Newly-crowned Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters champion Mike Rockenfeller has admitted that it will take him “a while to realize” his new success, after securing the title at Zandvoort on Sunday.
By finishing second in the race, 29 year-old Rockenfeller took his first DTM title with one race to spare. Although his chief championship rival Augusto Farfus won the race, Rockenfeller now has an unassailable 26-point advantage heading to the final race at the Hockenheimring in October.
Rockenfeller was also thankful to fellow Audi stable-mate Timo Scheider, who helped him to the title by finishing in third and preventing any attack from BMW’s Marco Wittmann during the latter stages of the race.
“Winning the DTM title one race before the end of the season is fantastic,” said Rockenfeller after the race. “I think it’ll take me a while to realize what we managed to do. I’d like to thank Audi, Audi Sport Team Phoenix and Timo as well, who helped me today, very much.”
Although Rockenfeller got off to a strong start and was able to hassle Farfus during the early stages of the race, he fell back in the second half and allowed the BMW driver to open up a comfortable 16 second lead before the safety car came out in the closing laps.
“On option tyres, I was very fast at the beginning of the race but after Augusto’s first stop not fast enough anymore,” admitted Rockenfeller. “After switching to standard tyres, it wasn’t going quite as well anymore but it was still enough in the end.
“I’m very proud of Audi and the team. After the difficult last year, we worked hard in the winter and improved the car. Being consistently quick and to score points was the key to success.”
Rockenfeller’s success is the fifth for Audi in the DTM since they returned to the series in 2004. Audi’s Head of DTM, Dieter Gass, praised Rockenfeller on his title success, which is also the second title for Team Phoenix in the DTM, after Martin Tomczyk took the 2011 title for the team.
“Congratulations and a sincere thank you to Mike, Audi Sport Team Phoenix and the entire Audi squad,” said Gass. “Mike secured the drivers’ title early and in the manufacturers’ and team standings, we’re now in front as well. You really can’t wish for more than that.
“Mike’s a worthy Champion, who made no mistakes today even under high pressure. There are many reasons for celebrating tonight – and that’s what we’re definitely going to do. Thank you also to everyone in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, with the teams and with the suppliers who have made this DTM title possible for Audi.”