Written by:
Kevin Krefting
09/23/2007
Barcelona, Spain
Contact between polesitter Tomczyk and ex-F1 star Hakkinen was at the center of the Barcelona controversy. (LAT Photo)
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The DTM's credibility as the world's top touring-car racing series took a severe hit this Sunday, when all Audi drivers still racing in the Barcelona round were instructed to park their cars with 10 laps left in the race.
The decision taken by Audi motorsport boss Wolfgang Ullrich was a protest against what the company considered "rough" and "unfair" driving by some drivers in rivals Mercedes-Benz's camp. At the center of the controversy were a lap seven accident between Audi championship contender Martin Tomczyk and Mercedes driver and former two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen, followed by another Audi-Mercedes clash between Ingolstadt's title leader, Mattias Ekstrom, and Stuttgart's Daniel la Rosa. Hakkinen and la Rosa were penalized for the incidents after the race with fines and a 10-place grid penalty for the championship finale at Hockenheim.
As a result of Audi's protest, only six cars (coincidentally, the same number that raced in the "Michelingate"-marred 2005 USGP at Indy) took the checkered flag at the Circuit de Catalunya, with the crowd evidently booing the outcome – even more so as Mercedes' Paul di Resta slowed down in the closing stages to allow teammate Bruno Spengler to overtake him and finish second, behind winner Jamie Green. Spengler now trails Ekstrom by just two points in the standings.
"Motorsport has to be fair, and I don't think it was in this case," Ullrich attempted to justify. "I think we made the right decision.
"Things happened that gave me the feeling that the harshness of the race was in a way we don't see motorsport. After two discussions with deciding people [including Audi chairman Rupert Stadler], I took the decision to say that this is not the way we want to race."
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