Kristensen scores Zandvoort victory
Tom Kristensen scored his second race win of the 2006 DTM season, but Audi's victory celebrations were muted somewhat as, despite running 1-2-3-4 early on, they allowed Kristensen's title rival from Mercedes, Bernd Schneider, to carve his way through its ranks into second place
Schneider will win a fifth title if he continues to finish second to Kristensen in the remaining races.
It was a case of damage limitation for Mercedes, especially when its pole sitter Jamie Green made a poor start, dropping to fifth behind Kristensen, Martin Tomczyk, Mattias Ekstrom and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Green passed Frentzen on lap two, and Schneider was also on the move, passing Pierre Kaffer for sixth on lap five.
Kristensen's victory was jeopardised in the opening round of pitstops, when his refuelling can refuse to disengage and he left the pits with it still attached. Fortunately, it fell off at Tarzan, and he was able to continue in the lead.
Further back, and having been jumped by Schneider in the second round of stops, Green and Ekstrom came to blows at Tarzan, sending the latter into a spin. Green received a drive-through penalty and would finish down in eighth. Ekstrom finished 13th after making an extra pitstop.
Schneider then chased after second placed Tomczyk, and hounded him for 10 laps before finally edging his way past with a brilliant move at Tarzan with just three laps remaining.
Even then, Bernd wasn't done, and charged after Kristensen, who was struggling against a serious brake problem in the latter stages, cutting a 2.1 seconds advantage to 0.7 at the finish. Tomczyk finished a distant third but well clear of Bruno Spengler (Mercedes).
Frentzen finished fifth, ahead of Timo Scheider (Audi), Stefan Mucke (Mercedes) and Green.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Tom Kristensen Audi A4 1:02:16.493
2. Bernd Schneider AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 0.785
3. Martin Tomczyk Audi A4 + 4.977
4. Bruno Spengler AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 9.789
5. H.H Frentzen Audi A4 + 13.474
6. Timo Scheider Audi A4 + 14.907
7. Stefan Mucke AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 33.504
8. Jamie Green AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 37.844
9. Pierre Kaffer Audi A4 + 38.963
10. Daniel La Rosa AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 39.420
11. Mika Hakkinen AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 39.762
12. Susie Stoddart AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 54.103
13. Mattias Ekstrom Audi A4 + 1:11.684
14. Frank Stippler Audi A4 + 1:13.891
15. Mathias Lauda AMG Mercedes C-Klasse + 1 lap
16. Nicolas Kiesa Audi A4 + 1 lap
NOT CLASSIFIED/RETIREMENTS:
Driver Make On Lap
A. Margaritis AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 24
Jean Alesi AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 9
Christian Abt Audi A4 8
Vanina Ickx Audi A4 2
Fastest Lap: Mika Hakkinen, 1:34.888 on lap 28
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