Nuerburgring, 22 June, 2003

At the DTM race on the Norisring in the city of Nürnberg, held in front of the imposing background of 128,000 spectators, Audi drivers Laurent Aiello and Christian Abt fought hard for the valuable points they collected from finishing sixth and seventh. With twelfth position Audi Junior Peter Terting (19) achieved the best result of his young career. The bonnet on the Abt-Audi TT-R of his team colleague Martin Tomczyk came loose after contacts. Mattias Ekström, holding third position during the opening phase of the race was unlucky: The Swede was forced to retire due to a faulty steering servo oil pipe.

The race at a glance

Weather
sunny, hot, 27 degrees Celsius

Spectators
128,000

Start
#5 Ekström improves to fourth place
#1 Aiello successfully defends sixth position
#14 Tomczyk stalls at the start and drops down to last place

Lap 1
#1 Aiello is touched in the first corner, loosing two positions.
4th Ekström
8th Aiello
10th Wendlinger
13th Abt
19th Tomczyk
21st Terting

Lap 5
#5 Ekström third after “Drive Through” penalty for
#10 Alesi (jump start)
#1 Aiello ousts
#7 Reuter from sixth place

Lap 6
#10 Abt has fought his way up to seventh position

Lap 9
#14 Tomczyk pits with loose bonnet, continues one lap down

Lap 11
#5 Ekström (3rd) makes first pit stop

Lap 15
#1 Aiello (5th) in the pits

Lap 18
#5 Ekström pulls off with faulty steering servo oil line

Lap 21
#2 Abt (2nd) makes first pit stop

Lap 22
Positions after the first series of compulsory pit stops
4th Aiello
6th Abt
11th Wendlinger
17th Terting
19th Tomczyk

Lap 33
#1 Aiello drops to fifth place behind
#3 Schneider

Lap 34
#6 Wendlinger touched by
#24 Paffett

Lap 37
#1 Aiello (5th) makes second stop, experiences clutch problem when attempting to pull away

Lap 42
#15 Tomczyk (16th) makes his second pit stop

Lap 47
#2 Abt completes second stop

Lap 53
5th Aiello
7th Abt
11th Wendlinger
12th Terting
17th Tomczyk

Lap 60
#1 Aiello falls to sixth place behind #10 Alesi

Lap 62
#14 Tomczyk spins and touches a kerbstone, loosening the bonnet. Tomczyk retires, but is classified in 18th position.

Finish
6th Aiello
7th Abt
11th Wendlinger
12th Terting

1 Christijan Albers

2 Marcel Fässler

3 Bernd Schneider

4 Peter Dumbreck

5 Jean Alesi

6 Laurent Aiello

7 Christian Abt

8 Joachim Winkelhock

...

11 Karl Wendlinger

12 Peter Terting

Laurent Aiello (Team Hasseröder Abt-Audi TT-R #1)
“My car was very fast with the first set of tyres. I had to brake much earlier for the corners with the second and third sets, I don’t know if it was because of the tyres or the brakes. At my second pit stop there was a problem with my clutch, that’s why I couldn’t pull away properly. However, a much better result would hardly have been possible, at the moment we are simply not quick enough.”

Peter Terting (S line Audi Junior Team Abt-Audi TT-R #15)
“I’m very satisfied. The best result so far for me – and this at the Norisring, which is not particularly easy for a novice. The car was really well balanced. I looked after the brakes at the beginning, and was therefore able to work my way slowly but surely towards the front. I overtook several cars and was able to follow Karl Wendlinger at the end. It was a fantastic feeling. I’m really sorry that I held up Peter Dumbreck: I didn’t recognise him in the mirror, and also no blue flags were waved. When I was informed on the radio, I immediately let him through.”

Martin Tomczyk (S line Audi Junior Team Abt-Audi TT-R #14)
“I don’t think I’ll ever like the Norisring, even if I win here one day. I was a little irritated at the start when several drivers jumped the start. That’s why I stalled the engine. I touched Gary Paffett at the first hairpin, who had braked very early. As a result the bonnet came loose. Just before the end of the race the car snapped away from me over a bump exiting the S-corner. My mistake.”

Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director)
“I’m satisfied with the result. We are simply on the limit at quick circuits with the possibilities available to us. That’s why I’m happy that we scored points with two cars. The team worked outstandingly well, the pit stops were very fast. The spectators were well entertained by the fair duels of our drivers. The DTM now has a break. We will get together and work on the performance of our cars.”