Sunday, October 13, 2013

DTM: Mattias Ekström and Andy Priaulx score top ten at Bathurst 1000


By Johan Laubscher

The Bathurst 1000 was held at Mount Panorama this weekend. Two DTM superstars joined the 2013 Bathurst 1000 grid and scored a very good result.

One of the two international DTM drivers was non-other than Audi Sport factory DTM driver, and two-time DTM champion, Mattias Ekström. Mattias Ekström was joined by BMW’s Andy Priaulx, the multiple WTCC champion and current BMW factory DTM driver. The pair were behind the wheel of the Xbox One Holden Commodore wild card entry, entered and run by Triple Eight Race Engineering.



Priaulx had competed at Bathurst before, but for Ekström it was his rookie debut at Mount Panorama and in an Australian V8 Supercar.

The pair showed good pace during the weekend and qualified eighteenth. The race itself saw both drivers leading the race at different stages of the proceedings amongst the pitstop cycles. By the end of the race the DTM pair rounded out the top ten by placing tenth, in what was a very exciting race. The 2013 Bathurst 1000 was won by Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards from the Ford Performance Racing team, closely pursued by the Triple Eight Holden of Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell. 

The Australian V8 Supercars will now be heading to round twelve at the Gold Coast 600 in two weeks time. As for Ekström and Priaulx, they will be returning to Europe for the finale of the 2013 DTM season at Hockenheim next weekend, back behind the wheel of their DTM machinery.