Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM #99): Restart for a champion

“There’s no doubt about it: the last two years were frustrating,” says “Rocky” who in 2013 clinched the last DTM drivers’ title for Audi to date and who in 2014, in third place overall, was the best Audi driver as well. After that, things went downhill. That is why, at the end of the last season, Rockenfeller had to confront the key question of either doing something else after ten years of DTM or starting over again.

“Rocky” chose to start over again in the DTM – together with Ernst Moser’s team in which he had his most successful DTM years. “I’m optimistic that we’re going to make it back to the top,” he says. “The team and I have to get out of this hole. We need to change a few things and are ready to do that. We’re hoping to be able to make different appearances again than we did in the last two years, especially better than in 2016.”

Since 2007, Rockenfeller has been competing in the internationally popular touring car racing series with Audi. His first years at the wheel of a previous-generation car were tough. “Rocky” kept himself motivated particularly in sports car races he contested alongside the DTM. In 2010, in the Audi R15 TDI, he achieved overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a year later, he had the most serious accident in his career to date at the iconic French endurance race – just at the time when he had gained a foothold in the DTM and won his first DTM race. He had to bury his hopes for the title because he had to skip two races following the accident at Le Mans.

In 2012, he switched to Audi Sport Team Phoenix. In his first year with the team based in the Eifel, he was the best Audi driver and in 2013, he clinched the championship title in the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM. “That was a very emotional experience, not least because I’d been working for this moment for such a long time,” recalls “Rocky.”

Now hard work is back on his agenda. Rockenfeller regards the changes being made to the DTM as a great opportunity. “The cars will be similar to drive as before. But there’ll be softer, unheated tires and more power output. This is a new challenge I’m looking forward to. Some fresh air will be blown into the DTM, which will be good for the team and for me, too.”

One can tell that Mike Rockenfeller is serious about his restart. That is why he will fully concentrate on the DTM during the 2017 season. At the beginning of the season, he treated himself to two endurance races with Corvette Racing in Florida. “Afterwards, I won’t drive anything else, so I won’t have to constantly readjust – I’m hoping for that to pay off.”

In Florida, Rockenfeller recharged his batteries for the new DTM season from the end of February to the end of March with his whole family. “We rented a motor home, enjoyed the warm weather and had a little family vacation. When we’re back, it’s going to be DTM all the way again!”

“We” refers to Rockenfeller’s wife, Susanne, and their two sons, Phil and Paul. “Phil is already in preschool, which he tremendously enjoys. The little one is fit too. We’re doing well on the whole and feel very comfortable on Lake Constance.”

On the Swiss side of Lake Constance, the Rockenfellers built a handsome house with its own gym which “Rocky” uses to stay fit, although he likes to ride his road bike even better, frequently together with former cycling pro Andreas Klöden who is a friend of Rockenfeller’s.

Like most of his fellow DTM drivers Rockenfeller privately drives an Audi Q7. “The car is perfect for family and sport,” he says. “The next car I’ll order will probably be an SQ7.”

Aside from family and friends, Mike Rockenfeller has a passion for old cars – not an unusual predilection for a trained master car mechanic …

Profile

Mike Rockenfeller (D)

Date of birth: 31. Oktober 1983
Place of birth: Neuwied (D)
Residence: Landschlacht (CH)
Marital status: married to Susanne, two sons (Phil and Paul)
Height/weight: 1.75 m/68 kg
Motorsport since: 1995 (Audi driver since 2007)

Sporting career
1995–2000 Kart
1997 1st DMV Junior Cup
2000 1st Jörg van Ommen Kart Cup
2001 4th Formula König
2002 10th Porsche Carrera Cup
2003 2nd Porsche Carrera Cup, Porsche Supercup
2004 1st Porsche Carrera Cup, Porsche Supercup
2005 1st GT2 Class FIA GT Championship, 1st GT2 Class Le Mans 24 Hours,
1st GT2 Class Spa 24 Hours
2006 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours, 5th Grand-Am Series,
8th GT2 Class American Le Mans Series
2007 12th DTM (Audi A4 DTM), Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R10 TDI)
2008 1st Le Mans Series (Audi R10 TDI), 4th Le Mans 24 Hours
(Audi R10 TDI), 11th DTM (Audi A4 DTM)
2009 3rd Sebring 12 Hours (Audi R15 TDI), 14th DTM (Audi A4 DTM),
Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R15 TDI)
2010 1st Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R15 TDI), 1st Daytona 24 Hours,
7th DTM (Audi A4 DTM)
2011 6th DTM (Audi A4 DTM), 1 victory, Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R18 TDI)
2012 4th DTM (Audi A5 DTM), 3rd Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R18 ultra)
2013 1st DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 2 victories, ADAC Motorsportsman of the Year
2014 3rd DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM)
2015 10th DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 1 victory, 3rd Daytona 24 Hours
2016 19th DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 2nd GTE Class Daytona 24 Hours
2017 4th DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 1 victory, 1st GTE Class Sebring 12 Hours

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