Driver lineup: Six strong characters

Audi is bringing a breath of fresh air into the DTM. Two new campaigners – the Frenchman Loïc Duval and the German René Rast – will contest the 2017 season in the Audi RS 5 DTM. Both have previously been successful in other racing series for Audi, most recently having been active in the WEC. Confirmed as drivers for the 2017 DTM have been Mattias Ekström (Sweden), Jamie Green (Great Britain), Nico Müller (Switzerland) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany).

“I’m convinced that we’re in a top position with our driver lineup for the 2017 season and have six strong characters in our team,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass.” In Mattias and Mike, we have two DTM Champions on board who in my book will be among the favorites this year, not least due to the new rules and tires. Jamie, no doubt, is one of the strongest campaigners in the DTM. Nico convinced us with consistently good performances and his first DTM victory last season. Not only in delivering a strong race in the finale at Hockenheim, René has also shown that he will be in contention at the very front in the DTM. And in Loïc, we’ve integrated one of our best drivers from the Le Mans program into our DTM squad.”

In all three Audi Sport Teams, Gass relies on seasoned campaigners in combination with promising teammates. “In Mattias Ekström at ABT, Jamie Green at Rosberg and Mike Rockenfeller at Phoenix, all three teams have their familiar spearheads,” says Gass. “These team-driver combinations were very powerful in the past. Our youngster, Nico Müller, is following in Edoardo Mortara’s footsteps and our two new DTM signings, Loïc Duval and René Rast, are going to benefit from the experience of their seasoned teammates.”

For the first time, Nico Müller will be racing for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline together with Mattias Ekström. The Swiss celebrated his first DTM victory with the Allgäu-based outfit last season. In Audi Sport Team Phoenix, the Frenchman Loïc Duval will be the new teammate of Mike Rockenfeller whom he knows well from Audi’s LMP program. René Rast will be racing alongside Jamie Green for Audi Sport Team Rosberg, the squad he contested his first DTM race with last year.

“Mattias (Ekström) has become a member of the family at ABT and Nico (Müller) perfectly gelled with us in his first season,” says Hans-Jürgen Abt, Team Director of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline. “I’m convinced that in the old Swede and the Swiss young gun we’ll have one of the strongest driver combinations in the field.”

“Rocky (Mike Rockenfeller) produced his masterpiece in the DTM with Phoenix in 2013 and together with him we’re aiming to return to the top,” says Ernst Moser, Team Director of Audi Sport Team Phoenix. “I know Loïc (Duval) from the Audi Sport winter camps. He’s been successful as a racing driver in many categories. I’m hoping for the team to receive some fresh impetus from him and for him to be successful in the DTM as well.”

“Jamie (Green), no doubt, is one of the fastest DTM drivers and his first title is more than overdue,” says Arno Zensen, Team Director of Audi Sport Team Rosberg. “René (Rast) did a tremendous job in his first DTM races last year and is a great guy. Now he’s got to show that he can do equally well throughout a full season.”

Audi’s lineup for the 2017 DTM

Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline
#5 Mattias Ekström: Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM (engineer: Arnau Niubó)
#51 Nico Müller: Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM (Daniel Grunwald)

Audi Sport Team Phoenix
#77 Loïc Duval: Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM (Mathieu Le Nail)
#99 Mike Rockenfeller: Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM (Laurent Fedacou)

Audi Sport Team Rosberg
#33 René Rast: AUTO BILD MOTORSPORT Audi RS 5 DTM (Florian Rinkes)
#53 Jamie Green: Hoffmann Group Audi RS 5 DTM (Erich Baumgärtner)