Jamie Green #53: Enormously fast

Jamie Green’s goal last year was to clinch his first victory with Audi – and in the end, he even scored four. Now, the Briton is aiming for the championship title which, in second place he just barely missed in 2015.

“It was a good season last year,” says Green, who has been competing for Audi since 2013 and strengthening Audi Sport Team Rosberg since 2014. “I just barely missed the DTM title, which is still my big aim. I believe we’re on the right track. I feel comfortable with Audi and, after three years, have truly arrived there. That’s why I extended my contract as well – I look forward to a long future with Audi Sport.”

Green has always impressed with his enormous basic speed in the DTM. In Audi Sport Team Rosberg, at the wheel of his orange-colored Hoffman Group Audi RS 5 DTM, he matured to the level of a championship candidate. The first title win seems to be only a matter of time, even though a brilliant start to the season like last year, when he won three of the first four races, might be hard to repeat in view of the DTM’s extreme competitiveness.

Just like his colleagues, the Briton welcomes the fact that there are now two races in the DTM per weekend. “I love racing,” he says: “The more races, the better. If it were up to me, there could be a tenth DTM race weekend. Then we’d have 20 races.” He doesn’t mind the long winter break though: “It’s great to step back from racing for a few months in winter. It gives you time to recharge your batteries, and keeps you fresh and motivated. When we get going again I’m really hungry for racing.”

With his wife, Ginny, and their two sons, Zachary and William, Green lives in Monte Carlo. Daughter Georgiana was born just in time for the start of the 2016 DTM season. “That’s why I’m probably going to trade my beloved RS 6 Avant for an Audi Q7,” he says. “My wife would like a car with seven seats. Maybe it would be a good compromise to have a Q7 and an RS 6. For me, the RS 6 is the perfect car in terms of performance and trunk space. I can put all my gear for golf and cycling in it.”

Cycling is Green’s great passion that he stays fit with for the DTM. At least once a week, he meets for a “coffee shop ride” with fellow race drivers like Alex Wurz, Lucas di Grassi, Brendon Hartley or Jenson Button in his adopted country, Monaco. Their bike tours usually take them to Ventimiglia, a town just behind the French-Italian border. “A few British business people and cycling pros regularly join us as well,” says Green. “It’s a nice mix of people from various backgrounds.”

The Greens’ children go to school in Monaco. During the winter and summer vacations, the family regularly goes home to England. “That’s where we have a large garden which, obviously, we don’t have with our apartment in Monaco,” the Audi driver says. “In addition, we get together with old friends back home, and the children get to see their grandparents.”

During this year’s summer vacation, Jamie Green is planning to contest a kart race now and then. It would be an excursion back to his roots because initial attempts in stock car races were followed by a classic kart and single-seater career. The title in the 2004 Formula 3 Euro Series ultimately served as the springboard into the DTM in which he made a name for himself with four victories at the Norisring, among other things. “The Norisring is not a track that’s particularly enjoyable in terms of driving. But when it comes to thrilling racing and gripping overtaking maneuvers, the Norisring is the best race track of all.”

His favorite track in the DTM is Zandvoort. “It simply stands out. It’s an old-school track with long, fast corners of the kind that hardly exist anymore today. Zandvoort is a great challenge and, with little fuel in qualifying, really mega!”

The avid supporter of the Liverpool FC soccer club practically grew up with motorsport, as his father used to race as well – in a car number “53” – the same number Green has been racing with since the previous DTM season. It seems to bring him luck.  

Profile

Jamie Green (GB)

Date of birth: June 14, 1982
Place of birth: Leicester (GB)
Residence: Monaco (MC)
Marital status: married to Ginny, one daugther (Georgiana), two sons (Zachary and William)
Height/weight: 1.78 m/67 kg
Motorsport since: 1992 (Audi driver since 2013)

Sporting career
1994–2000 Kart
2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series
2002 2nd British Formula Renault Championship
2003 2nd British Formula 3 Championship
2004 1st Formula 3 Euro Series
2005 6th DTM
2006 5th DTM
2007 4th DTM, 2 victories
2008 4th DTM, 2 victories
2009 7th DTM, 1 victory
2010 6th DTM, 1 victory
2011 5th DTM, 1 victory
2012 3rd DTM, 1 victory
2013 11th DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM)
2014 10th DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM)
2015 2nd DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 4 victories
2016 3rd DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 1 victory

www.jamiegreenracing.com
twitter.com/jamiegreen_ (@JamieGreen_)