Audi are DTM manufacturers’ champions and win all three titles

[Erik]

In the DTM finale at Hockenheim Audi have successfully put the finishing touches on the brand’s aim to achieve a total triumph in Europe’s most popular touring car series: in front of a record audience of 133,000 watching the event throughout the weekend, and after having locked in both the drivers’ and teams’ titles early, AUDI AG also claimed title victory in the DTM manufacturers’ competition. Best driver of the Audi squad at Hockenheim was Martin Tomczyk, who throughout the race fought a thrilling battle for victory with DTM record champion Bernd Schneider to come in second, merely 1.635 seconds behind the winner. With a fifth place overall, Tomczyk finished the season as the best German driver. Tom Kristensen clinched fourth place both at Hockenheim and overall, thus being the best rookie of the year. Christian Abt - finishing eighth - scored his first point at Hockenheim. Frank Biela came in eleventh, Emanuele Pirro retired after a collision in the starting lap.

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "The fact that we’ve claimed the
manufacturers’ title is the icing on the cake of a fantastic season. I’m very happy
for the whole Audi squad, and every single team member can be proud of what we’ve
achieved this year. After the race at the Norisring, we didn’t necessarily expect to
clinch the manufacturers’ title, and this makes our joy even greater. The finale was
a thrilling race through to the end and a nice close of the season."

Audi clinch all three DTM titles

DTM: After having locked in the drivers\’ and team titles early, Audi claimed the
title in the DTM manufacturers\’ championship at the finale at Hockenheim as well,
thus clinching all three DTM titles. Four of the six Audi A4 DTM cars achieving
point-finishes assured Audi\’s total success of the brand\’s comeback to the DTM.
Best Audi driver at Hockenheim was Martin Tomczyk, who finished second. The 22-year
old driver had started from his second pole this season and fought a thrilling
battle over the whole distance with DTM record champion Bernd Schneider. Particular
spectacular was the fight for fourth place between Tom Kristensen, Jean Alesi and
Mattias Ekström, which Kristensen won only in the final corner before the finish
line.

Results and points

Hockenheim (D), 3 October
1 Bernd Schneider (Mercedes) 37 laps in 1hr 00m 48.586s
2 Martin Tomczyk (Audi A4 DTM) + 1.635s
3 Gary Paffett (Mercedes) + 7.779s
4 Tom Kristensen (Audi A4 DTM) + 12.454s
5 Jean Alesi (Mercedes) + 12.943s
6 Mattias Ekström (Audi A4 DTM) + 13.010s
...
8 Christian Abt (Audi A4 DTM) + 27.891s
11 Frank Biela (Audi A4 DTM) + 51.011s
Final positions after 10 rounds: 1 Ekström, 74 points; 2 Paffett, 57; 3 Albers, 50;
4 Kristensen, 43; 5 Tomczyk, 39; ... 11 Pirro, 11; 16 Abt, 1.

[Benman]

Thanks for the post Erik. Nice to see Audi's dominance continue. They already have the American Le Mans series rapped up and are in the top of the bunch in the World Speed Challenge GT series. Hoping for great results when the misses and I head up for the Laguna Seca finale. And hope will run in to some fellow Audi freaks!
Ben