Sparks fly in nocturnal DTM rehearsal

Opel's Alain Menu, a veteran of several night races in the British Touring Car Championship, said: "Compared to racing at Snetterton or Silverstone in the BTCC with lights, it's not as bright. But, on the other hand, we don't get that massive change between light and dark that we had at Snetterton. So it's better in that respect. The only thing they really need to do is make the final corner a lot brighter. It's practically dark now, and you're unable to see when you're about to get on the kerbs and on to the grass."

Abt-Audi's Mattias Ekstrom led the way in the 30-minute session, the engines and tyres revelling in the cool evening air. His 1m25.288s was half a second faster than Martin Tomczyk's best time set earlier in the heat of day in his Audi TT-R.

Tomczyk was second fastest this evening, two-tenths in arrears. Three-time champion Bernd Schneider was third fastest for AMG Mercedes, bouncing back from a shunt this afternoon when he struck the Opel of Manuel Reuter at the NGK chicane.

Reigning champion Laurent Aiello was fourth fastest, just a few hundredths clear of Donington Park race winner Jean Alesi (Mercedes). Christijan Albers, who won here earlier in the year, was only sixth fastest in his Merc, but a couple of tenths clear of the top Opel, Peter Dumbreck. The Opels were by far the most spectacular cars on the track, with flame belching from their exhausts on over-run and a plethora of sparks from their undersides under braking.

Marcel Fassler (Mercedes), Timo Scheider (Opel) and Alain Menu (Opel) rounded out the top 10.


Mattias Ekstrom (S) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m25.288s
Martin Tomczyk (D) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m25.476s
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m25.583s
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m25.704s
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m25.764s
Christijan Albers (NL) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m25.983s
Peter Dumbreck (GB) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m26.156s
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m26.238s
Timo Scheider (D) Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m26.382s
Alain Menu (CH) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m26.557s