Audi travels as leader to DTM at Budapest

Next weekend (May 30 to June 1) the DTM is returning to Budapest after 26 years. Champion Mike Rockenfeller is traveling to round three of the season at the Hungaroring, where the drivers of all three manufacturers had met for pre-season track tests, as the new leader of the standings.

1,633 laps or 7,154 kilometers were reeled off on the track at Budapest at the beginning of April by the eight Audi drivers alone – the next weekend will show who made the best use of the official track tests in preparation for the first run of the new DTM in Hungary. The Audi squad is traveling to the Hungaroring as the hunted. Before round three, Mike Rockenfeller, Audi Sport Team Phoenix and Audi are leading the drivers,’ teams’ and manufacturers’ standings.

Everybody is looking forward to the 4.381-kilometer track that is the second-longest one on the calendar. “Tailor-made for a DTM car,” is the tenor of the race drivers’ comments about the challenging track featuring a mix of fast and slow turns, plus thrilling combinations. Qualifying will be particularly important because braking at the end of the start-finish line will arguably offer the only good overtaking opportunity, so a position at the front of the grid will play a major part in deciding the outcome of the race.

Fans can watch the time chase of the DTM race drivers on prime-time television. Qualifying at Budapest will only start at 18.10 (CEST), German Television ARD will be live on the air from 18.00. The race on Sunday will start at 13.30 as usual, with coverage on ‘Das Erste’ beginning at 13.00.

The Audi drivers are looking forward to the support by many fans. The Audi plant in Győr is located only an hour and a half’s drive away. Audi is one of the major employers in the region. Audi Hungaria has more than 10,000 employees at the site and last year produced more than 1.9 million engines and more than 40,000 automobiles. Many Audi fans watched the track tests on location and autograph hunters had previously welcomed their stars at the airport.

Dieter Gass (Head of DTM): “I’m looking forward to the DTM’s return to Budapest. We tested on the track and were able to gather some good experience, so we’ll be traveling to Hungary well prepared. The Hungaroring is a great track that suits the DTM cars well. I’m sure we’re going to experience a thrilling race weekend on which we can also count on the support by many Audi fans at our location in Győr.”

Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “Budapest is a new race track on the calendar. Hopefully we’ll have good weather but no matter what the atmosphere will be great and we’re facing a new challenge. We’ve already taken a few trophies home from Hockenheim and Oschersleben and will leave no stone unturned in Hungary to finally take home the ‘big’ one.”

Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix): “Everybody will arrive at Budapest with the experience from four joint test days packed in their bags. That’s why I believe that the battle there will even be closer than on most of the other tracks on the calendar. We’d like to get on a bit of a roll based on the good performance in the first two races and up the ante at Budapest.”

Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg): “During the official track tests we were fast at Budapest. That makes me optimistic for the race. The time will come when our guys are going to break their duck too.”

Audi Communications