Sat am: Menu stops Audi whitewash
Audi showed it has the car to beat at the Sachsenring this weekend by filling four of the top five places in the final test ahead of qualifying in east Germany today (Saturday). Only Alain Menu, who was second fastest for Opel, prevented an Audi clean sweep
Quickest of the TTs was Laurent Aiello, who recorded the first sub-1m20s lap of the weekend to head the times. Menu was just under a tenth of a second behind, while Karl Wendlinger, Martin Tomczyk and Mattias Ekstrom were all covered by a similar amount in third, fourth and fifth. Christian Apt was seventh quickest, ensuring that all five Audi's were in the top 10.
Bernd Schneider was once again the fastest Mercedes driver, setting the sixth best time, half a second down on Aiello. He was joined the top 10 by fellow CLK drivers Marcel Fassler (eighth) and Uwe Alzen (ninth).
Donington winner Jean Alesi was way down the times in 16th, one spot behind Peter Dumbreck. Manuel Reuter was the second quickest Opel in 10th, but he was almost a second slower than Menu, who on this form appears to be the only driver capable of denying an Audi pole position in this afternoon's qualifying session.
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R 1m19.987s
Alain Menu (CH) Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé 1m20.069s
Karl Wendlinger (A) Abt-Audi TT-R 1m20.276s
Martin Tomczyk (D) Abt-Audi TT-R 1m20.351s
Mattias Ekström (S) Abt-Audi TT-R 1m20.377s
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m20.529s
Christian Abt (F) Abt-Audi TT-R 1m20.813s
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Bend CLK 1m20.927s
Uwe Alzen (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m20.950s
Manuel Reuter (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupe 1m20.999s
Joachim Winkelhock (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé 1m21.042s
Yves Olivier (B) Eutoteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé 1m21.183s
Michael Bartels (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé 1m21.199s
Timo Scheider (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé 1m21.202s
Peter Dumbreck (GB) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.314s
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.363s
Thomas Jäger (D) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.619s
Christijan Albers (NL) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.675s
Bernd Maylander (D) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.747s
Patrick Huisman (NL) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m21.851s
Stefan Mücke (D) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK 1m22.278s
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