Photo: Audi Sport

Ernst Moser – DTM title double rooted in 2011 success

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Phoenix Audi team principal, Ernst Moser, believes capturing the 2011 DTM drivers’ championship with Martin Tomczyk was the springboard for winning the 2013 DTM drivers’ and teams’ titles.

Phoenix entered the DTM in 2000 with Opel and switched to running year-old Audis in 2006.

Until the introduction of uniform regulations in 2012, it continued to run ‘B-Spec’ cars despite wrapping up the title with Tomczyk in 2011 with one round to go at Valencia.

In 2012 the introduction of uniform regulations brought Phoenix up to the same level as Audi’s flagship Abt team.

In 2013, the Nurburgring based outfit once again captured the drivers’ title with Mike Rockenfeller at Zandvoort, and at the Hockenheim season finale, it took its first DTM teams’ championship.

“In the past, it wasn’t always so easy with the A and B spec cars, but in 2011, we showed what we can do with the old car after we won the drivers’ championship with Martin Tomczyk.” Moser told TouringCarTimes.

When asked if he felt claiming the teams’ and drivers’ titles was rooted in the confidence carried from 2011, Moser replied: “Yes, I think so.”

Moser added he did not believe his team could claim the 2013 title double until the seventh round of the year at Oschersleben.

“I think after seven races I started to believe it was possible. At Oschersleben I started to think it was true we could win the championship.

“The most important thing was that we trusted ourselves, made no mistakes, and made a lot of really good decisions in the races.

“Either way, you still need the correct car and the driver to manage the strategy we’re using; we brought it all together in the end.”

Moser also praised Rockenfeller’s team-mate, Miguel Molina’s efforts, after the Spaniard came back from a difficult start to the season.

He hinted Molina will be retained at Phoenix alongside Rockenfeller in 2014 after he managed to score points in every round from Oschersleben after trying a new set-up direction.

“Why shouldn’t he stay?” said Moser. “At the start of the year he struggled a little bit, but we found out what we can change so we made a special set-up for him and in the second part of the season, he’s shown everyone he can do it.

“He got the points at Hockenheim for the teams’ championship and at the end of the day, I trust in him.”