For Audi, the start into the 2009 DTM season could hardly have been better. Tom Kristensen (DK), Timo Scheider (D), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Markus Winkelhock (D) crossed the finish line of the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg with their Audi A4 DTMs in that order and thus completed the four-fold victory for the manufacturer from Ingolstadt in the 100th DTM race after the series’ revival in 2000.
With only two laps to go, everything looked set for a dominant lights-to-flag victory for two times’ DTM champion Mattias Ekström (S). However, on the penultimate lap, the Audi driver had a puncture and had to let Kristensen and the other drivers past. “Today, Mattias absolutely deserved victory. But I know that situation, I have had the same myself”, happy winner Kristensen said after his fourth victory in the DTM. Fellow Audi driver Ekström still made it home in seventh place. Second place was taken by reigning DTM champion Timo Scheider. A big surprise was caused by the drivers in third and fourth place, because Briton Oliver Jarvis and German Markus Winkelhock are both racing a 2008-spec Audi A4 DTM.
In the overall standings, Kristensen is leading with ten points from Scheider (8) and Jarvis (6). The second DTM race weekend will take place at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz from May 29th till 31st.
Audi motorsport director Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich: “Of course, I am very happy. That was a perfect race after a perfect qualifying on Saturday. I feel sorry for Mattias, he really has shown a strong performance. However, I have no worries whatsoever that he will be more successful in the next race. Still, this is a very good start into the season. This weekend, Mercedes-Benz didn’t have much luck. To put it another way: the real fight will follow in the next races of this season.”
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