DTM: Bruno Spengler penalized, Audi takes advantage

Audi set strong performance in qualifyings at Hockenheim, locking the top 5 positions. Bruno Spengler's time was cancelled : the young Canadian will start from the grid's last row.

After they won the championship in 2007 and 2008, Audi showed their superiority again today, in Hockenheim.

Mathias Ekström clinched pole position ahead of teammates Martin Tomczyck and Tom Kristensen. Oliver Jarvis' 2008-spec. A4 even set the fourth best performance, ahead of 2008 champion Timo Scheider.

Paul di Resta was the best of the Mercedes driver with a sixth position. In comparison, his teammate Bruno Spengler had a very bad day!

After he set the best performance in Q1, his time was cancelled, for crossing the red field at the pit lane exit. Then, he suffered technical problems and could not make a second run. He did not qualify for Q2, and will have to start from the 19th spot on the grid.

"Marshals said I crossed the line during my fastest lap, which is wrong. As we saw on video, that was in my in-lap, so my time should not have been removed. Now, I am forced to start from last row of the grid, while my car had the potential to fight for the top positions."

"The only good this situation has is that I did not use my two set of tyres. Therefore, I can use them in the race. I should be able to come back to the top of the field fairly soon in the race", Spengler concluded.