Tomczyk forced out after qualifying crash

His Audi TT-R suffered a front brake failure, caused by a leaking master cylinder, which sent him into the Turn 1 tyrewall at high speed. Although the car is not as badly damaged as first feared, the combination of a slight doubt over the integrity of the carbonfibre safety cell, which cocoons the driver, and the fact Tomczyk has wrenched his shoulder has ruled him out.

"We had some small doubts and didn't want to risk it, especially on a circuit with such high speeds at this one," said team boss Hans Jurgen Abt. "The master cylinder was leaking, which reduced the pressure to the front brakes, so when he hit the pedal it locked the rears and caused the crash."

Tomczyk, who was visibly shaken after the crash, commented: "I suddenly had no brake pressure anymore and then the car turned around. The impact was massive, but it also showed once again, how safe our TT-R is. Too bad that I am having so much bad luck here at the Norisring - I will keep my fingers crossed for my four team mates and I will be back in full swing myself in a fortnight."