Audi Press Release
- First podium of the season for the two-time DTM Champion
- Miguel Molina and Mike Rockenfeller score points as well
- DTM manufacturers’ classification remains open
On an initially wet track, the two-time DTM Champion in the AUTO TEST Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Phoenix was in the group of front runners from the beginning of the race. On lap 22, Scheider advanced to third place, continuously made up ground to the second-placed Christian Vietoris after switching to slicks, and drove the fastest race lap in the process. However, the Mercedes Benz driver fended off his attack on the final lap.
“My race was good in what very difficult conditions at times,” said Scheider. “I didn’t even notice all the things that were happening behind me. I’m very happy for my guys that I finally brought home a podium result. It almost turned out to be second place. ‘Thank you’ to Audi and Team Phoenix for a superb JOB.”
Scheider was the only Audi driver at Lausitz who had a reason to cheer. On a wet track, almost all the Audi drivers were complaining about a lack of grip, resulting in excursions, spins and collisions. With Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Audi RS 5 DTM) from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in ninth place and Scheider’s team-mate Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM) in position ten, two other Audi drivers finished in the points.
Edoardo Mortara in the Audi Sport Audi RS 5 DTM finished the race in 16th place. The Italian was the only driver in the field to start the race on slicks. However, the tire gamble did not pan out, as Mortara was lapped twice.
Both Audi RS 5 DTM cars of Audi Sport Team Rosberg retired with shifting problems following contacts. While Jamie Green in the Hoffmann Group Audi RS 5 DTM was still classified in 17th place, Nico Müller had to park his Financial Services Audi RS 5 DTM in the pits after just 14 laps.
Adrien Tambay had to park his Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM with a damaged right front suspension shortly before the end of the race following an incident of contact and Mattias Ekström (Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM) did not see the checkered flag either. At the start, the Swede dropped from second to sixth place and lost further ground due to an excursion into the gravel trap. The race was ‘over for good’ following a failed pit stop at which the left front wheel of his RS 5 DTM was not properly tightened.
As a result, the decision in the 2014 DTM drivers’ classification was made early in favor of BMW driver Marco Wittmann. In the manufacturers’ standings the narrow gap between BMW and Audi has remained unchanged at 18 points and is therefore still open.
“Congratulations to Marco Wittmann on winning the title,” said Dieter Gass, Head of DTM at Audi Sport. “He’s been on a similar roll this year as Mike Rockenfeller was in the past season. Congratulations also to Timo Scheider on his first podium finish this year. We’ve got analyze for our own purposes why things weren’t going well particularly with the rain tires on the initial laps.”
In two weeks from now the next DTM race is coming up at Zandvoort (the Netherlands).
Photo credit: Audi Media
