| The two most experienced works drivers, Frank Biela (39) and Emanuele Pirro (41), drive for the Joest Team. Both were successful for Audi previously in touring cars and sportscar racing, and both have already clinched various touring car titles driving an Audi, two of them in Germany: Biela won the DTM in 1991, Pirro the Super Touring Car Cup (STW) in 1996. “Our driver line-up is a good combination from our existing DTM drivers and those drivers who, over the last few years, have proven mainly with the Audi R8, that they are among the best,” says Head of Audi Sport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “We have an extremely strong, international team with a pronounced German element – after all the DTM is a German Masters playing on international ground.” |
| Essen, November 27, 2003 The last works involvement by AUDI AG in the DTM dates back more than ten years: Between 1990 and 1992, the Audi V8 quattro had the measure of everything in the German Touring Car Championship, at that time Audi won the DTM title twice in succession. In 2002, the Audi customer team Abt Sportsline won another DTM championship for Audi with the compact Coupé based on the Audi TT. As for the works re-entry to the 2004 DTM is concerned, the target for the sporting premium marque is almost self- explanatory: “We want to fight for the title,” reads the motto of Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Sport. The basis required for this is created at Audi Sport in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, where the DTM race version of the Audi A4 is developed. At the same time, Dr Ullrich has assembled a really high-caliber team, recruited from proven members of the successful Audi sportscar programme and DTM-experienced staff. The Audi driver line-up for the 2004 DTM is also a spectacular mix of the marque’s current sportscar and touring car drivers forming a real “dream team”. Christian Abt (36), German Super Touring Car Champion from 1999, the former Swedish Touring Car Champion Mattias Ekström (25) and former junior Martin Tomczyk (21) already competed in the DTM for Team Abt Sportsline. The 2002 DTM championship winning team is completed by the five-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (36). “Europe’s most demanding touring car series is a great challenge,” says the Dane. |