DTM: ‘Rocky’ in #1 Audi for the first time

Audi Press Release

•          First test of the DTM Champion in his new race car
•          Audi drivers reel off a total of more than 7,600 kilometers at Hockenheim
•          Dieter Gass: “Learned a lot again about the new RS 5 DTM”
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Ingolstadt/Hockenheim, April 17, 2014 – About two weeks before the 2014 DTM season opener, the Audi Sport Teams Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg reeled off an extensive test program with the new Audi RS 5 DTM at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. Title defender Mike Rockenfeller drove his new race car – designated as car number ‘1’ of the reigning DTM Champion – for the first time in the tests. 

On the track that on May 4 will also be the venue of the eagerly awaited first meeting of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the 2014 DTM, the eight Audi drivers completed more than 7,600 kilometers on four days. On his first outing in his new race car, Mike Rockenfeller immediately set a best time on Tuesday morning. The fastest lap in total within the Audi squad went to the title defender as well.

As in the previous test at Budapest (Hungary) Audi ran three race cars and one test car. In dry conditions throughout the tests, the three Audi teams managed to check off their long task list item by item.

“We learned a lot again about the new RS 5 DTM and mainly worked towards the set-up for the race weekend on these four days,” said Dieter Gass, Head of DTM at Audi Sport. “Now we need to analyze the wealth of data we’ve been able to gather and do our homework that results from the test.”

Audi will start the new DTM season at the Hockenheimring on May 4 as the title defender. In the past seven years, the prestigious title went to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm five times. Tickets for the 2014 DTM can be purchased online at www.audi-motorsport.com/dtm or by calling +49 (0)841 8947777.

Quotes by the Audi drivers

Mattias Ekström (244 laps/1m 33.316s): “We again learned a lot in this test. It’s always good to go home from the last test before the season starts with a good feeling. This time I’ve still got mixed feelings. We’ve still got two interesting weeks ahead in order to analyze everything and to optimally prepare for the first race.”

Jamie Green (247 laps/1m 33.057s): “As before, at Budapest, we were again fortunate enough to have four dry test days. That helps a lot because we’ve got a new car that we’ve got to become more familiar with. I drove more than 100 laps on each of my four test days – that’s good too. Here we completed the whole program we’d planned. Now I’m eager to see where we stand when it counts – which is on the race weekend.”

Miguel Molina (216 laps/1m 33.427s): “From my point of view, it was a positive test. I think we’re ready for the season opener. We’ve got two weeks left to further improve and to analyze every minute detail that we tested here at Hockenheim.”

Nico Müller (185 laps/1m 33.542s): “We went through our program the way we’d planned. So as far that’s concerned, we’re pretty well prepared for the first race. Obviously, a few things still need to be sorted here and there and I’ve got to learn a couple of things too. But generally speaking, I’m very happy with the tests. I’m looking forward to the first race: we’re ready!”

Edoardo Mortara (176 laps/1m 32.957s): “We completed the test program we’d planned and tried out a lot of things. The test went pretty well, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do. Now we need to analyze the data to see what worked well and what didn’t work so well. It’ll be important now to draw the right conclusions and to put the best package together for the first race at Hockenheim.”

Mike Rockenfeller (211 laps/1m 32.751s): “It’s been a very important test for us with many lessons learned. At the end of the last day, I had a pretty good long run that makes me feel optimistic: We made steps in the right direction. Now we’ve got to take a look at everything, analyze and draw the right conclusions for the first race. I’m eager to see where we stand when everybody shows their abilities.”

Timo Scheider (218 laps/1m 33.023s): “I’m happy that we had two really good days of testing – especially my last test day produced a lot of findings. The performance was there too. It’s important to take a positive feeling into the first race – also because the season opener takes place on the same track. We’ve still got some tasks to resolve. But on the whole, we did a very good job here.”

Adrien Tambay (177 laps/1m 33.228s): “We had a lot of work to do and made the best out of it. I’ve got the feeling that things went even better here than they did in Hungary. We’ve still got some more work to do and I’m hoping that we’ll manage to sort everything by the time of the race. But I’m confident as far as that’s concerned.”

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport