Hockenheim - April 9, 2006
Martin Tomczyk and Timo Scheider also score points
At a thrilling opening to the DTM season in Hockenheim, 104,000
spectators were eyewitness to an excellent Audi team performance. The
performances of both Tom Kristensen and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were
particularly impressive: The pair carved their way through the field from
grid positions nine and eight to clinch second and third at the chequer
helped by a good strategy and perfect pit-stops. As a result, Frentzen
claimed a podium position first time out in his first race with the Audi A4
DTM. With Martin Tomczyk, in seventh place, and Timo Scheider finishing
eighth, two further Audi drivers scored points. Audi Sport Team Abt leads
the teams’ championship.
Mattias Ekström, who jumped from sixth to third position at the start and
who had eventual winner Bernd Schneider well in his sights after a quick
opening pit-stop, was struck by bad luck when he was forced to retire his
A4 with damage to the front right suspension. Christian Abt and Pierre
Kaffer were also forced to retire. Frank Stippler lost his chance of points
due to a problem during his second mandatory pit-stop. Olivier
Tielemans and Vanina Ickx took the chequered flag in 13th and 15th
position respectively on their DTM debuts.
Quotes after the race
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)
"That really was a nail-biting race. Bearing in mind the starting positions
we can be extremely satisfied with the result. A second and third position
for Tom (Kristensen) and Heinz-Harald (Frentzen) is an excellent team
performance. We demonstrated just how much potential is in the Audi A4
DTM, and saw that cars from both manufacturers are almost as quick as
each other. Strategy and pit-stops still play an important role alongside
fast driving. Today we saw just how high the level is in the DTM. I'm
already looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Tom Kristensen
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7
2nd, + 4.268s
"I’m obviously happy to have finished second after starting in ninth
position. The team did a fantastic job in the pits and with the strategy. I
drove absolutely on the limit. I edged closer and closer to Bernd and
thought that I was in with a chance of winning. However, about eleven
laps before the finish the steering wheel was suddenly skew after I’d
driven over the kerbs on the corner exit. I didn’t risk anything after that kept
well away from the outside kerbs. That’s why I’m happy that I finished
second. My thanks go to the team that got me into this position today.”
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Veltins Audi A4 DTM #6
3rd, + 6.279s
"I’m really very satisfied. To be right at the front in the Championship from
the word go is very important in the DTM. I knew just how good my A4 was
and that I could translate this into results if everything fell into place.
However, I was a little sceptical immediately after the start. I had huge
understeer, couldn’t attack and had to be careful that I didn’t lose too
many places. That’s why my crew called me in earlier. The balance was
good again with new tyres. The strategy to take the second set of tyres
early also paid off – even though Mika (Häkkinen) got very close right at
the end.”
Martin Tomczyk
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #4
7th place, + 19.397s
"My start was good up to the first corner when some of the Mercedes
drivers got into each other’s way. I wanted to stay clear of all that. Mattias
Ekström was next to me on the right-hand side, Bruno Spengler pulled
over into my lane and touched me hard. I didn’t want to pass this impulse
on to Mattias, took my foot off the throttle and lost a few places. Bruno
Spengler then made another mistake, got back into the lane and caught
me full force. I had to drive through the grass, dropped back to eleventh
place and my car was not perfect anymore. Apart from this, I’m very
satisfied with the whole weekend, because my team performed very well.
I wanted to finish in the points, and I managed that by claiming seventh
place.”
Timo Scheider
Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Gebrauchtwagen plus Audi A4 DTM #16
8th place, + 23.482s
"Eighth place is basically positive, considering the fact that grid position
13 didn’t give me ideal prerequisites for the race. With a fighting spirit and
a bit of luck we claimed our first point. We kept improving our
performance throughout the weekend and had a very good pace in the
race. I’m satisfied – a big ‘thank you’ to my team.”
Frank Stippler
Audi Sport Team Rosberg, S line Audi A4 DTM #15
12th place, + 1m 02.638s
"My congratulations to Timo Scheider on the point he scored.
Unfortunately my race didn’t go according to plan. Because of all the ‘body
contact’ my chassis got damaged and we lost a few body parts.
Unfortunately we had a problem with our radio communications, so our
strategy didn’t work any more either. In addition, there was a spill during
the refuelling operation and that fuel was missing in the end.”
Olivier Tielemans
Futurecom TME, Futurecom Audi A4 DTM #19
13th place, + 1m 30.373s
"I’m very satisfied with my first DTM race. 13th place isn’t bad with a
2004-spec car. Unfortunately, on the second set of tyres and because of
the pit stops, I lost some time. Otherwise, perhaps I would have even
finished as the second-best driver of a 2004-spec car. This was a good
beginning.”
Vanina Ickx
Futurecom TME, Original Zubehör Audi A4 DTM #20
15th place, – 1 lap
"This was a very good start into my DTM season and I’m happy about
having finished the race. In the beginning there was quite a commotion,
some rivals drove through the gravel trap and you had to really watch out. I
also had to evade Christian Abt who spun in the beginning. I stayed out of
all this, pitted early and then had a clear track.”
Mattias Ekström
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5
Retired on lap 26 (front right suspension failure)
"I started from sixth place and was running in third after two corners. I’m
satisfied with that. My car had too much understeer to be really fast. I gave
my best. The pit stops and the strategy, too, were good. Everything was
okay when twelve laps before the end the front right-hand suspension
broke. We need to analyse the reason for this.”
Pierre Kaffer
Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Castrol Audi A4 DTM #14
Retired on lap 15 (steering failure after collision)
"My start wasn’t perfect because I had to brake in the first corner and lost
a few positions. We had a good speed but then my ‘friend’ Stefan Mücke
drove into my car – once more. This destroyed my steering system, which
of course is a real pity for the whole team.”
Christian Abt
Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Playboy Audi A4 DTM #12
Retired on lap 13 (suspension damage, left rear)
"The pace was extremely fast today. On the first laps I had the feeling
we’d be able to drive a good race. The car was quick, the set-up was
right. So we did work in the right direction, but unfortunately a technical
defect prevented me from finishing the race. That is disappointing, but I’m
looking forward to the next race already.”
Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline)
"The way the team worked and pulled Tom (Kristensen) and
Heinz-Harald (Frentzen) so far to the front with a perfect strategy was
sensational. We achieved a great team result. Of course it was too bad
that Mattias (Ekström) retired. But our friends from Stuttgart had a few
problems today, as well … In any event it’s been a thrilling race. I wouldn’t
mind if things continued this way.”
Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix)
"I’m elated about the cooperation with Audi Sport during our first joint race
weekend. It’s really fun to work this way. I hope our team will be more
fortunate in the next race, though. I’m very happy about Audi’s two podium
places.”
Arno Zensen (Team Direcot Audi Sport Team Rosberg)
"On the one hand, I’m very happy with the outcome of the race because
we scored the first point in our first race for Audi with Timo Scheider. On
the other hand, Frank Stippler had been among the top ten for a long time
but then ran short on fuel because we apparently made a mistake while
refuelling his car. Altogether, I’m not unhappy but we need to continue to
work in order to move further towards the front.”
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