Friday practice: Bernd and Laurent set the pace

Reigning champion Schneider's D2 AMG CLK stopped the clocks at 1m23.558s, with Aiello's Abt-run TT-R just 0.196s behind. The duo were the only drivers to get under the 1m24s barrier on the tight and twisty east German circuit.

Uwe Alzen's Warsteiner AMG Merc was third fastest, some 0.566s from Schneider, with Thomas Jager reprising his Nurburgring pace with fourth fastest in a 2000-spec Persson Mercedes.

Christian Abt was fourth fastest in the slower morning session, but was relegated to 12th overall after failing to set a quick time in the afternoon.

Opel continued to struggle, with the best of its Astra V8 Coupes a distant 13th. Michael Bartels' Team Phoenix car was the best of the bunch, but a full 1.408s off Schneider's benchmark.

DTM newcomer David Saelens, who replaces Pedro Lamy at Team Rosberg's 2000-spec Merc-equipped squad finished the day 16th fastest, with his team mate Darren Turner 10th.

Peter Dumbreck, team mate to Schneider, was eighth, with reigning BTCC champion Alain Menu 18th for Opel Euroteam.





Bernd Schneider, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m23.558s
Laurent Aiello, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m23.754s
Uwe Alzen, , 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m24.124s
Tomas Jager, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m24.202s
Marcel Fassler, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m24.306s
Mattias Ekstrom, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m24.424s
Christijan Albers, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m24.483ss
Peter Dumbreck, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m24.572s
Bernd Maylander, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m24.665s
Darren Turner, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m24.840s
Martin Tomczyk, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m24.842s
Christian Abt, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R 1m24.939s
Michael Bartels, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m24.966s
Manuel Reuter, 2001 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.000s
Patrick Huisman, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m25.065s
David Saelens, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m25.173s
Timo Scheider, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.182s
Alain Menu, 2001 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.358s
Yves Olivier, 2000 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.419s
Joachim Winkelhock, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.638s
Hubert Haupt, 2000 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m25.825s
Peter Mamerow, 2000 Mamerow Opel Astra Coupe, 1m26.975s