Photo: Audi Sport

Mike Rockenfeller happy with decision to focus on DTM

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Audi’s Mike Rockenfeller feels his decision to focus solely on the DTM in 2013 has paid off.

Since joining Audi’s DTM line-up in 2007, Rockenfeller contested the Le Mans 24-hours with the Ingolstadt manufacturer every year until 2012.

In 2010, he managed to win the prestigious event with co-drivers, Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas.

However, for 2013, he chose to focus solely on the DTM and feels the decision to do so is one of the contributing factors to his 33-point lead over Augusto Farfus with two races remaining of the 2013 season.

“I’m glad that Audi has given me the chance to fully concentrate on DTM this year,” Rockenfeller told TouringCarTimes. “If you look at the season so far, it seems to have paid off.

“[However], Le Mans is maybe the greatest race of the world and going there with an Audi prototype is one of the best things a race driver can achieve in his career

“I will always have lots of memories about France as I was able to win the race in 2010 together with Audi, [but] now I want to put all my effort in chasing the DTM title.”

Rockenfeller now needs a second place finish in either of the remaining two DTM races of 2013 to become Audi’s first champion since Martin Tomczyk in 2011.