Audi front runner in all three championships before last two races
Clear advantage in manufacturersā and teamsā classifications
Four Audi campaigners lead driverās standings
As the front runners in the driversā, teamsā and manufacturersā classifications, Audi will be entering the last two races of the 2017 DTM season at the Hockenheimring. Accordingly, expectations for Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15 are high. Six drivers in total can still have hopes of winning the title this weekend.
Four Audi campaigners are ranked at the top of the particularly prestigious driversā classification before the last two rounds: Mattias Ekstrƶm (172 points), RenĆ© Rast (151), Jamie Green (137) and Mike Rockenfeller (134). Marco Wittmann (BMW/134) and Lucas Auer (Mercedes-Benz/131) are still in contention for the title with Audi.
āOur car is very strong this season. Weāre entering the finale with advantages in all three championships,ā says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. āObviously, we intend not to let anyone take the trophies away from us on the finish straight. At the same time, itās clear that nothing has been decided yet and anything is always possible in the DTM ā especially this season. This is another reason why the fans can look forward to a tremendous final weekend. Hockenheim is a track that stands for action-packed events. Overtaking is possible and the circuit makes high demands on the brakes and tires. Iām expecting a close, balanced field.ā
As the overall leader, Mattias Ekstrƶm from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline is entering the finale with the best chances. The 39-year-old Swede is the only driver who, on Saturday, may be able to clinch the title early ā exactly ten years to the day following his second title win in the DTM. To do so, he would have to extend his advantage from 21 to at least 29 points.
After Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider, Ekstrƶm could become the third campaigner in DTM history to win the title more than twice. āObviously, I have an advantage,ā says the 2004 and 2007 DTM Champion. āBut weāre nowhere near anything having been decided yet. I have to drive a good race and am entering the finale just like any other weekend. After all, 56 points are yet to be scored.ā
Ekstrƶmās closest rival is RenĆ© Rast, who is able to win the title in his first DTM season ā a feat most recently achieved by Nicola Larini 24 years ago. āI can only win and actually not lose anymore, so Iām not putting any pressure on myself,ā says the campaigner from Audi Sport Team Rosberg. āWhoād have thought before the season that Iād still be battling for the title in the finale? The chance still exists. A perfect weekend with two pole positions and two victories would almost be enough ā¦ā
RenĆ© Rastās teammate Jamie Green, following his misfortune at Spielberg, has a 35-point deficit to Ekstrƶm, so having nothing to lose either. For the Briton, the name of the game is: āIām going to drive as fast as possible until I see the checkered flag on Sunday.ā
By contrast, Mike Rockenfeller from Audi Sport Team Phoenix, ranked fourth in the standings with a deficit of 38 points, is hardly getting his hopes up anymore of clinching his second DTM title. āFor me, it would be great to still finish in the top three of the championship,ā says the 2013 DTM Champion. āThatāll be hard enough. I look forward to the finale and am excited about a tremendous final weekend.āĀ
ARD will air live coverage of both final races from Hockenheim on āDas Ersteā starting on Saturday at 2:30 PM (CEST) and on Sunday starting at 3:00 PM. Tickets and fan packages are available online at www.audi.com/dtm.
#DTMFinale: Did you know that ā¦
ā¦ Audi on the final weekend at Hockenheim has celebrated ten victories to date and been unbeaten in the DTM finale for two years?
ā¦ the Audi RS 5 DTM in the 2017 season is the car with the largest number of victories (7) and fastest race laps (13)?
ā¦ a āRace of Legendsā will be held to say goodbye to the Audi Sport TT Cup during the DTM finale at Hockenheim and that eleven of the 15 drivers have previously been on the DTM grid for Audi?
