Saturday practice: Audi keeps rolling
The Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R squad continued to dominate the DTM time sheets around the Nurburgring short circuit, although there are signs of an AMG Mercedes fight back
In a near mirror-image of yesterday's practice times, former British Touring Car champion Laurent Aiello, Christian Abt and German youngster Martin Tomczyk locked out the top three positions for the Kempten-based Abt team.
"Although it was only a test session, and some of our rivals might have been sandbagging, one thing is certain for me: my goal in qualifying is first place on the grid," said Abt.
In today's session, runaway points leader Bernd Schneider was joined by Lausitz winner Peter Dumbreck in getting amongst the yellow machines in his D2 AMG Mercedes.
The reigning champ and his Scottish team mate both pipped the fourth Audi, that of Swedish young gun Mattias Ekstrom. Schneider was 0.209secs off Aiello's leading pace.
Top Opel driver was Michael Bartels in eighth, 0.658secs off the pace, while Timo Scheider also managed to haul his Astra Coupe into the top 10. Opel's star players, Manuel Reuter and Alain Menu, were 12th and 13th respectively.
Times this morning were, in general, slower than on Friday afternoon, but the temperature at the Nurburgring is already 29-degrees and should top the 30-mark when qualifying kicks off at 13.05 local time (12.05BST).
Laurent Aiello, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.563s
Christian Abt, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.670s
Martin Tomczyk, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.754s
Bernd Schneider, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m05.772s
Peter Dumbreck, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m05.900s
Mattias Ekstrom, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.914s
Tomas Jager, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m05.958s
Michael Bartels, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.221s
Uwe Alzen, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m06.245s
Timo Scheider, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.319s
Christijan Albers, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m06.351s
Manuel Reuter, 2001 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.385s
Alain Menu, 2001 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.386s
Marcel Fassler, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m06.404s
Patrick Huisman, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m06.540s
Joachim Winkelhock, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.563s
Darren Turner, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m06.655s
Bernd Maylander, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m06.728s
David Saelens, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m06.742s
Yves Olivier, 2000 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.842s
Hubert Haupt, 2000 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.994s
Peter Mamerow, 2000 Mamerow Opel Astra Coupe, 1m08.332s
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