the race, the weather forecast has predicted changing weather conditions in the Eifel region. The race will start on Sunday at 2 p.m. (local time). ARD will air a live broadcast from the Nürburgring on “Das Erste” starting at 1:45 p.m. Quotes after qualifying Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “That was a nail-biting finale. We’d been thinking that Tom had made it when, at the last moment, Spengler managed a quicker lap yet. The gaps between the cars at the front of the field are extremely small and we’re part of the action at this pace. This will probably be a close race.” Tom Kristensen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7 2nd place, 1m 24.525s / 1m 24.164s / 1m 23.605s “It was a perfect qualifying, in which we kept getting better and better. We drove with a pretty stiff set-up and that worked out well. I really thought I’d taken pole after the team had informed me via the radio. At the last moment I wound up losing it after all because Spengler was suddenly much quicker in the final section. I don’t know how he did that. At least I’m on the first row, though.” Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5 5th place, 1m 24.811s / 1m 24.303s / 1m 23.985s “That was a really close situation today. Considering we had a difficult day yesterday, I’m satisfied with my fifth place. When you go into qualifying in the DTM and want to start from pole you have to be sorted one hundred per cent. And today we weren’t.” Christian Abt Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Playboy Audi A4 DTM #12 7th place, 1m 24.750s / 1m 24.425s / 1m 24.302s “The fact that we’re in the top eight for a change was important for the team today. As early as in the free practice session we had suggested that a good place would be possible.
Audi driver Frentzen sets fastest time of the day
Former Formula 1 driver Nicolas Kiesa left a strong impression on his first DTM day: The Dane at the wheel of the A4 DTM of the Audi customer team Futurecom TME was the fastest driver of a 2004-spec car straight away. For Saturday’s qualifying session (live broadcast on “Das Erste” starting a 2:00 p.m. local time), sunshine has been predicted, and rainy weather for the race on Sunday. Quotes after Friday’s tests Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Heinz-Harald Frentzen has achieved the day’s best time, Tom Kristensen drove a very good long-run. We now have good data to bring all four 2006-spec cars up to a similarly high level by tomorrow.” Heinz-Harald Frentzen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Veltins Audi A4 DTM #6 7th place / 1st place, 1m 24.899s “We gathered experience today both in the wet and in dry conditions. That was a good thing because we anticipate all sorts of conditions during the weekend. In the dry second session we managed to complete our programme half-way. We used only one set of new tyres. That fit immediately, now we’ve got a bit of detail work left to do.” Tom Kristensen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7 2nd place / 6th place, 1m 25.132s “Today was typical Nürburgring. The first session was wet, and we learned a lot. As the track was drying off, things turned into a lottery which I finished in second place behind Häkkinen. During the dry, second test the car was running reasonable well although the track had little grip. I was running in front most of the time and only dropped back a few places when the others put on fresh tyres. My long-run was the best, that’s why I’m confident for a weekend with changing conditions.” Martin Tomczyk Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #4 13th place / 9th place, 1m 25.235s “I’m satisfied, we were able to run through our entire test programme. The car responds the way we wanted it to in both wet and dry conditions. And the speed is right as well.”
Audi also triumphant at Brands Hatch
In his first outing for Audi customer team Futurecom TME, Jeroen Bleekemolen, in 14th position, was the best driver of a 2004-spec car. After a storming drive in the opening stages of the race, Vanina Ickx slid into the gravel bed at the top of “Paddock Hill Bend”. Frank Stippler retired during the second lap following an “off” at the “Druids” hairpin. Quotes after the race Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “The spectators at Brands Hatch saw a fantastic DTM race. It’s tremendous that Mattias claimed victory for Audi, which shows that he’s back where he belongs and is just as strong as he’s always been. Tom’s retirement is obviously a huge disappointment. He really had dominated the race, he was the quickest, but was then forced to retire due to a technical problem. It is a disappointment for both Tom and us, but such things are a part of racing and give us even more motivation for our home race at Norisring.” Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5 1st, + 5.957s “Right now I’m just feeling totally happy. The win is just reward for the entire team, which was backed me through thick and thin, particularly in the last couple of races when things didn’t go so well for me. I’m sorry for Tom who deserved to win today. But I’m convinced as long as we stick together as a team in the future the fight for the championship will go down to the wire.” Martin Tomczyk Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #4 4th place, + 17.834s “Generally speaking, fourth place is a super result because I hadn’t expected it after the start, and certainly not after my first pit stop. According to the strategy I had to stay out on the track which cost me two positions. Otherwise I might have been able to put pressure on Bernd Schneider. In the end, though, the outcome was the same as it would have been with the right strategy, so I’m satisfied.”
Audi driver Kristensen in a class by himself again
Jeroen Bleekemolen in his Audi A4 DTM debut will start from position 17 as the best driver of a 2004-spec car. Quotes after qualifying Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Because of the short lap times and the small gaps, qualifying was filled with extreme suspense through to the very end. Heinz-Harald’s accident was a stroke of really bad luck and means there’s a lot of work to do. What’s important, though, is that nothing happened to him and that he set a good time prior to the incident. Tom clinched the pole position yet again on his own merits, by working hard and driving a great lap. The entire team performance was very good, as well, this time.” Tom Kristensen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7 1st place, 42.406s “Tomorrow three Audi A4 DTM cars will start from the first two rows – that’s a fantastic result for Audi. My pole lap was perfect, I couldn’t have gotten a better performance out of my car. The entire squad worked hard because the long-runs we did yesterday make us feel confident too. Claiming a pole position on such a short circuit, where it’s about hundredths and thousandths, means something very special to me.” Heinz-Harald Frentzen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Veltins Audi A4 DTM #6 3rd place, 42.696s “I’m feeling fine, the impact wasn’t all that hard even though the car has sustained major damage. I lost control while turning in. I had to change the set-up of my A4 in order to reduce understeer by increasing the grip on the front wheels. On the first lap that worked out. Then I wanted to attack once more but the car went out of control so quickly that I couldn’t catch it again. Driving at the limit at Brands Hatch is very tricky.” Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5 4th place, 42.699s “That was pretty exciting. I was surprised when the red flag suddenly appeared and I had to brake. The car was 99 percent perfect. Fourth place is much better than I’d expected.
Audi driver Kristensen sets the pace
Bleekemolen claimed 15th place to finish as the second-best driver of a 2004-spec car. The tests on Friday gave a foretaste of what the DTM fans can expect during the “shoot-out“ qualifying on Saturday: In the afternoon session, 19 cars were lying within one second of each other, the quickest eleven within 0.366 seconds. The race on Sunday is likely to turn into a hot battle, literally speaking: 82 laps at roughly 30 degrees in the shade should put both men and material to a definite stress test in what may be expected to be the toughest race in the DTM’s history. ARD will broadcast live from Brands Hatch on Sunday on “Das Erste”, starting at 12:50 pm. Quotes after Friday’s tests Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “First of all, I think it’s very positive that we didn’t see a single accident today because we were a little concerned after the test prior to the start of the season. The grip conditions on the track were difficult to judge because they kept changing a bit. My impression is that most of our drivers worked out good set-ups. I’m looking forward to Sunday with confidence.” Tom Kristensen Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7 2nd place / 1st place, 43.158s “Conditions are completely different from the tests during which we had rather cold weather. England now has a beautiful summer. The grip on the track is different. My Audi worked well. But, as always, Friday is a day on which you just gather information. Only tomorrow will show whether or not we’ve put the jigsaw puzzle together properly.” Mattias Ekström Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5 4th place / 3rd place, 43.407s “We had a good day. We completed our testing programme and completed a long-run. In the end, I was very satisfied with the car.