Donington, 27 July, 2003

In the sixth DTM-race of the season, an Audi driver made it onto the podium: in the British guest appearance at the circuit of Donington Park, Mattias Ekström finished third. The Swede, third on the grid after qualifying, admittedly lost some positions at the beginning of the race, but regained them after two very quick pit stops of his Abt-Audi team. The other Audi drivers had a turbulent race weekend: both champion Laurent Aiello as well as Martin Tomczyk and Christian Abt had to retire with accident damage, Audi Junior Peter Terting finished 14th in spite of brake problems, Karl Wendlinger occupied 15th place. In the drivers’ standings, Mattias Ekström is best-placed Audi driver in sixth position.

The race at a glance

Weather
overcast, fresh, 20 degrees Centigrade

Spectators
24,000

Start
#1 Aiello loses one place to Fässler,
Ekström also drops back

Lap 1
collision of #14 Tomczyk with Opel-driver Scheider.
Reuter hits the Abt-Audi of the spinning Tomczyk, severe damage left rear

Lap 2
#1 Aiello fifth place,
#5 Ekström sixth,
#2 Abt eighth,
#15 Terting 19th place

Lap 3
#14 Tomczyk slowly drives into the pits and has to retire.
#1 Aiello spins coming out of the chicane, hits Menu,
#2 Abt can’t avoid the collision, touches Menu and lands in the gravel trap. Abt still makes it into the pits, but has to retire.
#6 Wendlinger spins

Lap 4
#1 Aiello into the pits for repair

Lap 7
#5 Ekström (5th ) the first to come in for mandatory pit stop

Lap 8
#15 Terting mandatory pit stop,
#5 Ekström has made up one place and is now fourth

Lap 13
#5 Ekström is fourth,
#15 Terting is 15th,
#6 Wendlinger 16th place and
#1 Aiello 17th

Lap 17
#1 Aiello opens second range of mandatory pit stops

Lap 20
#5 Ekström increases the pressure on Fässler,
#6 Wendlinger 16th place,
#1 Aiello 17th

Lap 21
#5 Ekström for second pit stop

Lap 22
pit stops for Alesi and Schneider,
#5 Ekström sixth place for the time being, Jäger lets #5 Ekström past

Lap 23
pit stop Fässler,
#5 Ekström now in third place

Lap 24
#5 Ekström duel with Fässler, Ekström remains in front,
#15 Terting 14th place,
#6 Wendlinger 15th place,
#1 Aiello 16th place

Lap 25
collision #15 Terting with Bleekemolen

Lap 27
The left door of #1 Aiello is loose,
he is called into the pits with the black-yellow flag

Lap 28
#1 Aiello stops at the pit box ,
#15 Terting is now twelfth

Lap 29
#5 Ekström is a convincing third

Finish
#5 Ekström third,
#15 Terting 14th ,
#6 Wendlinger 15th

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

...

14.

min.

15.

Mattias Ektröm (Team PlayStation2 Red Bull Abt-Audi TT-R #5)
“First of all, I have to thank my team. After my bad start, the guys have helped me back into third place with two fantastic pit stops. Then, I gave everything to close up to Bernd (Schneider) and Jean (Alesi). And I succeeded, but once I was close enough to attack, the chequered flag was out.”

Peter Terting (S line Audi Junior Team Abt-Audi TT-R #15)
“Initially, things were going very well. I stayed out of all the problems. The first stop was all right as well, after that, I overtook some opponents. However, more or less at the time when I had completed my second pit stop, I started having trouble with the brakes. It only pulled on one side on the front axle, so I had to push the pedal much earlier. Moreover, smoke came into the car. I started coughing and I had tears in my eyes. The last five laps, I hardly couldn’t see a thing anymore. But giving up was no alternative either…”

Martin Tomczyk (S line Audi Junior Team Abt-Audi TT-R #14)
“I was hit by a car right after the start, which is why I spun. Then, another car ran into my TT-R at the left rear side and then, my car couldn’t drive in a straight line anymore. That was it. Now, I am looking forward to the Nürburgring. Super-Pole qualifying at night will surely be a great thing.”

Hans-Jürgen Abt (team principal)
“Mattias missed the start a little bit, but then did a great job in the race. The team has done an excellent job as well. Not only with quick pit stops that brought Mattias up from fifth to third place, but also during the past couple of weeks. We are closer to Mercedes again. 1.6 seconds after almost one hour of racing, that is quite all right. Just like six podium places in six races. Our team is highly motivated. We will be showing the next proof at the Nürburgring.”