Photo: DTM Media

Race Preview: DTM comes to Blighty!

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The German Touring Car Series, DTM comes to England this weekend, to race at Brands Hatch in kent. DTM makes use of the Indy circuit, at slightly less than 2km (or 1 and a bit miles) long, it is the shortest circuit on the DTM calendar. The DTM machinery will lap the Indy circuit for a total of 82 laps. DTM comes to Brands Hatch 4 races from the end of the season, and the championship is close, with the top 4 drivers all within 10 points of each other. Britain’s Jamie Green currently sits second just 4 points adrift of Timo Scheider.

Previously at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch was introduced to the DTM calendar in 2006 though it wasn’t the first time the DTM had crossed the channel having raced previously in Donington Park a number of times up until 2003. In 2007 it was Bernd Schneider who came out top in the AMG Mercedes followed by two Audi drivers, Martin Tomczyk and Mattias Ekström. In 2007 Mattias Ekström took top honours followed by Brit Jamie Green in second and 2007 winner Bernd Schneider who came in third.

The season so far
The DTM Championship is currently tight at the top. Timo Scheider currently leads with 44 points, followed in second by Jamie Green who has 40 points and closed the gap by 2 points after getting on the podium at the Nürburgring last time out. Mattias Ekström is currently third, with 38 points after finishing just 6th at the Nürburgring. Paul di Resta, from Scotland currently sits 4th in only his second season of DTM.

Schedule
Friday – 29/08/2008
09.00 – DTM – roll out
09.30 – Formula 3 Euro Series – free practice
10.45 – DTM – test 1
12.15 – lunch break
13.15 – Pickup Truck Racing – qualifying
13.50 – DTM – test 2
15.20 – DTM – practice
15.40 – Formula 3 Euro Series – qualifying for race 1
16.25 – Formula Palmer Audi – free practice

Saturday – 30/08/2008
09.00 – Formula Palmer Audi – qualifying for race 1
09.30 – DTM – free practice
10.50 – Formula 3 Euro Series – race 1
11.45 – ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup – free practice
12.28 – DTM – qualifying
13.30 – DTM – international press conference (live on www.dtm.tv)
13.30 – Event programme – pit walk/lunch break
14.15 – Formula Palmer Audi – qualifying for race 2
14.50 – ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup – qualifying
15.35 – Pickup Truck Racing – race 1
16.15 – Formula Palmer Audi – race 1
17.00 – DTM – taxi drives

Sunday – 31/08/2008
09.00 – Event programme – pitwalk
10.00 – Formula Palmer Audi – race 2
10.40 – DTM – warm up
11.20 – Formula 3 Euro Series – race 2
12.10 – Event programme – F1 demo laps
12.25 – DTM – information laps
12.35 – DTM – grid presentation
13.02 – DTM – race
14.13 – DTM – podium ceremony
14.30 – DTM – international press conference (live on www.dtm.tv)
14.30 – Event programme – Mercedes classic cars
15.00 – ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup – race
15.40 – Event programme – taxi drives
16.25 – Formula Palmer Audi – race 3
17.10 – Pickup Truck Racing – race 2