The DTM championship fight has simmered until now, but after Barcelona it is well and truly on heading into the penultimate round. A title showdown with two races to go may sound a little odd, but Le Mans this weekend could prove to the most important race of the season.
Why? Because a good result for long-time championship leader Timo Scheider could seal the crown for the German, who slaved away in the series for more than 70 races before his maiden success earlier this year.
But, as the last two races have shown, Mercedes' Paul di Resta is snapping at the heels of the German and he needs to make a dent into that championship lead to set the series up for a proper showdown at Hockenheim two weeks later.
It's hard to believe that the 2008-spec Timo Scheider is the same man that raced in the DTM for so many years with such moderate success before this season. The German has been on the pace at every track - and more often than not he's been the fastest Audi driver.