Qualifying race: Huisman survives

The action started early, as Patrick Huisman (Mercedes) bizarrely swept around the outside of poleman Michael Bartels (Opel) at the final corner to lead as the lights turned green. No penalty was forthcoming for the move, and he pulled away over the opening lap.

Chaos reigned behind. Marcel Fassler (Mercedes) clipped Martin Tomczyk's Audi, causing a concertina effect behind. Cars were jinking everywhere on the following straight, and Winkelhock was clipped from behind by David Saelens' Mercedes, sending the Opel into the wall at very high speed.

"It was just an accident," said a phlegmatic Winkelhock. "The pack was not sorted out on the straight and I just got hit by a Mercedes."

The next shock was the sight of Bernd Schneider understeering into the tyrewall at the final corner from sixth when he simply ran wide and lost it on the damp edge of the circuit.

But that was nothing compared to Laurent Aiello's multiple somersault as he entered the Stadium on lap two. He lost control as he outbraked Audi team mate Christian Abt, and spun on to the dirt, dug in and completed two full rolls before coming to rest on his side. The Frenchman was unhurt.

The safety car was called into play for a couple of laps. At the restart, Huisman pulled clear as his team mate Bernd Maylander zapped past Bartels for second place. Dumbreck further demoted the Opel, but Bartels just held off Mattias Ekstrom (Audi) and Uwe Alzen (Mercedes).

Timo Scheider (Opel) was the big mover, passing both Alzen and Ekstrom to grab fifth by the finish, behind Huisman, Maylander, Dumbreck and Bartels.

And that was just the qualifier...



Patrick Huisman, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 8 laps
Bernd Maylander, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, +1.3s
Peter Dumbreck, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, +2.2s
Michael Bartels, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, +3.2s
Timo Scheider, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, +3.8s
Mattias Ekstrom, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, +4.3s
Uwe Alzen, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, +5.2s
Christian Abt, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, +5.4s
Darren Turner, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, +5.9s
Alain Menu, 2001 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, +6.2s
Manuel Reuter, 2001 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, +6.5s
Thomas Jager, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, +7.0s
David Saelens, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, +7.7s
Christijan Albers, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, +8.3s
Peter Mamerow, 2000 Mamerow Opel Astra Coupe, +12.3s
Yves Olivier, 2000 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, +15.6s
Laurent Aiello, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R
Bernd Schneider, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK
Marcel Fassler, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK
Martin Tomczyk, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R
Joachim Winkelhock, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe
Hubert Haupt, 2000 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe