Qualifying race: Aiello dodges havoc
Laurent Aiello mastered atrocious conditions, put a brilliant outside pass on his Abt Audi team-mate Mattias Ekstrom and took the three points for winning the DTM qualification race at Zolder. Behind him, the opposition spun, crashed and generally wallowed in a race that finished prematurely behind the safety car
With conditions so bad, the field circulated behind the safety car for two laps before being unleashed as a rolling start. At the first corner, Christian Abt's TT-R spun down the order, followed just two corners later by pole-sitter Martin Tomczyk's similar car.
That left Ekstrom in the lead - but not for long as Aiello pressured, then passed with an audacious move round the Swede's outside.
Behind, Opel held third and fourth, with Michael Bartels fending off his Holzer team-mate Timo Scheider. Their task was made a little simpler as Uwe Alzen went grass-tracking out of fifth. But moments later the saftey car was out as local hero Yves Olivier got wide on the kerbs exiting the fast right-hand Lucien Bianchi corner and comprehensively stuffed and beached his Opel.
With the 15-minute race time maximum exceeded, the chequered flag was flown after seven laps.
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 7 laps
Mattias Ekström (S) Abt-Audi TT-R
Michael Bartels (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé
Timo Scheider (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé
Christian Abt (D) Abt-Audi TT-R
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK
Patrick Huisman (NL) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK
Uwe Alzen (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Bend CLK
Share Or Save This Story
How Sutton's BTCC steamroller overcame Snetterton challenges
Rossi faces key decision: Who will replace di Giannantonio at VR46?
Red Bull reacts to Verstappen’s criticism – why ‘I told you’ moments are needed
Mini miracles as remarkable podium stories play out at Snetterton
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments