13.5.2019. After the spectacular Start to the new Turbo-Era DTM may-Fans in the same way on the next treat to look forward to: The weekend (18./19. May) returns to the car in the popular touring car series back to its roots in the Belgian Zolder.
The four-kilometre-long race track in Hasselt is considered to be highly sophisticated. Local hero Robin Frijns, only around 20 minutes away by car and lives in Lanaken, speaks of a “Mini-Nordschleife – a small mistake, and you’re stuck in the wall.” René Rast calls it “a journey into the Unknown”, before he had respect. “None of us can estimate correctly how Zolder with the DTM car.” Mike Rockenfeller contested, most recently 17 years ago, a race. Loïc Duval, Jamie Green and Nico Müller to know the price of just the Simulator.
35 years ago, on 11. In March 1984, Zolder venue of the first DTM car race in history-still under the official name “German production championship”. Duval and Green were one year old, Rockfeller four months, Frijns, Müller and Rast are still in the world.
So for the Audi Sport Zolder is a race with a special history. In April 1990 the brand in the traditional “mountain lion” was launched for the first time, the factory in the DTM. In the race to catch up and the wild Drifts of Hans-Joachim Stuck with the compared to the competition huge Audi V8 quattro many DTM-Fans still remember. You brought today’s DMSB President of a start position of 14 to third place to the front. It was the first-of-312 for a podium result for Audi in the DTM.
In may 2002, Laurent Aiello won with the compact Abt-Audi TT-R, the last DTM race in Zolder. Christian Abt, uncle of today’s Audi-to-formula-E-pilots Abbot Daniel, in the pouring rain, a one-two Audi victory.
Audi Motorsport boss Dieter Gass had in Zolder in his first race with Audi Sport. “The car what to see in 1995 at the start of the season, the super tour,” recalls Gass. “I was a team supervisor for the ROC Team from France. The race started in the Wet and ended on a dry track. Audi has brought a double victory – three for BMW.“
Due to the track characteristics Gass in the Comeback of the DTM is expected in Zolder, “an extreme strain on the brakes”. Equal to four Digits of the 610 HP strong Audi RS 5 DTM from high speed must be slowed down.
“It’s a very special experience is a ride in Zolder with the DTM car,” says Robin Frijns, whose passion inflamed for Motorsport at the age of six years, with a Rennbesuch in Zolder. “I know the circuit very well and am there been a lot of races, most recently in the GT3 with the Audi R8 LMS. The course has its pitfalls, even the weather plays crazy in Belgium often. In the first fast sector, you can win much or lose time. Can overtake you before the first corner or the Chicane before the Start-and-finish.“
Frijns comes as a table, the second to race to his home. The living in Belgium, low countries, only three points on the leader Marco Wittmann (BMW). With René Rast, Nico Müller and Mike Rockenfeller a further three Audi drivers are in the Top Five of the driver standings. The manufacturers of Audi leads with 110 points, ahead of BMW (93) and Aston Martin (9). Top rider in the team standings, Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline.
A home race Zolder is also available for the Audi customer team WRT, Audi Sport Team celebrated at the season opener in Hockenheim with a point on Saturday and the fastest lap of the race on Sunday a strong debut in the DTM.
The two DTM-races will start on Saturday and on Sunday at 13.30. SAT.1 transfers on both days from 13 o’clock live. Tickets and Fan Packages for the site visit are available online at www.audi.com/dtm available. Don’t miss the Fans in Zolder should let the Audi’s Thrill Zone. The meeting point in the DTM Fan Village offers virtual races, autograph sessions, Interviews and many other Fanaktionen.
Hoffmann Group Audi RS 5 DTM #53 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg), Jamie Green, WRT Audi RS 5 DTM #21 (WRT Team Audi Sport), Pietro Fittipaldi, the WRT Audi RS 5 DTM #27 (WRT Team Audi Sport), but Jonathan, your (photo:udi Communications Motorsport / Michael Kunkel )
