Test 1: Schneider turns back the clock
The last time the DTM came to Donington Park, in the summer of 1995, Bernd Schneider dominated the weekend. On its return in Friday's opening test session he again led the way, stopping the clocks in exactly 1m30secs
The reigning champion was mighty from the word go, his Mercedes-Benz CLK producing a shower of sparks as he swept down the Craner Curves on his very first flying lap. He ended the session a whopping 0.673s ahead of AMG team-mate Marcel Fassler, who set his best time on his last lap of the session.
Michael Bartels was best of the rest in his Opel Astra Coupe, half a tenth clear of the third AMG Merc of Uwe Alzen. Manuel Reuter was fifth quickest in his Opel, ahead of the first 2001-spec Mercedes of F1 safety car driver Bernd Maylander and the third Opel of Timo Scheider.
The Abt-Audi squad had a quiet session. Christian Abt led their charge in eighth, a tenth ahead of its championship leader Laurent Aiello. The Frenchman led the trio of former BTCC champions, with Alain Menu (Opel) and Joachim Winkelhock (Opel) filling the next spots.
Winkelhock caused the session to be red flagged when his Astra ground to half at McLeans with oil pressure problems. The Phoenix mechanics are now battling to rectify the problem ahead of the second 90-minute session, which begins at 14.30 BST.
Britain's Peter Dumbreck was only 17th fastest, over 2secs off the pace, while Christijan Albers has failed to complete a lap all morning due to technical problems with his Mercedes.
Bernd Schneider (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m30.000s
Marcel Fässler (CH) AMG Mercedes-Bend CLK, 1m30.676s
Michael Bartels (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m30.746s
Uwe Alzen (D) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m30.807s
Manuel Reuter (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupe, 1m31.093s
Bernd Maylander (D) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m31.259s
Timo Scheider (D) Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m31.279s
Christian Abt (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m31.442s
Laurent Aiello (F) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m31.550s
Alain Menu (CH) Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m31.645s
Joachim Winkelhock (D) Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m31.697s
Mattias Ekström (S) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m31.808s
Jean Alesi (F) AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m31.863s
Karl Wendlinger (A) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m32.162s
Thomas Jäger (D) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m32.197s
Yves Olivier (B) Eutoteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé, 1m32.210s
Peter Dumbreck (GB) Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m32.395s
Martin Tomczyk (D) Abt-Audi TT-R, 1m32.402s
Patrick Huisman (NL) Manthey Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m32.610s
Stefan Mücke (D) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, 1m3.313s
Christijan Albers (NL) Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK, no time
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