Spengler wins season finale
Bruno Spengler won his fourth race of 2006 at the DTM finale at Hockenheim on Sunday to ensure his runner-up finish to Mercedes team leader Bernd Schneider in the championship
Spengler won despite a poor start from second on the grid that dropped him to fourth on the opening lap, behind pole sitter Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Audi), Jamie Green (Mercedes) and Martin Tomczyk (Audi).
But things began to fall his way when Green's attempt to outbrake Frentzen for the lead caused him to run wide, promoting Spengler to third.
Spengler got past Tomczyk at Turn 1 on lap 6 to take second and chased down leader Frentzen. He passed the former F1 racer with a smart move at the Mercedes Arena on lap 11, which started two corners earlier at the Spitzkehre hairpin.
After that, his main opposition was from Green, who he kept at arms' reach until the end of the race. Behind Green, Tom Kristensen led the Audi charge after a fierce racelong battle with Schneider, who finished fourth.
Tomczyk was close behind Schneider in fifth, with the point scorers rounded out by Timo Scheider (Audi), Christian Abt (Audi) and Jean Alesi (Mercedes), who was driving in his last DTM race today.
Early leader Frentzen went out late on when he was punted off by teammate Mattias Ekstrom.
CLASSIFIED:
Pos Driver Make Time
1. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1:00:13.459
2. Jamie Green Mercedes + 1.503
3. Tom Kristensen Audi + 10.490
4. Bernd Schneider Mercedes + 11.507
5. Martin Tomczyk Audi + 12.026
6. Timo Scheider Audi + 19.526
7. Christian Abt Audi + 21.359
8. Jean Alesi Mercedes + 36.280
9. Susie Stoddart Mercedes + 38.475
10. Mathias Lauda Mercedes + 1 lap
11. Vanina Ickx Audi + 1 lap
12. Mattias Ekstrom Audi + 2 laps
13. Alexandros Margaritis Mercedes + 3 laps
14. Heinz-Harald Frentzen Audi + 3 laps
15. Thed Bjork Audi + 10 laps
NOT CLASSIFIED:
Driver Make Lap
Daniel la Rosa Mercedes 26
Pierre Kaffer Audi 26
Mika Hakkinen Mercedes 20
Stefan Mucke Mercedes 4
Frank Stippler Audi 1
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