BMW drivers praise DRS and tyres despite ‘confusing’ race
BMW’s Augusto Farfus has described yesterday’s DTM season opener at Hockenheim as ‘confusing’ despite taking the win.
The race also marked the debut for the new DRS system and option tyres, which saw the team’s race strategies heavily influenced by these innovations. Farfus, who qualified in second, started on the option rubber and pitted on lap five during the safety car period for the more durable prime tyre. This saw him drop into the midfield with cars that were not victory contenders.
As a result, the Brazilian said it was tough for both him and the RBM team to work out who to race and where to push.
“It was the first real time that we could try the DRS so it was like how much does is it worth with the option and prime tyres,” he said, speaking to TouringCarTimes.
“It’s a bit confusing. You never knew exactly who you had to race so I kept asking on the radio.
“The team had a tough moment in trying to read the race, but I had some very nice fights and overtaking.”
Farfus’ BMW stablemate, Dirk Werner, also praised the new technical innovations and the Schnitzer team, after putting in a stunning drive to charge from 22nd to second and take his first DTM career podium.
“This was a magic race for me and it had so much action; not just for me, but for everybody with the option tyres and the DRS. We can really overtake as we saw today,” said Werner.
“Whoever doesn’t want the DRS can give it back, I’m keeping it.”
“My car was sensational. If you have a good car like you saw today, it’s really brilliant; I could overtake, I could do anything I wanted with it.
“One of my goals for 2013 was to make it onto the podium. I can hardly believe I have achieved that in the very first race. I have seldom experienced so much action in one race.”
RBM BMW and Schnitzer BMW lie first and second in the teams’ championship.
