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Testing begins for DTM teams

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The tranquillity is history, the DTM engines roar again. The Mercedes-Benz works squad travelled to Estoril, Portugal, for the first four days of testing in the 2005 season. At the 4.183-kilometre circuit, located north of Lisbon, they want to gain valuable data for the forthcoming season.

At the same time, Opel went to Jerez, Spain, where the manufacturer’s four works drivers – Laurent Aiello, Marcel Fässler, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Manuel Reuter – are conducting a three day testing programme from Tuesday. The tests are executed with two Opel Vectra GTS V8, one 2005 spec and one interim car.

In mostly dry conditions, only interrupted by one 30-minute rain shower at noon, DTM rookies Mika Häkkinen and Jamie Green joined the experienced DTM ace Bernd Schneider for the Tuesday tests at Estoril. On Wednesday, Green, Häkkinen and Schneider will continue testing, while Jean Alesi and Gary Paffet will take over on Thursday and Friday, to conduct their first tests of the season behind the wheel of the AMG-Mercedes C-Class.

On the second day of testing at Jerez, Spain, the Opel squad experienced no problems whatsoever. On Tuesday, Manuel Reuter covered a total mileage of some 350 kilometres behind the wheel of the 2005 Opel Vectra GTS, while Heinz-Harald Frentzen took over on Wednesday and conducted his scheduled programme at the 4.428-kilometre circuit in sunny conditions.

Marcel Fässler used Wednesday morning to complete a long-run with the interim car before turning it over to Laurent Aiello for the afternoon session. On Tuesday, the Swiss mainly focused on testing shock absorbers.

At the same time, Mercedes Benz conducted the second day of a four-day testing programme, in an air-line distance of some 370 kilometres, at Estoril, Portugal. Just as it was the case the previous day, Mika Häkkinen, Jamie Green and Bernd Schneider lapped the Portuguese circuit with the AMG-Mercedes C-Class. Day two took place in partly airy conditions but under blue skies, therefore, the scheduled programme could be completed on a dry track without being hampered by any rain showers. From Thursday, Jean Alesi and Gary Paffet will take over the testing duties.