Lucas Auer: “The most intense race I have ever experienced in DTM”

BMW Motorsport Team RMR driver Lucas Auer claimed his fourth DTM victory and first of the season at the Lausitzring today, after an strategic call and an intense fight with fellow BMW driver at Team RMG Timo Glock.

Auer had struggled in the three races held there earlier this season, unable to make use of the “magic” that allowed him to record two of his three prior victories, including his maiden one, at the Lausitzring.

But everything changed on Sunday, despite the Austrian only managing to qualify in ninth place on the grid, fourth among the BMWs and half-a-second behind Team RBM’s Sheldon van der Linde.

“I had a super start and realised that my early pace was very strong,” Auer told TouringCarTimes.

“We also saw that we had a slight tyre advantage, so we made an early call to come into the pits,” added the Austrian, who changed tyres on lap ten, the same lap as Glock.

When the leading Audi drivers pitted half-way into the race, both Glock and Auer were able to undercut them.

Glock overtook Team Rosberg driver Jamie Green for the lead on lap 23, with Auer following suit and fought with the German driver for the lead. But Glock experienced an issue that impeded him from lapping faster.

“I picked up some rubber patch early on, and that caused me an imbalance at the front, so I had to use the rear quite a lot,” explained the Team RMG driver. “That allowed Lucas to close the gap and I realised that he still had one DRS opportunity left.”

“There was no point in fighting with Timo all the time, killing the tyres,” added Auer, who briefly led for two laps before losing it again to Glock. “So I stayed behind Timo to keep the tyres alive and saved my attack for the end.”

Indeed, Auer overtook Glock on the very last lap, with the Team RMG driver able to defend his position as the Audis behind fought among themselves.

“I am still lost for words,” added the Austrian. “I think that was the most intense race I have ever experienced in the DTM, as an error could have been fatal.

“I was able to manage the tyres well, the strategy and pit stop were perfect. The car was also spot-on. And putting it all together on the final lap, it doesn’t get any better than that,” concluded Auer.

“The one-two result was an important signal for us,” said Rudolf Dittich, general manager at BMW Motorsport Vehicle Development. “Timo and Lucas were racing with a very good, consistent pace. However, our strategy was decisive as we found the right time to make the pit stops.

“A total of five BMWs finished in the points. That is very encouraging for the upcoming races.”