A word from ... Hans-Joachim Stuck
The 1990 DTM Champion about his experiences at the wheel of the Audi RS 5 DTM race taxi.
As part of the DTM weekend at Oschersleben you had your first opportunity to drive a modern DTM race car. Your impressions?
It was simply incredible. If I had a hundred thumbs, all of them would be pointing upwards. I wouldn’t have imagined a modern DTM car to be so impressive. On Friday, I drove a few laps to get used to the car. At that time, the tires and the brakes didn’t have the right temperature yet. On Sunday, it was really great: the longer you drive, the better the brakes work and the tires reach their operating temperature as well. You get even more grip and can accelerate even earlier. I even managed a couple of cool drifts. But it’s also clear that a race driver would always like more power output. About 100 hp more wouldn’t hurt a DTM car.
Do you see the DTM with different eyes following this experience?
As far as driving goes, there’s no doubt about it. It’s extremely tough for the drivers. There’s not a lot of room for making your personal mark. This is about the famous thousandth. You can’t afford to make a single mistake, but if you do you’ll be in fifth place before you know it. I take my hat off to the young guys in this series. They’re fantastic. But I’ve got to say: I had a great time, too!
During the weekend at Oschersleben, you also had to sign a lot of autographs. Were you happy about the response?
I really appreciate that my fans were there – ‘thank you’ to all of them! As the saying goes, applause is the artist’s reward.
Would you drive the Audi RS 5 DTM race taxi again?
Absolutely! Always with pleasure. Audi just needs to call me. Unfortunately, this year it’s not possible anymore, but next year: yes, yes, yes!