Mattias Ekström receives reprimand for stopping on track

Audi Sport driver Mattias Ekström has been given a reprimand from the stewards at Lausitzring as the Swede stopping the car on the track after crossing the finish line in third position today.

Ekström had qualified in eighth position, making a very early pit stop at the end of the first lap and driving a charging race to finish second. However, on the last lap, the Swede reported by radio that something was broken on his RS 5 DTM, limping to the finish line.

The Team Abt driver stopped the car after Turn 5, being recovered and taken back to parc fermé by the marshals. “I don’t know exactly what happened,” Ekström said. “I just felt the car wasn’t behaving right, looked like something broke on the steering.”

The stewards investigated the incident, finding Ekström in breach of article 44.3 of the sporting regulations, stating that a car must make it back to the parc fermé under its own power after crossing the finish line. As a result, the Swede has been given a reprimand.

The DTM regulations state that any driver counting three reprimands in the same season will receive a five-position grid drop in the following race.