DTM firepower hits Brands Hatch

Double Formula One world champion Mika Hakkinen leads a star-studded cast, which includes fellow ex-F1 stars Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jean Alesi, along with former DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom, as Audi goes head-to-head with Mercedes to decide which of the German big guns has the bragging rights to go with its awesome 475bhp, V8-powered uber-race cars.

Autosport.com got all four of its biggest names together, under the shadow of London's imposing Tower Bridge, for this exclusive pre-Brands interview.

Q. It's your first race in Britain for a couple of years, how do you feel about coming to race at the hallowed asphalt of Brands Hatch this weekend?

Mika Hakkinen: "I'm looking forward to it so much. I know the organisers have put in a lot of effort to make this a great event, so I'm sure a lot of people are going to turn up to watch us. It's going to be a very exciting race, I can assure you. It'll be a great weekend, Parents can bring their kids for a big family weekend, and they'll all have a good time."

Heinz-Harald Frentzen: "I'm really looking forward to this, just as I always looked forward to the British Grand Prix. I think we can have a good race, and my target is to win this race. I'm very motivated for this weekend."

Jean Alesi: "In England everyone is always very prepared when it comes to racing. It's a German championship but we use the type of cars that can put on a really good show on this type of track. It's a shame, from a driver's view, that one of the best parts of the track [the Grand Prix loop] is closed, but for the spectators it is better, because they will see everything."

Mattias Ekstrom: "I've got friends here who always come and visit me. I enjoy this track, and it's nice to hear a language other than German spoken in the paddock once in a while."

Q. The race is 82 laps and the race day temperature is forecast to be knocking on 30-degrees - it's going to be a tough challenge for the drivers, isn't it?

MH: "It is, yes, but that's what we're here for. You'll see top professional teams and drivers all trying to win the race. We're using the short track, so you can see the cars pretty much all the way around, it will be seriously spectacular."

HHF: "Yeah, it's not just the amount of laps, it's the circuit. It punishes mistakes like a street circuit would. Overtaking here is very tight, so I think we'll see a few safety car situations."

JA: "82 laps sounds like a big number, but it is still only one hour, so we will survive it okay, I'm sure! Two pitstops, short track, lots of tactics - anything can happen. The result is wide open - we could see a surprise."

ME: "82 laps is going to be very tough. It's going to ask a lot of questions of the left-side tyres, that's for sure. You've got quick and tight corners, big braking zones and some bumps, it's asking a lot of the driver compared to somewhere like Hockenheim."

Q. Have you raced much at Brands before?

MH: "It's good that I've got experience of the track from my history [in Formula Vauxhall and British F3] because I know the tricks to the circuit. I know how to handle it, and I think my experience will be a big help this weekend."

HHF: "I did my last race there in 1990, and first raced there in 1985. It's still the same! It's good to be coming back."

JA: "My result in Formula 3000 in 1989 was second, so that was pretty good. I had a bet with a friend of mine that if I won I would wear a batman mask on the podium. I didn't win, but my mechanics told me to wear the mask anyway! I still have picture of it, with all the signatures of the mechanics, at my house."

ME: "It's my first time racing at Brands, so I'm looking forward to it a lot. I've been watching the BTCC races on video to see where they overtake, and my conclusion is that it's not very easy! You have to be quite a lot quicker or wait for a mistake. I'm not sure there will be too many fair and square overtaking moves."

Q. What's the secret to being quick around Brands?

MH: "It's a special circuit. It's an old design, and just look how spectacular Paddock Hill Bend is. You have to use a special technique to enter and exit the corner. You need the car to work for you, or you'll never get on top of the race weekend. You need a good car...I have it!"

HHF: "It's a good question. We only have four corners here, and the trick is to get them all right on the same lap! The balance of the set-up will be very important here. You have to qualify well, and have a good race set-up."

ME: "Strategy and qualifying are going to be really important. The winner of the race will start from the first two rows of the grid. If you get it a bit wrong around here, the time just runs away, so qualifying will be very tough."

JA: " If there is a key to being quick at Brands, I don't know which one it is! I hear the stories that the best way is to be soft with the car and not to push it too hard, but that's bullshit. I will be pushing very hard this weekend!"

Q. If you weren't driving on Sunday, where on the circuit would you watch the race from?

MH: "Paddock is obviously very good to watch from, because if there is going to be overtaking there, it will be spectacular! It's a fast corner, so I'd watch there."

HHF: "Anywhere. You have such a good visibility of the track, it's great."

JA: "Paddock is obvious, because it's a very special corner from inside the car and outside as well. The last corner before the start/finish straight is also interesting, especially with the chicane that comes before it. It's somewhere that things can happen."

ME: "I think that Graham Hill Bend would be very interesting to watch from. It's downhill, after the Druids hairpin, and I think it's possible to overtake here. I'd be happy to watch from either of the first three corners because I think they are all pretty exciting places."

Q. If you can't win on Sunday, who will?

MH: "I don't know. Lap times will be so close that a lot of drivers will have the chance to win. I think there will be some safety cars and some quite interesting tactics concerning pitstops. I don't know - and I'm not just saying that because I think I'll win - I honestly do not know who will win it."

HHF: "Ooh, who's next after me? I don't know. The big question is how strong our competitor is here. We didn't see their potential in the test here, so it's a big question mark."

JA: "Difficult question. It will be a different race from usual. I'd be happy if [teammate Alexandros] Margaritis would win. He's young and he's a good guy - he would deserve it."

ME: "It would be nice if Tom [Kristensen] does it again, but I'm sure it will be a tough fight between Audi and Mercedes as usual."

Q. Currently it's Mercedes 2-1 Audi. What will the score be after Sunday's race?

MH: "I think it's probably going to be 3-1 to Mercedes. Absolutely. We have a good team and a good spirit. We have young drivers who are very quick and experienced drivers who are also very quick; we have a good package together. That's why it works so well at Mercedes."

HHF: "The optimum goal is 1-2-3-4...and 5! But it is so equal, it's difficult to say."

JA: "Hee hee hee. I'll be cheering for Mercedes, obviously!"

ME: "It would be nice if it is 2-2. Heinz-Harald says if we get a 1-2-3 he will stay behind and join in the big party afterwards, so it would be good to see!"

Q. Finally, the question everyone wants to know the answer to - who will win the football World Cup?

MH: "Difficult to say but I have a strong feeling for Brazil. Germany has a possibility and England has a great team that plays hard. Playing together is one of the key points, you know, and England looks like everything is fine in the midfield but then they get all confused!

"I'm not a professional, I've got no idea to be honest! I compare it to a race team: if one of the guys is not there, the rest of the team is not working together properly. Brazil seems very strong at this."

HHF: "The team with the best players. I don't want to mention Germany...but I think they're going to win!"

JA: "I'm supporting Italy, but along with England they've not been very impressive. Football is always full of surprises. France? Their game on Friday will be their last..."

ME: "Brazil. The Germans will be too nervous, even if they did play better than Sweden."