Marco Wittmann: “mixed feelings” after Zandvoort

MTEK BMW’s Marco Wittmann has mixed feelings after starting on pole at Zandvoort, but eventually finishing fifth on an afternoon which BMW stable-mate, Augusto Farfus, took a commanding victory.

DTM rookie Wittmann dropped to third after being jumped by Audi’s Mike Rockenfeller and Farfus off the line, and then ran a compromised strategy for the rest of the race after his decision to start on the prime tyre did not work.

“I guess that is what you call mixed feelings,” said Wittmann. “Saturday was fantastic; I was the fastest man in the field and am obviously delighted with the pole position, [but] in the race, the strategy of starting on primes did not pay off.

“Despite this, we can build on our performance here in Zandvoort.”

The MTEK team principal, Ernst Knoors, echoed his driver’s feelings after feeling the team failed to deliver on the promise is showed in qualifying with Wittmann’s pole and Timo Glock’s eighth position grid-slot.

“This was a good weekend for the team, on which we were able to show we have the pace,” said Knoors. Both Marco Wittmann, with his pole, and Timo Glock performed well in qualifying.

“The race was then disappointing for us.”

Glock finished the race in 18th.