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First test at Vallelunga

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In the morning session of the first of four days of DTM testing, held in Vallelunga, Italy, Mika Häkkinen set the fastest time. At the 4.076-kilometre circuit located north to Rome, the two-time Formula One World Champion completed a total of 56 laps and in his fastest, he crossed the line in 1:41.880 minutes.

Bruno Spengler, also behind the wheel of a 2006-spec AMG-Mercedes C-Class, finished second. In wet and rather cool conditions (about 10° C), the young Franco Canadian completed 55 laps and was 0.779 seconds slower than Häkkinen.

The fastest Audi driver, however, completed just 14 laps. In his fastest lap, Tom Kristensen was 0.807 seconds slower than the two-time World Champion and finished third, with Mattias Ekström completing 22 timed laps, at the wheel of his Audi A4 DTM and finishing fourth, thanks to a 1:42.898-minute lap.

At the same time, Scotland’s Susie Stoddart turned out to be the quickest of the DTM rookies. With her 2004-spec AMG-Mercedes C-Class entered by Team Mücke Motorsport, she crossed the line in 1:44.493 minutes to finish seventh, with Vanina Ickx (1:46.657 minutes) taking her 2004-spec Audi A4 DTM to eleventh place. Mattias Lauda (1:48.431 minutes) was hampered by technical problems, could complete just eight laps and had to settle for 12th position.

1 Häkkinen Mercedes C-Class 1:41.880
2 Spengler Mercedes C-Class +0.779
3 Kristensen Audi A4 +0.807
4 Ekström Audi A4 22 +1.018
5 Mücke Mercedes C-Class +1.677
6 Abt Audi A4 +2.397
7 Stoddart Mercedes C-Class +2.613
8 Alesi Mercedes C-Class +3.073
9 Tomczyk Audi A4 +3.290
10 Stippler Audi A4 +3.635
11 Ickx Audi A4 +4.777
12 Lauda Mercedes C-Class +6.551