Photo: DTM

Audi aiming for win in Spain

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The 2006 DTM season enters the finishing straight with a premiere: For the first time in DTM history, the most popular international touring car racing series comes to Spain. The final spurt in the DTM starts on 24 September around the Circuit de Catalunya situated on the outskirts of Barcelona.

After Barcelona the DTM will head on to Le Mans (France) for the first time three weeks later and culminates with the final race at Hockenheim (Germany) on 29 October.

With only three championship rounds remaining, the title fight between premium manufacturers Audi and Mercedes has come to a head. The pace is getting tougher and every point counts. Audi “factory” driver Tom Kristensen has reduced the gap to championship leader Bernd Schneider to ten points after winning at Zandvoort.

The Dane from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, who has already started from the front row four-times and won twice this year with his Siemens Audi A4 DTM, completed a pre-season test at Barcelona and knows the short 2.949 kilometre DTM loop from his days as a Formula 1 test driver – in a race series where hundredths-of-a-second count for a great deal, a small, but possibly decisive advantage.

The Circuit de Catalunya is also known by the majority of his Audi team-mates. Martin Tomczyk – who more recently finished on the DTM podium twice in succession – won a ‘star-of-tomorrow’ single-seater race there in 1999. Pierre Kaffer led Frank Stippler home at Barcelona in the 2003 Porsche Supercup. Heinz-Harald Frentzen frequently scored points at Barcelona in Formula 1. Nicolas Kiesa competed there in Formula 3000. Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider know the circuit from tests. Barcelona is only completely new for Christian Abt and Vanina Ickx.

Audi Sport conducted a pre-season test at Barcelona and have made intensive preparations for the final phase in the 2006 DTM with a two-day test at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz between the Zandvoort and Barcelona races.

The first DTM race to be held in Spain starts on Sunday (24 September) at 2 p.m. local time. The ARD broadcasts qualifying on Saturday (23 September) from 2 p.m. and Sundays race from 1:45 p.m. “live” from Barcelona.

Quotes before the race at Barcelona

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “DTM comes to Barcelona and will race on the short loop and not the Grand Prix circuit – a circuit layout on which neither of the two manufacturers has been able to test and which is completely new for everybody. We are looking confidently ahead. We completed another development test between Zandvoort and Barcelona, have prepared ourselves very well for the forthcoming races and worked meticulously to ensure that we can continue to fight for the championship.”

Martin Tomczyk
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #4
“Barcelona is new territory for the DTM but not for me. I’ve even won a race there. The Circuit de Catalunya is a fantastic circuit for a DTM race. It is neither an advantage nor disadvantage for Audi that we will use the short circuit. I think it’s great that both manufacturers come to Barcelona to a circuit on which neither has any previous experience. In this way both start from scratch.”

Mattias Ekström
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Red Bull Audi A4 DTM #5
“I’m looking forward to Barcelona. It’ll be the first time that I race there. I like Spain in general, which is why I’m looking forward to the weekend. It goes without saying that we’ll try everything to get Tom (Kristensen) even closer to Bernd (Schneider) in the championship standings.”

Tom Kristensen
Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, Siemens Audi A4 DTM #7
” ‘Eki’ and I tested earlier this year at Barcelona. I know the circuit from my time as a Formula 1 ‘test’ driver – even the short loop which we flooded once to test rain tyres. So, I’m well aware of what to expect. I think we have a good chance of narrowing the gap to Bernd (Schneider) at Barcelona and at Le Mans.

After failing to finish at Brands Hatch we knew that we would have to fight hard and do everything possible. Winning at Zandvoort was fantastic. Unfortunately Bernd stood next to me on the podium, which wasn’t so good. At Barcelona, I’d really not like to see any Mercedes drivers on the podium if possible – otherwise it’ll be really difficult in the title fight.”