Audi Motorsport newsletter 2003-08-10

DTM: Night shift for Audi Juniors in the DTM

A genuine premiere awaits both Audi juniors, Peter Terting and Martin Tomczyk, at the seventh DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters/German Touring Car Masters) race of the season at the Nürburgring (17 August): For the first time ever, the DTM will hold a free practice session and single lap qualifying for the fastest ten (Super Pole) late in the evening under floodlights. "It will be a completely different ball game than in the afternoon," knows Martin Tomczyk. "The risk of making a mistake is much greater during the night. So, I'll take things a little more cautiously should I be competing again in the Super Pole."

Peter Terting, his team colleague in the S line Audi Junior Team, is also looking forward to the second visit to the Eifel. "The Nürburgring is the first circuit on which I have already driven a DTM race," said the 19-year-old star of tomorrow. "That's why, in qualifying I hope to get into the Top Ten for the first time - I would really like to take part in the first ever Night Super Pole."

The Abt-Audi team preparations could hardly be more meticulous. To be equal to the task of the imminent battle in the heat at the Nürburgring, the Audi drivers have increased their personal fitness training. The team practiced pit stops for an entire day in Kempten, while Mattias Ekström had been prescribed a lengthy dose of start practice to optimise the all-important DTM standing start. A bad start cost the best placed Audi driver in the championship a possible victory in Donington.

The DTM race at the Nürburgring will not only be a special highlight due to the first running of the "Night Super Pole": The event will include a boxing fight, which attracts additional VIPs to the DTM in the Eifel. Reigning super medium weight World Champion Markus Beyer will defend his title versus Danny Green.

ALMS: Hot summer for Audi teams in the ALMS

Four races in only five weeks - both Audi customer teams, Infineon Team Joest and ADT Champion Racing are currently completing a marathon programme in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). After the two previous races were already held within a single week, the next double header looms up in the "hot summer" of the ALMS: The sports car series makes a guest appearance at the former Canadian Grand Prix track in Mosport close to Toronto on 17 August. The "Road America 500", in the US state of Wisconsin, is held on the following Sunday.

The two circuits of Mosport and Road America located in hilly countryside are among the most beautiful and fastest tracks of the American Le Mans Series. Up till now, Infineon Team Joest remains unbeaten with the Audi R8 at both circuits. Joest Racing, the overall championship leaders, has, however, mixed memories of Mosport: The team won three times in succession, but lost the second car on each occasion in the race due to accidents. "It is very tricky in traffic because of the high speeds," knows Audi diver Frank Biela, who won at Mosport in 2001. "You have hardly any grip at all off line."

Biela and team colleague Marco Werner arrive in Mosport with an eight-point advantage over JJ Lehto (Champion Audi), whose team partner Johnny Herbert lies a further three points behind. "If we still want to have a chance to win the title, then we absolutely have to win in Mosport," believes JJ Lehto. "A Joest Audi has won three times in a row at Mosport - we want to end this run."

Nevertheless, not only the increasingly hard duel between both the Audi customer teams promises suspense. "The lighter MG Lola will again be very competitive in Mosport," predicted Ralf Jüttner, Infineon Team Joest Technical Director. "It will definitely be an interesting tussle with Champion and the MG Lola," added Marco Werner.

Coming up this week

DTM press conference with Audi junior Martin Tomczyk in the Dunlop Lounge at the Nürburgring (Tuesday 15:00 p.m.) ... Frank Biela and Marco Werner are guests at the "Audi Stars and Cars Party" at the Canadian Audi dealer Owasco in Whitby ... Seventh round of the DTM at the Nürburgring (Sunday) ... Fifth round of the American Le Mans Series at Mosport (Sunday) ... Eleventh and twelfth rounds of the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) at Karlskoga (Sunday) ...

-audi.de