Ingolstadt, March 6, 2004

Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro have notched up their first victory of the year. Together with Peter Terting the two DTM drivers won a football tournament at Ofterschwang – simultaneously the finale and highlight of the “Red Bull Training Camp“. For a complete week, the DTM and sports car drivers prepared themselves as a team for the races in the Audi A4 DTM and Audi R8. The conclusion after innumerable kilometres on cross-country ski trails, hours in the weight room and on the sports field: The Audi drivers are fit for the 2004 season.

The Audi fitness week in spring is already traditional – and serves not only physical conditioning. “Just as important is that the drivers get to know each other better out of the paddock confines and grew into a team,” says Audi Motorsport Head Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. The DTM drivers Christian Abt, Frank Biela, Mattias Ekström, Tom Kristensen, Emanuele Pirro and Martin Tomczyk trained with their team directors Hans-Jürgen Abt and Ralf Jüttner. The sports car drivers Rinaldo Capello, Pierre Kaffer and Marco Werner were also there as was the Audi supported youngster Peter Terting.

“Fitness is extremely important, especially in touring cars. The physical strain is very high at such high cockpit temperatures. In order to maintain concentration for the entire race the condition must be one hundred percent right,” says Tom Kristensen, who after several successful years in the Audi R8 sports prototype, joins the DTM trail.

“One can clearly see that the boys haven’t rested on their laurels in the winter break, but in fact kept working hard,” says Audi team doctor Christian John. “All drivers completed the comprehensive programme with ease.” In addition to daily skating and water fitness, working with weights and concentration training during archers were also included. The subject of fitness is not over after this. Dr John: “During the week every driver noticed where and whether he must improve, as a result he will now receive a personal training plan with which he can continue to prepare himself.”

March 15 to 18 official ITR test at Estoril
The countdown to the season start continues almost non-stop for the Audi drivers: From March 15 to 18 all six drivers are at the official ITR test at Estoril. Things get serious for the sports car drivers on March 20 when the 12-hour race at Sebring (Florida) starts.