Free practice: Aiello strikes back
After struggling with handling problems in the dry test sessions yesterday, Abt-Audi's DTM championship leader Laurent Aiello battled his way back to the top of the times in the damp hour-long free practice this morning (Saturday)
The circuit was wet thanks to heavy overnight rain, but Aiello still managed to lap in 1m38.972s, half a second clear of fellow former British Touring Car champion Alain Menu's Opel. The third BTCC champion in the pack, Joachim Winkelhock, was sixth fastest in his Opel Astra.
Yesterday's dominator, Bernd Schneider of Mercedes-Benz, was only eighth quickest in the damp, leaving the way clear for AMG team-mate Uwe Alzen to be quickest of the Merc drivers in fourth, albeit 0.9secs behind Aiello's best.
Manuel Reuter made it three Opels in the top six, the former Le Mans winner ending the session third quickest. Martin Tomczyk was the second fastest Audi in fifth, while Thomas Jager was an impressive seventh in his year-old Mercedes despite a trip into the gravel trap at Coppice.
The current weather conditions are misty, but the track should dry out by the time qualifying begins at 12.05 BST.
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m38.972s
Alain Menu (CH) Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m39.499s
Manuel Reuter (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupe, 1m39.808s
Uwe Alzen (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m39.882s
Martin Tomczyk (D) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m39.886s
Joachim Winkelhock (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m39.887s
Thomas Jäger (D) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m39.964s
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.015s
Peter Dumbreck (GB) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.037s
Christijan Albers (NL) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.044s
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.086s
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Bend CLK, 1m40.095s
Timo Scheider (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m40.212s
Michael Bartels (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m40.343s
Christian Abt (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m40.411s
Bernd Maylander (D) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.449s
Mattias Ekström (S) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m40.462s
Patrick Huisman (NL) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m40.688s
Karl Wendlinger (A) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m40.839s
Stefan Mücke (D) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m41.539s
Yves Olivier (B) Eutoteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m41.981s
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