Audi announce driver pairings for the 2017 season
Audi Sport has announced the driver allocation for its three teams for the 2017 DTM season.
After downsizing from eight to six cars in total, the most significant change is Team Abt halving its effort from four to two cars for the first time.
The three most experienced drivers at Audi, Mattias Ekström, Jamie Green and Mike Rockenfeller, will be the lead driver at Team Abt, Rosberg and Phoenix respectively.
Nico Müller will stay at Team Abt for the second year in a row after an impressive 2016 campaign which saw the young Swiss score his maiden DTM victory, and finished ninth overall in the standings.
Hans-Jürgen Abt, director of Team Abt said: “Mattias has become part of the family at ABT and Nico perfectly gelled with us in his first season. I’m convinced that in the old Swede and in the Swiss young gun we have one of the strongest driver pairings.”
Mike Rockenfeller will be partnered by DTM newcomer Loic Duval at Team Phoenix. Team director Ernst Moser said: “We are aiming to return to the top with Rocky and I know Loïc from the Audi Sport winter camps. He’s been successful as a race driver in many categories. I’m hoping for the team to receive some fresh impetus from him.”
Jamie Green will remain with Team Rosberg for the fourth consecutive year, with René Rast becoming his team-mate. Arno Zensen, team principal said: “Jamie, no doubt, is one of the fastest DTM drivers and his first title is more than overdue. René did a tremendous job in his first DTM races last year and is a great guy. Now he’s got to show that he can do equally well throughout a full season.”
The team heads to the Algarve for the first pre-season test of the year with an interim version of the RS 5 DTM on February 20-23, as the new technical regulations coming into force in 2017 are being finalised. The Ingolstadt-based squad will then head to Vallelunga from 13-16 of March, with the final preseason tests being held at Hockenheim from 3-6 of April.
Audi Sport team pairings and race numbers for the 2017 DTM
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline
#5 Mattias Ekström, Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM
#51 Nico Müller, Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM
Audi Sport Team Phoenix
#77 Loïc Duval, Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM
#99 Mike Rockenfeller, Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM
Audi Sport Team Rosberg
#33 René Rast, AUTO BILD MOTORSPORT Audi RS 5 DTM
#53 Jamie Green, Hoffmann Group Audi RS 5 DTM
