Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
06/28/2009
Nuremberg (GER)
British driver Jamie Green won an absolutely thrilling DTM race at the Norisring for Mercedes-Benz, continuing the brand's winning streak.
Since 2003, a Mercedes-Benz driver has been on the top step of the podium every year. For Green, it was the fifth victory of his DTM career and the second in a row at this circuit. “I just can’t find words to express my joy. Timo (Scheider) has closed the gap very well and I wasn’t sure as to what strategy I should take. I was in a new car for four years, and now, with a year-old car, it all went so well. Being back here again and facing all the critics was nice”, the 27-year old said.
Former British F3 star Jamie Green's mastery of the Norisring came through today as he won with a 2008-spec Mercedes. (LAT)
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His fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Bruno Spengler (CDN) completed the 1-2 for Mercedes-Benz by finishing second. Swede Mattias Ekström finished third, which made him the best-placed Audi driver. “The race was good and fair, although I am sorry that Audi hasn’t won. I am looking forward to the upcoming races”, the DTM champion of 2004 and 2007 said.
Always a popular event, the DTM weekend at the Norisring street race attracted a total crowd of 132,000 spectators. On the final four laps of the 80 lap event, the fans saw three different race leaders. Driving his Audi A4 DTM, defending champion Timo Scheider was ahead of Spengler and Green with four laps to go. At times, the trio were less than 0.6 seconds apart. On the penultimate lap, Green took the lead from Scheider after a door-to-door battle.
Spengler and even Mattias Ekström, who had been running in fourth place up to that point, also overtake Scheider, claiming second and third place with less than four kilometers remaining. Scheider still scored five points in the battle for the championship by finishing fourth and thus remains on top in the points standings.
There was a reason to celebrate for Mercedes-Benz driver Ralf Schumacher, too. The former F1 driver scored his best result in a DTM race so far in sixth place. As the checkered flag was out, he was only 0.31 seconds down on his fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Gary Paffett, the winner of the second season round at the EuroSpeedway. Dane Tom Kristensen (Audi), who had won the season opener of this year’s DTM, ended up eighth behind Scottish driver Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz).
British racer Katherine Legge was unhappy after the race. Having started from fifth place for the third round of the season, the 28-year old had a rather poor start and finished only twelfth after 184 kilometers or racing. The second lady in the field, Susie Stoddart (GBR/Mercedes-Benz), ended up tenth.
In the points’ standings, Scheider remains in the lead with 17 points from Spengler (16) and Paffett (14). The fourth DTM round of the season will be held at Zandvoort in The Netherlands from July 17th till 19th.
Mercedes-Benz motorsport director Norbert Haug was ecstatic to see his marque take the win. “That was an incredibly exciting race and already our seventh victory at the Norisring. I thought that we would be able to secure the points earlier on, but neither during the first nor during the second pit stops, we were able to catch up. Timo has taken a lot of risk with his line and he will be disappointed now, but that is normal. Jamie is a real specialist at this track. This was one of the best touring car races we have ever seen, and we have had many good races.”
Audi's motorsports boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich had to settle for positives that did not involve winning. “We were all very close together with our performance and that surely was one of the most thrilling races of the last few years. Timo has always made the best out of every situation. And he looked all set for victory until the very end. Too bad that he couldn’t make it onto the podium eventually. But now we have third place with Mattias and fourth with Timo, that is what races are like. Today, one can see what can be achieved with year old cars. And one can also see, that our ladies aren’t there just to make up numbers, they are true and genuine racers. In spite of her poor start, Katherine still set the fastest race lap. That really is good promotion for the DTM.”
The race in detail
Start Legge stalls, Scheider takes the lead and defends it through the first hairpin. Crash out of Schöller-S between Jarvis and Kostka. Kostka pushed Jarvis around, the Brit spun. Legge has dropped back to 14th. Kostka drives into the pits, Jarvis is out.
Lap 2 The safety car is deployed. Ekström is leading the race, he has overtaken Scheider on the inside at the exit of Dutzendteich.
Lap 5 Restart. Ekström is leading from Scheider, Spengler, Paffett, Green. Scheider overtakes Ekström on the run up to the the first hairpin.
Lap 7 Spengler keeps Ekström under pressure in the battle for third.
Lap 11 Slight rain has set in.
Lap 15 Scheider is leading by 0.5 seconds from Ekström, Spengler, Paffett, Green, Engel, Kristensen, Prémat, Schumacher and Rockenfeller.
Lap 18 Engel runs wide at Grundigkehre, but defends his sixth place.
Lap 19 First pit stops: Schumacher, Rockenfeller into the pits.
Lap 20 Paffett, Prémat into the pits.
Lap 22 Ekström, Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 23 Paffett gets past as Ekström rejoins. Lauda into the pits.
Lap 25 Spengler is closing up on race leader Scheider. Lauda spun under braking before Dutzendteich. Scheider into the pits.
Lap 28 Tomczyk into the pits.
Lap 31 Spengler is leading from Green, Engel, Kristensen, Di Resta, Legge, Winkelhock and Bakkerud, who all still have to come in. Susie Stoddart is the first to make the second pit stop.
Lap 33 Bakkerud into the pits.
Lap 35 Di Resta, Winkelhock into the pits.
Lap 36 Engel, Kristensen, Schumacher into the pits.
Lap 37 Premat hits Armco barrier at Dutzendteich after contact with Di Resta - retires.
Lap 38 Spengler into the pits.
Lap 39 Spengler rejoins behind Timo Scheider. Green, Lauda into the pits.
Lap 40 Spengler is right on the bootlid of Timo Scheider's car.
Lap 41 Paffett into the pits.
Lap 43 Ekström into the pits.
Lap 44 Spengler into the pits.
Lap 45 Scheider into the pits - rejoins in front of Spengler.
Lap 46 Engel, Winkelhock into the pits. Mechanics are trying to push Engel's car as he can't drive off - Engel retires.
Lap 47 Kristensen, Tomczyk into the pits.
Lap 48 Green is leading with a margin of 14.0 seconds from Rockenfeller and Legge, but all three still have to come in a second time. Scheider is fourth from Spengler, Ekström, Paffett and Schumacher. Bakkerud into the pits.
Lap 52 Legge into the pits.
Lap 54 Fastest lap for Katherine Legge: 48.683.
Lap 55 Green into the pits - Scheider and Spengler just go past as the Brit rejoins.
Lap 56 Rockenfeller into the pits - he is the last to make his second stop.
Lap 58 Scheider is leading by 1.8 seconds from Spengler, Green, Ekström, Paffett, Schumacher, Di Resta, and Kristensen.
Lap 63 Bakkerud spins coming out of Dutzendteich after he had made way for the top three.
Lap 66 Scheider, Spengler and Green in the top three separated by only 0.8 seconds.
Lap 68 Spengler right on the tail of Scheider's car in the Dutzendteich hairpin.
Lap 69 Top three within 0.6 seconds.
Lap 76 It remains very, very close between Scheider and Spengler. Under braking for Dutzendteich, Spengler gets past.
Lap 77 Scheider claims back first place out of Grundig. Green moves up into second.
Lap 78 Ekström attacks Spengler for third, Green attacks Scheider for the lead.
Lap 79 Green overtakes Scheider on the inside at Schöller-S, Scheider drops back to fourth as Spengler, and Ekström also get past.
Lap 80 Green wins from Spengler, Ekström and Scheider.
