The Norisring as seen by Christian Abt
The race at the Norisring is not only Audi’s ‘home match’ but also the highlight of the DTM season: nowhere else are there more spectators, nowhere else more Audi fans and nowhere else is there such a unique flair as at the city circuit in Nuremberg. Commensurate with such superlatives, the Audi drivers’ squad fighting in concert with the leader of the standings, Mattias Eckström, have set high goals for this weekend. Christian Abt comments on the calendar’s shortest circuit.
You’re saying that the Norisring is your favourite track. Why?
Christian Abt: “Boris Becker always refers to Wimbledon as his living room – right then, let’s call the Norisring my living room. Bavaria, Audi and the Norisring simply go together. The atmosphere at this circuit is not matched by any other race track in the world – and neither are the large number of Audi fans and flags.“
What’s particularly important at the Norisring?
Christian Abt: “The Norisring is a difficult circuit requiring lots of experience. This track is not just about braking, turning the wheel and accelerating again. A driver needs to have incredible control of the car, down to the last inch, because there are no run-off areas and even the slightest contact with the wall can throw you out of the race.“
What are the key points at the Norisring?
Christian Abt: “Surely, the two hairpins are critical, because that’s where the only opportunities for overtaking exist. But to use these, you’ve got to be bloody good at handling the brakes and have an intuitive feel for the situation.”
How important is the start at the Norisring?
Christian Abt: “The start is incredibly important, because the first corner, which is very tight at that, comes up soon after the start. Besides that, using the right race strategy is critical: the timing of your pit stops can make you win the race at this short circuit – or lose it.”
Dry or wet, warm or cold – what kind of weather would you prefer on race day?
Christian Abt: “Dry weather, please. I’ve been through rain races at the Norisring before and can only say that they were anything but fun. And moderate temperatures would be great as well, because today has shown how the cockpit heats up after just half an hour of sunshine. Of course, for the fans a really nice summer day would be super – and if that’s the case, we, the drivers, simply have to tackle the temperatures.