• Champion Mattias Ekström hosted by Reinhold Beckmann
  • Orange Blue, Moritz Bleibtreu & Co. visit the DTM
  • Audi is chasing points at Road Atlanta and Spa as well
DTM 2005
Martin Tomczyk with Vince Bahrdt and Volkan Baydar from Orange Blue

On his way home to Sweden Mattias Ekström will stop in Hamburg: together with Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Mika Häkkinen, the DTM champion will be a guest at Reinhold Beckmann’s talk show on Channel 1 (ARD) to be recorded on Monday. The date of the broadcast has not yet been determined.

Numerous celebrities are using the opportunity of the DTM season opener to visit the Audi squad. Audi’s guests include actors Moritz Bleibtreu, Claus Theo Gärtner, Mark Keller and Fritz Wepper. And prior to the band “Orange Blue“ (She’s got that light) performing in the ARD Chart Show, Audi driver Martin Tomczyk took vocalists Vince Bahrdt and Volkan Baydar on an exclusive pit lane tour – including tyre change practice.

At Hockenheim, Audi Head of Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich is in constant contact with Road Atlanta (USA) and Spa-Francorchamps (B), where the Audi R8 is competing in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans Endurance Series. Communication works the other way round as well: Audi driver Emanuele Pirro sent a fax wishing the Audi DTM squad good luck.

While Mattias Ekström’s parents Agneta and Bengt have been regular guests at Audi’s Hospitality for some time, DTM rookie Allan McNish is receiving family support as well: father Burt has been accompanying his son to almost every race ever since his karting days.