NĂŒrburgring may bring preliminary decision in title race
Title candidate Mattias Ekström has won twice before in the Eifel
Ekström: âFinally, weâre competing on an equal footing againâ
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The Audi DTM squad is facing a particularly important race weekend: the NĂŒrburgring, on September 26 and 27, may produce a preliminary decision in the DTM title race â in the driversâ as well as in the manufacturersâ championship.
In both classifications, Audi is lying in wait before the last two race weekends of the 2015 season. Mattias Ekström as the runner-up in the standings is trailing Mercedes driver Pascal Wehrlein with a deficit of only 14 points. In the manufacturersâ standings, Audi is holding position two as well.
âObviously, weâd like to travel to the finale at Hockenheim in October as the front runners in both classifications,â says Dieter Gass, Head of DTM at Audi Sport. âAs weâre finally going to compete with comparable weights again at the NĂŒrburgring the chance that we will do so definitely exists.â
The success-induced âperformance weightsâ are playing a crucial part in the popular touring car racing series this season. Audi has won every other of the 14 races so far, so the Audi RS 5 DTM cars have been loaded with weights corresponding to the brandâs success.
At the NĂŒrburgring, Mattias Ekströmâs car will be lighter for the very first time this year than the Mercedes-Benz of his fiercest rival Pascal Wehrlein, who has had an average weight advantage of 6.1 kilograms so far.
âAt the NĂŒrburgring, weâll be competing on an equal footing,â says a pleased Mattias Ekström. In 2005 and 2011, the Swede won in the Eifel. Next weekend, he will have the chance to recapture the lead of the standings. If he wins both races, the Audi driver, irrespective of Wehrleinâs results, will be the front runner in the Championship again.Â
The lead of the standings has changed an amazing seven times in the 2015 DTM â between the four drivers who after 14 of the 18 races are holding the top four positions. Three of them are Audi drivers. In addition to Ekström, Edoardo Mortara (â30 points) and Jamie Green (â33 points) continue to be in the title race. 100 points are yet to be awarded in the remaining four races.
âThe NĂŒrburgring has always suited me especially well,â says Edoardo Mortara. The Italian has been on podium in the Eifel twice, most recently last year. Jamie Green expresses a fighting spirit as well: âMy RS 5 DTM is a winning car. I can hardly wait to be driving it with less weight again.â
A look at last yearâs grid reveals that the Audi RS 5 DTM âis comfortableâ on the short configuration of the NĂŒrburgring covering a distance of 3.629 kilometers. In 2014, five of the top six spots went to Audi.
Those who would like to witness the race live at the NĂŒrburgring can secure tickets at www.audi-motorsport.com. As usual, ARD will be airing live coverage of both races: on Saturday, starting at 13.00 (CEST) and on Sunday, starting at 13.20. Additional live streaming will be available at dtm.com and bild.de. The Audi Sport TT Cup will be competing on its penultimate race weekend of the year in the Eifel as well.
