Mike Rockenfeller: “There are also many things I want to win”
In 2013, Mike Rockenfeller put on a great performance in the DTM to become the second driver to win the title for Phoenix Racing.
In addition to taking the 2013 DTM title at Zandvoort with one round to go, the 30-year-old already had a more than impressive C.V. By the time he was 26, he had already won Le Mans twice, as well as the Porsche Supercup title earlier in his career.
In 2013, Rockenfeller emerged as Audi’s most consistent performer, and put together a title winning campaign which saw him score two wins and emerge 26 points ahead of BMW’s Augusto Farfus come the Hockenheim season-ender.
What makes Rockenfeller’s story even more extraordinary, was that he’s still racing.
At Le Mans 2011, the Audi driver endured a 200mph accident whilst passing a back marker. Despite walking away with just a few cuts and grazes, his #1 Audi R18 was destroyed and he was forced to sit out of the Lausitzring DTM round as a result.
By any standards, it would have been difficult to get back in a racing car. The fact he did was impressive enough. The fact he won a DTM title just two years on was a remarkable achievement.
TouringCarTimes caught up with Rockenfeller over the winter to discuss his 2014 DTM title defence with Phoenix Audi, his frustration of racing in an ‘old spec’ Audi A4 early in his DTM career and a possible return to Le Mans in 2015 with Porsche.
TouringCarTimes: When you were growing up in Neuwied, would you have ever imagined that by the relatively young age of 30, you’d be a double Le Mans winner and a DTM champion? What would have been your career path had you not become a race driver?
Mike Rockenfeller: Well, I think that’s quite difficult to say, but I guess I would have probably taken over my dad’s garage where I had my job as a car mechanic after school, so yeah, I think that would have been my career. But of course, it’s really nice to have those victories, those championships and the wins at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and Daytona – these were also some big successes in my career, or the FIA GT championship at the time. So yeah, I’d say there are many things I have won, but there are also many things I want to win and would love to do again. For sure Le Mans is one of my goals, and to win the DTM again would be great.
TcT: On the morning of this year’s race at Zandvoort where you clinched the DTM title, what was going through your head? When you crossed the line, what did you feel and what was your initial reaction over the radio to the team?
MR: Well, of course there was a lot of pressure which came off my shoulders. I mean, we knew at about the two-thirds distance in the race that I was in the position. I wasn’t so fast on the standard tyres, so I wasn’t in contention for victory in that race, but I knew that if I crossed the line in P2 I would be champion. It was a great relief, and basically I was so happy. I also thought about those difficult years in the DTM when I was unable to win those races with the old car. It was just a very nice feeling.
TcT: At which point of this season did you realise that the title was a realistic target?
MR: I think basically… well, before the season we were hoping to be more competitive than last year, which was not an easy target because we had a difficult set of rules with the frozen regulations. The first race was good, the second one at Brands I won which made me really confident. Then I would say that honestly, it was at the Norisring where I was sure I could challenge for the title. Historically it’s the most difficult race in the DTM, and to extend the championship lead after starting from a bad position was a sign for me that this year could be the one where we win the championship. That was a real motivator because I realised it was a realistic target.
TcT: Since moving from Abt Sportsline back to Phoenix racing for 2012, you’ve finished both seasons as the best Audi driver; once in fourth, the other time as a champion. Have your performances been due to a different working atmosphere in the teams, or the switch to the new DTM cars? If so, why?
MR: Again, I think the first four years of my DTM career were kind of frustrating. I think I could have shown better results with the right car, and as a race driver, you need a competitive car. That took a while. When I moved to Abt in 2011 from a great year with Phoenix in the old car, it was my Le Mans victory in 2010. Abt had the newer car at the time and I think I was doing really well with them. With Abt it was a really nice atmosphere, so nothing bad. But then at Le Mans, my accident happened so I had to withdraw from the next race, and then at the Norisring I wasn’t completely fit to perform at 100%. It was a difficult year, but I was happy at the team. When the rules changed in 2012, and all the Audi teams got the same material with the new cars, for me it was quite clear that I wanted to go back to Phoenix. I have a good car from them, and I have no problems at all, but I think at Abt it could have been the same, really. I don’t want to want to say anything bad about them [Abt] obviously, because I think they’re a great team. To be honest, here at Audi we’re one big team.
TcT: Whilst the DTM title was the obvious highlight of 2013, did you have any low points?
MR: Of course, yeah! But I would say not so many… I think the first race I finished P8, but the last race at Hockenheim was the most frustrating performance. It was my worst race result of 2013 as I finished 16th. Also after Free Practice at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, we got a penalty with the Off Track rule, so I got moved back five positions after qualifying. That was also frustrating, starting 13th there, but finishing P4 was a nice end to the weekend. Therefore, I would say that that was a downside, but you always struggle in Free Practice, you always have challenges and there’s always something you can improve.
TcT: Do you feel that focussing on the DTM in 2013 and not running a split sports car programme, was one of the key aspects in taking the championship?
MR: No, personally I don’t think so. The positive about it is that you have a bit more time to relax and to focus on one thing, yes, that’s for sure. You just switch your focus a little bit. I’ve always been driving with the four best Sportscar drivers, and with the different [DTM and LMP] cars extracted what I can, but with the time schedule this year and even next year, I won’t be able to do any more than the DTM. Yeah, I’m disappointed by I have to focus on one. The dates are like they are, but in the future we will see. I’m sure if you ask some other people, they would say that of course it helped that I’m only doing one programme. They may be right, but it’s difficult to say. Had I been at Le Mans, would I have been able to take the DTM title? I don’t know. The fact is, is that I only did DTM and I won.
TcT: Can you sum up your season in no more than five words?
MR: Ha! That’s difficult to say in more than five words but it… was… a… perfect… DTM… year… [laughs]
TcT: What can we expect from you in 2014? Will you be running in just the DTM, or are you tempted to compete in a number of Sportscar events with Audi? Does Porsche’s return to Le Mans make you want to have a go?
MR: Le Mans is always my passion and the thing I want to go back to. It makes sense for me, actually. For sure, Porsche’s entry into the FIA WEC makes it more special to me, but on the other hand, it would be a problem with the calendar clashing in the DTM, and that’s something I really enjoy and want to try hard in. So, again, 2014 will be the year where I only race in the DTM, because to be on a good level, you have to do the pre-season testing to get the best preparation with these complex cars. I hope in the future I will drive with Porsche on the race-track or against Porsche, but it won’t be next year. Maybe 2015.
