Mattias Ekström says championship chance is now “not realistic”

After scoring just one point throughout the Nürburgring weekend, Audi Sport Abt driver Mattias Ekström has said only luck will rescue theim this year’s title as Mercedes Pascal Wehrlein now heads to Hockenheim with a commanding 37 point gap over Edoardo Mortara, and 38 over Ekström.

The 2004 and 2007 champion qualified in 17th position in both races at the Nürburgring, and although his race pace was better, he was only able to convert his starting position to tenth in race one and 11th in the second race.

“I haven’t had enough pace in qualifying,” said Ekström to TouringCarTimes. “Today I was P11 after lap one, I got the position from (Mike Rockenfeller) Rocky and after the pit stop I was behind (Timo) Glock and fought with him and ruined my tyres and that was it.”

Trying to understand the lack of pace all weekend, the Swede added:

“If I had the answer I’d tell you. When you can’t really switch on the tyres and get the grip and the feeling you want time is just flying. Those two, three, four tenths it costs you when someone gets it done and bam, they’re far ahead.”

Looking ahead to the season finale in three weeks’ time, where Ekström and team-mate Mortara still have a mathematical chance of closing the gap to Wehrlein, the two-time champion doesn’t fancy his chances of a third title, also referring to Mercedes switch to supporting Wehrlein with all their drivers in recent races.

“When they play it as they do with team tactics, it’ll be difficult for us to catch them,” explained Ekström. “You don’t just have to be in front of him, you have to be in front of all the others. Ten points I can live with but 38, to be honest, it’s not realistic. In Hockenheim it’s his championship to lose, we could win it by luck but not by our own craft.”