Audi extends DTM lead

Extension of the lead and reduction of weight: in front of 80,000 spectators at the DTM’s fourth round at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, Audi created an ideal starting base for its home race at the Norisring. Timo Scheider as the runner-up extended his lead of the standings. The compact Audi team performance in the Lausitz region was completed by Mattias Ekström and Martin Tomczyk in places three and four.

This result at the front of the field was based on flawless starts by Timo Scheider, Mattias Ekström and Martin Tomczyk. On the first lap, all three of them initially got in line behind the subsequent winner Paul di Resta and his Mercedes brand colleague Bruno Spengler. Thanks to the perfect job done by Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Timo Scheider, Mattias Ekström and Martin Tomczyk passed Bruno Spengler as early as after their first mandatory pit stops and solidified their positions as the race progressed.

This gives Audi a favourable starting base for the Norisring at the fifth of eleven rounds: while Timo Scheider increased the lead of the standings, which he has held for the past three races, from one to three points, the weights of the new Audi A4 DTM and the new Mercedes are now in balance – as they last were at the beginning of the season.

As early as on the first lap, Tom Kristensen in the fourth new Audi A4 DTM lost any chance of complementing the results of his three team-mates from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline with a further points-finish. In the commotion, he spun and had to have the damaged front of his car repaired at an additional pit stop.

Nevertheless, a fourth Audi A4 DTM did achieve a result in the points. Oliver Jarvis in eighth place again managed scoring points in a year-old car. This means that for the third time in a row the best car from last year has been an Audi. With Mike Rockenfeller following Jarvis, a fifth Audi factory driver achieved a result among the top ten. The Frenchman Alexandre Prémat, who had originally occupied eighth place, was subsequently disqualified due to a tyre which had not been marked for the race.

But not only in terms of its overall result did Audi clearly improve at the EuroSpeedway, compared with its fifth place last year: in the ladies’ duel, Katherine Legge – in a remarkable fight – for the first time defeated Mercedes driver Susie Stoddart, who retired towards the end of the race, though. Audi factory driver Markus Winkelhock did not see the chequered flag either: a punctured tyre suddenly deflated, causing Winkelhock to spin into the wall while braking at the end of start and finish straight and forcing him to retire.