“The basis for the good race result today was qualifying, which I was very proud of,” said Mattias Ekström. “That hasn’t really been my greatest strength. From position three on the grid behind two Audi colleagues, the main thing was to stay in front of Marco Wittmann at the start. Fortunately, I managed to do that. Afterwards, everything went perfectly. Although, at first glance, I have a big advantage now, the tables can turn very quickly again in the DTM.”
“My car was perfect, especially on the first set of tires,” said Green. “But in the end, Mattias came up from behind with DRS and with a view towards the championship, today was also about teamwork.”
On clinching 3rd place and his first podium this season, Ekström’s teammate at Abt, Nico Müller, perfected Audi’s one-two-three win, plus a special birthday of Team Director Thomas Biermaier who turned 40 on Saturday.
Audi RS5 DTM Driver, Jamie Green
“A superb race for us,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “The guys at the front did a great job and were really running fast. They obviously benefited a little from Robert Wickens having slowed the whole field with a damaged car so that the field behind position four was superbly close together again. That made it easier for us to bring our one-two-three win home.”
On Sunday, Audi again celebrated a one-two-three win. The spectators witnessed a spectacular thriller from which René Rast from Audi Sport Team Rosberg in the end surprisingly came out the winner.
Audi RS5 DTM Driver, René Rast
As a result, René Rast celebrated the third victory in his impressive DTM rookie season and as the new runner-up in the standings is again one in a total of six drivers still having chances of clinching the drivers’ title in the finale at Hockenheim on October 14 and 15. Four of them drive an Audi RS 5 DTM.
“For me, personally, it was obviously a superb result,” said Rast. “But I’m very sorry for Jamie. He would have deserved victory today. On the one hand, we can be happy that we’ve won the race. On the other hand, we’re a little sad that it didn’t turn out a one-two win.”
Jamie Green in Audi RS5 DTM #53
“That was an awesome race,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “With two one-two-three wins, it was a superb weekend for us. But I’m extremely sorry for Jamie (Green). He showed such an excellent performance here from day one. He clinched pole position twice and no doubt would have deserved victory today. Losing so much ground so shortly before the end due to a technical issue is painful. Mattias (Ekström) with a super-risky strategy fought back and is now traveling to Hockenheim as the leader of the standings. The DTM fans can look forward to a spectacular finale.”
Audi RS5 DTM Drivers Mike Rockenfeller, René Rast and Nico-Müller
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