Mike Rockenfeller rues Hockenheim strategy mistakes

Audi’s Mike Rockenfeller ended his DTM title winning year ruing strategy errors which saw him finish 16th at the Hockenheim season finale.

Up until the season ender, the Phoenix Audi driver scored in every round of the year, including two victories at Brands Hatch and Moscow.

However, strategy mistakes saw the 2013 DTM champion finish way down the order at Hockenheim.

Rockenfeller started on the wet Hankook tyres, and chose to pit early on lap six for another set.

He then ran a long stint until lap 35 when he stopped again for a set of the dry option rubber.

“Everything just went wrong today,” Rockenfeller told TouringCarTimes. “I had no pace overall.

“I made a bad start, so everything was still possible but the car was just so understeery for me.

“The tyre strategy was also not right but this was my call at the beginning, I think I made a mistake there.

“That mistake was to come in that early and then have such a long stint in the middle of the race. By that point, the tyres were dying.

“I’m disappointed with the result, but it’s good it all happened here and not at any other race this season.”