Ingolstadt - February 5, 2007
Lucas Luhr and Mike Rockenfeller also new to DTM
AUDI AG tackles the forthcoming 2007 DTM season with proved teams
and a rejuvenated driver line-up. Just like last year, the Audi factory teams
Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg and the customer team Kolles
T.M.E. will enter a total of ten Audi A4 DTM in the most popular
international touring car race series. The two Germans Lucas Luhr (27)
and Mike Rockenfeller (23) and the Frenchman Alexandre Prémat (24)
are the three new factory drivers signed by Audi for the 2007 DTM.
The four latest generation Audi A4 DTM cars will be run by Audi Sport
Team Abt Sportsline. Record Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (39) from
Denmark, who enters his eighth season for Audi, and the Swede Mattias
Ekström (28), the 2004 DTM Champion, spearhead the Bavarian team’s
championship assault. German Martin Tomczyk (25), who celebrated his
first DTM victory last season and the Austrian domiciled German Timo
Scheider (28) complete the Abt squad.
Timo Scheider gets new Audi A4 DTM for the first time
Scheider was the best driver of a year-old A4 DTM during the 2006
season and staked his claim for a new generation car with his constantly
strong performances. Lucas Luhr and Mike Rockenfeller, who contest
their first season with year-old cars for Audi Sport Team Rosberg, aim to
repeat Scheider’s example this year.
Frenchman Alexandre Prémat new Audi factory driver
New team mate to the experienced Christian Abt (39) at Audi Sport Team
Phoenix is the Frenchman Alexandre Prémat, who grabbed the headlines
through his success in GP2 and the A1 Grand Prix Series and made a
lasting impression while testing with the Audi A4 DTM. Audi Sport Team
Phoenix also enters two year-old cars for Audi.
The Belgian Vanina Ickx (32), who lives in Wiesbaden, again bolsters the
Audi DTM ranks. The Audi factory driver competes for the Audi customer
team Kolles T.M.E. with a 2005-spec A4 DTM. The Bavarian team has yet
to nominate a driver for the second cockpit.
"I think that the mix of experienced drivers and hungry talented youngsters
is very good one, and we have an outstanding driver line up for the 2007
DTM,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.
The 2007 DTM season opens on 15 April with the official presentation in
Düsseldorf. The first race at Hockenheim is on the schedule one week
later. The most popular international touring car race series visits
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain in 2007.
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