Audi driver Vanina Ickx about Zandvoort
- Rollercoaster in the dunes directly on the North Sea
- Sand causes unusual circuit conditions
- Difficult corner combinations demand high precision
Audi contests the seventh round of the 2007 DTM season at Zandvoort (Sunday from 12:45 p.m. live on German TV “Das Erste”). The 4.307 kilometre long circuit, which has been used since 2001, is the venue of a traditionally very atmospheric DTM event.
What’s your impression of the Zandvoort circuit?
“I’m a big fan of Zandvoort. It is, along with Barcelona, one of the two circuits on which I achieved my best qualifying performances in 2006. The circuit is characterised by the corners that drop away, fast sections, blind crests taken at full-throttle, banked curves – it’s like riding a rollercoaster. The track conditions change constantly due to the sand blowing across the circuit.”
What to these environmental factors mean for the driver?
“The track is very fast and extremely challenging. What surprised me the most was just how slippery the track surface is off the racing line. If you just put two wheels off-line you could almost believe that you have a slow puncture.”
How do you rate the circuit in comparison to the other tracks?
“You need a big heart to be fast at Zandvoort. There are some very fast corners and several sections which are blind on the entry. For example, the last corner before the start and finish line is taken flat out on new tyres, after a few laps on the same set of tyres you have to lift slightly.”
Where are the key points on the circuit?
“At the back of the circuit there are several sections in which the initial line determines the line for the following two corners. You pay a heavy penalty if you make a mistake at the beginning of these sections.”
What’s the atmosphere like during the DTM race on the North Sea?
“The atmosphere at Zandvoort is unique. The location on the coast is really beautiful and you immediately think of sunbathing... It is an event that everybody looks forward to – the drivers just as much as the spectators, who are crazy about the DTM in Holland.”