Friday practice: Opel on song at last
It might have taken all season, but Opel finally showed its opposition the way by topping the Friday free practice session for this weekend's DTM finale at Hockenheim
In idyllic warm autumnal sunshine, Timo Scheider topped the times in his Holzer-run Astra Coupe, stopping the clocks in 2m06.611s on the Grand Prix course. He outpaced Christian Abt, who came within three corners of winning the previous round at Zandvoort in his Audi TT-R, by two-tenths of a second.
Making it three marques in the top three, Peter Dumbreck was quickest of the Mercedes-Benz machines in third, 0.255s off the pace. Patrick Huisman, who just missed a podium spot on home turf at Zandvoort, was fourth quickest in his Merc, ahead of the second Opel of Alain Menu, the Swiss still on a high since his FIA GT victory in Spain last weekend.
Champion-elect Bernd Schneider was sixth fastest, although he did top the morning session in his AMG Mercedes. He just shaded the second Audi of Laurent Aiello, who has a mathematical, if unlikely, chance of grabbing second in the championship from Uwe Alzen this weekend. Alzen was only 11th quickest today.
A further hour of free practice will be held tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 9.45 local time (8.45 BST).
Timo Scheider, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 2m06.611s
Christian Abt, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 2m06.812s
Peter Dumbreck, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 2m06.866s
Patrick Huisman, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 2m06.947s
Alain Menu, 2001 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 2m07.068s
Bernd Schneider, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 2m07.242s
Laurent Aiello, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 2m07.258s
Michael Bartels, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 2m07.278s
Bernd Maylander, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 2m07.484s
Thomas Jager, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 2m07.730s
Uwe Alzen, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 2m07.889s
Manuel Reuter, 2001 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 2m07.892s
Joachim Winkelhock, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 2m07.963s
Mattias Ekstrom, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 2m08.093s
Marcel Fassler, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 2m08.199s
Martin Tomczyk, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 2m08.340s
Christijan Albers, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 2m08.376s
Darren Turner, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 2m08.463s
Yves Olivier, 2000 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 2m08.510s
Hubert Haupt, 2000 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 2m09.266s
David Saelens, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 2m09.999s
Peter Mamerow, 2000 Mamerow Opel Astra Coupe, 2m10.762s
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