Oschersleben as seen by Martin Tomczyk
- Every lap in the Motopark is different
- Perfect work of the pit crews is crucial
- All you can do in the heat is grit your teeth
Audi has returned to Oschersleben with very good memories: last year, Tom Kristensen and Martin Tomczyk clinched a dominating 1-2 victory. The DTM is coming back to the circuit near Magdeburg with the defending Champion, Mattias Ekström – who clocked the best times on Friday – leading the standings. The Motopark is considered a narrow and relatively slow circuit and, owing to its many corners, is known as a venue for thrilling races. Martin Tomczyik comments on the 3.667-kilometre circuit at which the drivers will be covering 44 laps on Sunday.
Last year, you started from Pole here and finished in second place. What do you like about the circuit at Oschersleben?
Martin Tomczyk: “To be honest, Oschersleben and I were at loggerheads with each other prior to last year, because I never got along particularly well here at any time. But then the knot broke, and now it’s working out very well. Not a single lap at Oschersleben is boring because the track conditions change from one minute to the next. Even if you just run the kerbs a little and sand gets thrown onto the track, that changes everything.”
What are the crucial points for you at Oschersleben?
Martin Tomczyk: “Actually, the main thing is not to get behind someone who is throwing dirt onto the track. If that happens, you have to respond very quickly and, if necessary, even leave the racing line for a moment to keep from picking up the sand.”
Where do you see the best opportunities for overtaking?
Martin Tomczyk: “On this narrow circuit there are hardly any opportunities for overtaking. Perhaps there’s a small chance at the beginning of the start-finish straight. I think that many overtaking manoeuvres will take place during the pit stops – which makes the perfect work of the crews all the more important.”
The first corner after the start is very narrow. Is this a dangerous turn?
Martin Tomczyk: “That’s hard for me to say because last year I was at the very front of the field. And I’d prefer it to be that way on Sunday again, because that means I wouldn’t even have to think about it.”
The weather forecast is predicting temperatures above 30 degrees. How important is heat in the race and how do you prepare yourself for it?
Martin Tomczyk: “I try to watch my body’s fluid balance throughout the weekend – in other words not to drink too much before the race but to drink continuously. When it gets really hot in the cockpit, though, all you can do is grit your teeth and stick it out. But our physical fitness training before and during the season prepares us for such situations. After a joint fitness week in spring, our team physician, Dr Christian John, issues individual exercise plans to prepare us and keep us fit. Consequently, we’re all set to tackle the heat battles in the summer.”