Canadian driver Bruno Spengler (Mercedes) clinched pole position in Hockenheim today for the opening round of the 2011 DTM championship.
Spengler’s day did not start very well, as the young Quebec driver suffered technical a issue on his C-Class Mercedes during the last practice session on Saturday morning, where he could not complete a single fast lap.
The qualifying session started with Gary Paffett’s accident in Q1, which forced the British driver to stay out for the remaining part of the session. The 2010 runner-up driver will start from last row of the grid.
Despite his incident in the morning, Spengler was immediately quick, and set the second best lap time in Q1. He classified 7th in Q2, and qualifed for Q3, where he was quickest and moved to the “pole position shootout” in Q4. He finally clinched pole position ahead of Mattias Ekström’s Audi.
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes) was third, and confirmed his excellent debut here in Hockenheim. The former F1 driver was on pace all along the qualifying session, and will start the race from 3rd position on the grid, ahead of Timo Scheider (Audi).
The first semi-private car is the Audi of Martin Tomczyk (6th), while the best rookie is the Mercedes driver Christian Vietoris (9th).
"I always said that my motivation was still the same in spite of the disapointment I had at the end of last season," told Spengler. I
"t’s a new year, and we start from scratch. Today, I had technical issues during the morning session, but my team gave me a excellent car for the qualifying, and that paid off. I am very happy, and even more considering that I came very close last year, but I never succeed to capture pole position. But tomorrow’s race will be another story, and the way is very long until the finish line…"
Qualifying classification:
1. Bruno Spengler (2009 C Class Mercedes) – 1’34’’270 (Q4)
2. Mattias Ekström (Audi A4 2009) – 1’34’’402 (Q4)
3. Ralf Schumacher (2009 C Class Mercedes) - 1’34’’577 (Q4)
4. Timo Scheider (Audi A4 2009) – 1’35’’434 (Q4)
5. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A4 2009) – 1’34’’194 (Q3)
6. Martin Tomczyk (Audi A4 2008) – 1’34’’285 (Q3)
7. Maro Engel (2008 C Class Mercedes) – 1’34’’386 (Q3)
8. Miguel Molina (Audi A4 2008) – 1’35’’268 (Q3)
9. Christian Vietoris (Mercedes Classe C 2008) – 1’34’’445 (Q2)
10. Edoardo Mortara (Audi A4 2008) – 1’34’’460 (Q2)
Etc.
Spengler’s day did not start very well, as the young Quebec driver suffered technical a issue on his C-Class Mercedes during the last practice session on Saturday morning, where he could not complete a single fast lap.
The qualifying session started with Gary Paffett’s accident in Q1, which forced the British driver to stay out for the remaining part of the session. The 2010 runner-up driver will start from last row of the grid.
Despite his incident in the morning, Spengler was immediately quick, and set the second best lap time in Q1. He classified 7th in Q2, and qualifed for Q3, where he was quickest and moved to the “pole position shootout” in Q4. He finally clinched pole position ahead of Mattias Ekström’s Audi.
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| Photo: DTM |
Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes) was third, and confirmed his excellent debut here in Hockenheim. The former F1 driver was on pace all along the qualifying session, and will start the race from 3rd position on the grid, ahead of Timo Scheider (Audi).
The first semi-private car is the Audi of Martin Tomczyk (6th), while the best rookie is the Mercedes driver Christian Vietoris (9th).
"I always said that my motivation was still the same in spite of the disapointment I had at the end of last season," told Spengler. I
"t’s a new year, and we start from scratch. Today, I had technical issues during the morning session, but my team gave me a excellent car for the qualifying, and that paid off. I am very happy, and even more considering that I came very close last year, but I never succeed to capture pole position. But tomorrow’s race will be another story, and the way is very long until the finish line…"
Qualifying classification:
1. Bruno Spengler (2009 C Class Mercedes) – 1’34’’270 (Q4)
2. Mattias Ekström (Audi A4 2009) – 1’34’’402 (Q4)
3. Ralf Schumacher (2009 C Class Mercedes) - 1’34’’577 (Q4)
4. Timo Scheider (Audi A4 2009) – 1’35’’434 (Q4)
5. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi A4 2009) – 1’34’’194 (Q3)
6. Martin Tomczyk (Audi A4 2008) – 1’34’’285 (Q3)
7. Maro Engel (2008 C Class Mercedes) – 1’34’’386 (Q3)
8. Miguel Molina (Audi A4 2008) – 1’35’’268 (Q3)
9. Christian Vietoris (Mercedes Classe C 2008) – 1’34’’445 (Q2)
10. Edoardo Mortara (Audi A4 2008) – 1’34’’460 (Q2)
Etc.