Audi driver Kristensen takes first Pole in the DTM
- Two Audi A4 DTM cars on first row at Oschersleben
- Martin Tomczyk starting from second place
- Best Qualifying result for Frank Stippler
Just like last year, Tom Kristensen and Martin Tomczyk will be starting from the first row with their A4 cars in the DTM race at Oschersleben – this time, however, in reverse order: only one week after his record victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi works driver Tom Kristensen (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) captured his first pole position in the DTM. Martin Tomczyk drove the second-best time in Saturday’s Qualifying, thus starting for the first time this season from the first row. Leader of the standings Mattias Ekström will start the race from the third row. Frank Stippler (Audi Sport Team Joest), who claimed ninth place, achieved his best Qualifying result in the DTM so far and was thus the quickest driver of an Audi A4 DTM from last year.
After a thunderstorm with heavy rain, the stewards cancelled the Super Pole-single timed laps at Oschersleben. The starting positions were determined in the Qualifying practice. The track, which had been wet at first, dried off increasingly during the 30-minute session, which meant that the top times were driven at the very end. Tom Kristensen put a gap of more than seven tenths of a second between himself and the rest of the field to drive the fastest lap ever to have been completed by a DTM car at Oschersleben, despite the difficult conditions.
The weather forecast for the race on Sunday has predicted hot summer temperatures. Compared to last year, the racing distance has been increased by two laps to a total of 44. ARD will broadcast live from Oschersleben at 1:45 p.m. (local time).
Quotes after Qualifying
Tom Kristensen (Audi Sport Team Abt #5)
1st place, 1m 20.218s
“With my seventh victory at Le Mans I have made a dream come true for myself – and things are continuing like a dream here as well: I’ve been given a perfectly prepared A4. My crew has done a perfect job for this very special Qualifying session. Tyre temperature and air pressure were right on the dot, that’s why I was able to drive a lap like I’ve never been able to before. As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t mind if things continued going just like this...”
Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline #2)
2nd place, 1m 20.989s
“Generally speaking, it’s too bad that because of such a storm you can’t keep your normal rhythm and drive the Super Pole as well. But everyone had to live with that. The situation was really such that the track was dry in the last two laps and you had to take a lot of risk. This time, it worked out well for me. At Brno, that wasn’t the case. Today brought the well-deserved compensation.”
Mattias Ekström (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline #1)
5th place, 1m 21.058s
“Unfortunately, we had a few minor problems with the power steering, which hampered me a bit. Overtaking is very difficult here, yet anything is possible – the race tomorrow will be very long.”
Allan McNish (Audi Sport Team Abt #6)
8th place, 1m 21.374s
“The Qualifying was difficult for everyone. We waited until we were able to drive with slicks. That was a very good decision. I felt comfortable in the car, which was understeering a bit though. My first lap wasn’t perfect, the second was my fastest lap, that’s when the tyres had lost some grip, however. Starting from eighth place is quite okay. I have a very good car for the race, but I know that overtaking here is nearly impossible.”
Frank Stippler (Audi Sport Team Joest #19)
9th place, 1m 21.397s
“As always, you had to be right on the dot today. While braking, you had to be careful to keep the wheels from locking. I managed this quite well today. Now, I’m hoping that we’ll have an equally good set-up for the race as we did for the Qualifying.”
Rinaldo Capello (Audi Sport Team Joest #18)
11th place, 1m 21.458s
“I’m improving from race to race and am quite satisfied. The Super Pole, had there been one, I would have missed by just a few hundredths. In today’s wet conditions, I was very quick – and, what’s more, on a circuit that’s new to me. I think eleventh place on the grid is a respectable result.”
Pierre Kaffer (Audi Sport Team Joest Racing #15)
15th place, 1m 22.307s
“Unfortunately, I was slowed down on my first laps. In the end, I ran out of laps, otherwise I could have done quite a bit better. But the conditions were the same for everyone – and this time, we just weren’t on the lucky side.”
Christian Abt (Audi Sport Team Joest Racing #14)
17th place, 1m 22.482s
“I have a good car but a poor grid position. I’m a little disappointed because I wanted to gamble through to the very end. But we got a little nervous and went out four minutes too early. At Oschersleben, overtaking is extremely difficult. That’s why you can only drive a successful race if you have a good strategy. Tomorrow, it’ll mainly be the team that counts.”
Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “The strategy of our team was truly perfect. We were the only ones that were still on the track at the end. This is why we have two Audi cars at the very front of the grid tomorrow. The prerequisites are very good. With a double pole, you can be a little more relaxed about the upcoming race.”
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “Today, the positions were determined by throwing a dice. You couldn’t be sure about how the track would develop and, what’s more, what would still be in store. There was a threat of rain setting in again. Consequently, we used different strategies. Because the rain didn’t ultimately start again, those who went out a little earlier – meaning Christian and Pierre – had a disadvantage. Considering what we saw in the Qualifying, I think we’re in for quite a race. We’re going to try and finish in a nice, clean way and to score points again.”
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Needless to say, we’re very satisfied with the result of the Qualifying. It was absolutely the right decision to wait until the end. Although this harboured a certain amount of risk, it paid off. Our starting position here is very similar to last year’s – if we can take advantage of it in the same way as well, I’d be very satisfied indeed.”