Perfect: Audi clinches all DTM titles

All DTM titles were won and seven Audi drivers finished in the top ten of the standings – an impressive season tally for the brand with the four rings. Quotes after the DTM finale at Hockenheim.

“You can’t really wish for more than this,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich after the finish at the Hockenheimring. “It’s truly been a perfect year for Audi. And today we clinched everything we still had on our agenda: the runner-up’s slot for ‘Eki’ and the team classification win for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline – my thanks go to everyone who has had a part in this great success for Audi.”

In its 84th and – for the time being – last DTM race the Audi A4 DTM made another strong showing. With Martin Tomczyk, Miguel Molina, Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias Ekström, Timo Scheider and Oliver Jarvis on positions two to four and six to eight, six Audi drivers scored points. In its career the A4 DTM, since 2004, has clinched five out of eight possible champion’s titles, 44 pole positions, 31 fastest laps and 34 race victories

The decision at the finale at Hockenheim was made as early as at the start which Mercedes driver Jamie Green decided in his favor, followed by a lonely race at the front of the field. Similarly solid were the runs of Audi drivers Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) and Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) that ended on positions two and three.

Martin Tomczyk crowned his brilliant season with another podium finish. At all ten races the new DTM Champion scored points and mounted the podium eight times. The 29-year-old, who did not finish any event this year in worse than fifth place, took three race victories.

“The finale here at Hockenheim in front of this fantastic crowd was brilliant too,” said Martin Tomczyk, after receiving the champion’s trophy on the podium. “My A4 was perfect and my team did another great job. I wasn’t able to completely keep up with Jamie’s (Green) pace but that was only secondary today.”

Another overjoyed driver was the Spaniard Miguel Molina who despite not having been able to take advantage of his pole position at the start in the end managed to celebrate third place and the first podium in his still young DTM career. “Being on podium at the last race of the Audi A4 DTM is really special,” says the 22-year-old. “I’m very happy – particularly because Audi has clinched all the titles. That’s fantastic.”

Miguel Molina is thus the eighth Audi driver to have mounted the DTM podium this year, which proves the performance strength of the 2011 driver line-up that gives Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich a perfect base for the 2012 season.

Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström on positions four and six at the finale secured the team classification for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline that has won this title for the third time, after 2004 and 2007. Having started from position ten on the grid Mattias Ekström’s sixth-place finish sufficed to clinch the runner-up’s slot since the previous runner-up in ninth place scored no points.

“I’m even happier about the team classification than about finishing as the runner-up,” said Mattias Ekström. “The guys deserve this. And this year, including at this last race, we’ve learned a lot for 2012. I can hardly wait to drive the first race in the new Audi A5 DTM.”

At the end of their first DTM season the three rookies Filipe Albuquerque (tenth place), Edoardo Mortara (13th place) and Rahel Frey (16th place after jump starting) finished out of the points. Nevertheless, all three left a good impression in their first DTM year. Mortara had already secured the “Rookie of the year” title with a score of 21 points and ninth place in the standings before the final race.

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