Saturday testing: Aiello sets out stall
Laurent Aiello topped the times in the final session before qualifying for the DTM season-opener at Hockenheim today (Saturday) as the Abt Sportsline Audi team continued to dominate the timesheets
Aiello just pipped new signing Karl Wendlinger for the top spot, with Opel's Alain Menu the only non-Audi in the top four, as Christian Abt was right behind him.
Marcel Fassler led the Mercedes charge in fifth, ahead of the fourth Audi of Martin Tomczyk. Joachim Winkelhock was seventh fastest, ahead of reigning champion Bernd Schneider. The latter appears to have speed in hand, however, and aborted a lap that seemed to be much quicker.
Scotland's Peter Dumbreck was 11th fastest, the quickest of the 2001-spec Mercedes, despite difficulties in finding the same balance he had in testing when he set the pace.
Qualifying begins at 13.05 local time (12.05 BST).
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 58.403s
Karl Wendlinger (A) Abt-Audi TT-R, 58.721s
Alain Menu (CH) Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 58.963s
Christian Abt (D) Abt-Audi TT-R, 59.064s
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Bend CLK, 59.094s
Martin Tomczyk (D) Abt-Audi TT-R, 59.112s
Joachim Winkelhock (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 59.190s
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.194s
Mattias Ekström (S) Abt-Audi TT-R, 59.210s
Timo Scheider (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 59.231s
Peter Dumbreck (GB) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.268s
Christijan Albers (NL) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.487s
Patrick Huisman (NL) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.497s
Uwe Alzen (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.500s
Manuel Reuter (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupe, 59.548s
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.626s
Stefan Mücke (D) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.714s
Marcel Tiemann (D) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.744s
Michael Bartels (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 59.778s
Yves Olivier (B) Eutoteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 59.867s
Thomas Jäger (D) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 59.892s
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