Audi launch rearguard action
With their reigning Champion Mattias Ekstrom needing to win on Sunday to have any chance of retaining his title, Audi stepped up their efforts in free practice at the Hockenheim season-finale on Saturday morning
Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen lapped the German circuit in his Audi A4 in 1:34.636, just over a tenth quicker than Ekstrom. Martin Tomczyk made it an Audi 1-2-3, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen fourth in the leading Opel.
Christian Abt and Frank Stippler proved that the year-old Audis could play a role, by setting the fifth and sixth quickest times.
The leading Mercedes was that of Mika Hakkinen, who was only seventh fastest.
Ekstrom needs to win on Sunday with series leader Gary Paffett outside the points. Paffett was only 11th fastest on Saturday, but is refusing to panic ahead of qualifying.
Pos Driver Make Time Laps 1. Tom Kristensen Audi A4 DTM 1:34.636 21 2. Mattias Ekstrom Audi A4 DTM 1:34.785 + 0.149 18 3. Martin Tomczyk Audi A4 DTM 1:34.843 + 0.207 14 4. H.H. Frentzen Opel Vectra GTS V8 1:34.950 + 0.314 16 5. Christian Abt Audi A4 DTM 1:35.056 + 0.420 12 6. Frank Stippler Audi A4 DTM 1:35.069 + 0.433 18 7. Mika Hakkinen AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.111 + 0.475 16 8. Bruno Spengler AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.190 + 0.554 18 9. Laurent Aiello Opel Vectra GTS V8 1:35.311 + 0.675 13 10. Manuel Reuter Opel Vectra GTS V8 1:35.326 + 0.690 21 11. Gary Paffett AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.389 + 0.753 13 12. Pierre Kaffer Audi A4 DTM 1:35.467 + 0.831 19 13. Rinaldo Capello Audi A4 DTM 1:35.477 + 0.841 20 14. Jean Alesi AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.502 + 0.866 16 15. A. Margaritis AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.592 + 0.956 20 16. Marcel Fassler Opel Vectra GTS V8 1:35.798 + 1.162 14 17. Allan McNish Audi A4 DTM 1:35.809 + 1.173 14 18. Stefan Mucke AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.902 + 1.266 23 19. Jamie Green AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:35.994 + 1.358 6 20. Bernd Schneider AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 1:36.112 + 1.476 14
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