Mattias Ekström and Adrien Tambay pleased with P2 and P4

Abt Audi drivers, Mattias Ekström and Adrien Tambay, are pleased with the outcome of the DTM’s maiden race in Russia at the Moscow Raceway.

Ekström started second, and was a victory contender after he ran ahead of championship leader and Audi stablemate, Mike Rockenfeller, thanks to an early stop on lap 8.

However, due to Rockenfeller’s championship position, the Swede conceded the lead of after his final stop on lap 65, which allowed his stablemate through to take his second win of the 2013 DTM season.

“If Rocky (Rockenfeller) had a trouble-free race, I knew I was not going to fight him. He helped me in the years I was champion,” said Ekström afterwards. “It’s always great to be on podium, especially when you’ve got as perfect a set-up as we did today.

“If I can have this much fun behind the wheel in the rest of the season, there will be more trophies.

“After all it took a major effort to travel here and to drive this race, [so] I’m sure there’ll be a little party tonight.”

Ekström’s Abt team-mate, Adrien Tambay, also enjoyed a strong performance after crossing the line in fourth, just under a second behind BMW’s Augusto Farfus.

The Frenchman qualified 12th, but ran a long 56 lap stint on the option tyres which saw him progress through the field and set the fastest lap of the race.

“I started from position twelve, drove the fastest race lap and finished in fourth place,” said Tambay. “It was great, [as] I scored points for the first time this season and was able to demonstrate here that I know my job and just needed a bit of fortune.”

Audi newcomer, Jamie Green, and double DTM title winner, Timo Scheider, also took points for the Abt outfit after they finished sixth and ninth respectively.