Phoenix believes Mike Rockenfeller could have taken Lausitz win

Phoenix Audi team principal, Ernst Moser, believes his driver, Mike Rockenfeller, could have beaten Gary Paffett to victory in yesterday’s DTM race at the Lausitzring.

Rockenfeller finished second to the Mercedes driver from sixth on the grid thanks to a standard-option-standard strategy, and at one stage of the race, came to within just over half a second of overtaking.

However, the Audi driver was unable to pass due to allegedly losing time behind Paffett’s team-mate, Robert Wickens, and a vibration at the end of his run on option tyres.

“We selected the right strategy again,” said Moser after the race. “‘Rocky’ (Rockenfeller) had a superb speed but was slowed a bit by (Robert) Wickens.

“After he had overtaken him, victory would have been possible but at the end of the stint on the option tyres he had vibrations and we called him into the pits. Otherwise, he’d have passed (Gary) Paffett.”

As a result of his second podium in 2013, Rockenfeller now joint leads the championship on 59 points with reigning DTM champion, Bruno Spengler.

However, he is placed ahead in the standings due to countback, as the BMW driver could only manage seventh today.

Whilst Rockenfeller was pleased with his result and to once again finish as the best of the Audi drivers, after the race, he conceded that Paffett was too quick.

“Starting from position six, we squeezed out the maximum [from the car],” said Rockenfeller. “I even came close to being able to battle for victory but, in all fairness, you’ve got to admit that Gary (Paffett) was simply faster in the end.

“My car was absolutely fantastic today, especially on the option tyres, [so] ‘thank-you’ to my team.”