DTM: Mattias Ekström on podium at season opener
Mattias Ekström finished the DTM season opener at the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) as the runner-up and thus clinches a podium position. The Swede, who was DTM champion in 2004 and 2007, saw the chequered flag with a gap of 3.6 seconds behind the winner, Bruno Spengler (Mercedes). Ekström’s A4 DTM and the Audi cars of his team-mates are equipped with clutch high-tech from ZF Sachs Race Engineering.
For the brand based in Ingolstadt Timo Scheider in fourth and Martin Tomczyk in fifth place scored points as well. In just two weeks from now the most popular international touring car series will meet again for the second round of the season at Zandvoort in the Netherlands.
Results, Hockenheim (D), DTM, round 1, 29 Apr – 01 May 2011:
1. Bruno Spengler, Mercedes, 1h 03m 07.244s
2. Mattias Ekström, Audi, + 3.696s, ZF Sachs
3. Ralf Schumacher, Mercedes, + 3.883s
4. Timo Scheider, Audi, + 4.585s, ZF Sachs
5. Martin Tomczyk, Audi, + 5.256s, ZF Sachs
6. Gary Paffett, Mercedes, + 6.591s
7. Jamie Green, Mercedes, + 10.653s
8. Maro Engel, Mercedes, + 11.938s
9. Oliver Jarvis, Audi, + 13.803s, ZF Sachs
10. David Coulthard, Mercedes, + 14.246s
Drivers' standings:
1. B. Spengler, 10 points; 2. M. Ekström, 8; 3. R. Schumacher, 6; 4. T. Scheider, 5; 5. M. Tomczyk, 4; 6. G. Paffett, 3; 7. J. Green, 2; 8. M. Engel, 1.
Other results:
Results, Hockenheim (D), Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, round 1, 29 Apr – 01 May 2011:
1. Mateusz Lisowski, Volkswagen, 22m 11.523s ZF Sachs
2. Daniel Lloyd, Volkswagen, + 1.545s, ZF Sachs
3. Nicola Larini, Volkswagen, + 2.396s, ZF Sachs
4. Aditya Patel, Volkswagen, + 4.958s, ZF Sachs
5. Uwe Alzen, Volkswagen, + 5.793s, ZF Sachs
6. Ola Nilsson, Volkswagen, + 9.091s, ZF Sachs
7. James Mobley, Volkswagen, + 13.672s, ZF Sachs
8. Adam Gladysz, Volkswagen, + 14.691s, ZF Sachs
9. Maiken Rasmussen, Volkswagen, + 17.611s, ZF Sachs
10. Stefano Proetto, Volkswagen, + 18.093s, ZF Sachs
Drivers' standings:
1. M. Lisowski, 30 points; 2. D. Lloyd, 24; 3. A. Patel, 20; 4. O. Nilsson, 17; 5. J. Mobley, 16; 6. A. Gladysz, 15; 7. M. Rasmussen, 14; 8. S. Proetto, 13; 9. M. Oestreich, 12; 10. T. Schöffler, 11