Swedish driver Mattias Ekstrom, driving for Audi, captured pole position Saturday for the DTM race held at Nurburgring. Points’ leader Canadian Bruno Spengler will start alongside him.
Spengler, driving a C-Class Mercedes, was the fastest in the first two rounds of qualifying. However, Ekstrom, in a Audi A4, emerged quickest of all in the two final, decisive rounds.
“I have to say that driving is sheer joy when you have such a great car,” said Ekstrom.
“I achieved a perfect lap and when you get a perfect lap together, you can be quite proud. When you are the fastest on top of that, it is just great. I am not worried by the fact that there are so many Mercedes behind me. Anyone driving here is driving his own race”.
“Second place is not that bad. Mattias just had the better performance,” Spengler explained.
“Tomorrow, I will be starting from the inside, so from the dirty side. I will have to attempt overtaking Mattias in the first corner. The race on Sunday will be long and I am really looking forward to it. Of course, the goal is to cross the finish line ahead of Mattias.”
Mercedes driver Jamie Green will take the start in third place with his HWA
teammate Paul Di Resta, the Force India F1 reserve driver, in fourth position.
Gary Paffett (Mercedes), Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes), DTM rookie driver Miguel Molina (Audi), and former series’ champion Timo Scheider (Audi) rounded up the top 8.
The race will go green Sunday afternoon.
Spengler, driving a C-Class Mercedes, was the fastest in the first two rounds of qualifying. However, Ekstrom, in a Audi A4, emerged quickest of all in the two final, decisive rounds.
“I have to say that driving is sheer joy when you have such a great car,” said Ekstrom.
“I achieved a perfect lap and when you get a perfect lap together, you can be quite proud. When you are the fastest on top of that, it is just great. I am not worried by the fact that there are so many Mercedes behind me. Anyone driving here is driving his own race”.
“Second place is not that bad. Mattias just had the better performance,” Spengler explained.
“Tomorrow, I will be starting from the inside, so from the dirty side. I will have to attempt overtaking Mattias in the first corner. The race on Sunday will be long and I am really looking forward to it. Of course, the goal is to cross the finish line ahead of Mattias.”
Mercedes driver Jamie Green will take the start in third place with his HWA
teammate Paul Di Resta, the Force India F1 reserve driver, in fourth position.
Gary Paffett (Mercedes), Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes), DTM rookie driver Miguel Molina (Audi), and former series’ champion Timo Scheider (Audi) rounded up the top 8.
The race will go green Sunday afternoon.