Audi Sport Team Abt Team Director Hans-Jürgen Abt says that his team head to the EuroSpeedway Lausitz this weekend “with higher motivation than ever” in Audi’s quest to secure a first Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters win of the season.
Audi have failed to win a race all season, with the Ingolstadt marques winless streak now standing at 11 races.
“No matter how clear the standings may look we’re traveling to the Lausitzring with higher motivation than ever,” said Abt. “We intend to treat the many Audi fans there to a great race and, hopefully, the first victory this year.”
Of all the Audi drivers, Swede Mattias Ekström has the best track record at the circuit, having won twice and been on the podium seven times in the past 13 years.
“Counting all the track tests and events, there’s arguably no other race track I’ve been to more often than the Lausitzring,” saysEkström. “Most of my memories are positive, that’s why I’m optimistic for the race as well. My aim is victory or at least a place on the podium because the battle for second place in the championship will still be fierce.”
Audi’s least victory at the Lausitzring came in 2011, when Martin Tomczyk won for Team Phoenix. Audi’s Head of DTM Dieter Gass explains that his marque have been intensively preparing for the race at the circuit in eastern Germany in an effort to replicate that success.
“We used the short break to concentrate and intensively prepare for the Lausitzring,” said Gass. “The performance in qualifying at the Nürburgring has shown that we’re heading in the right direction.
“Our aim has remained the same: we’re set on winning the first race for Audi this season and are fully focused on the manufacturers’ classification.”
The battle for second place in the championship looks like being the most exciting part of the end of the DTM season, with Ekström tied on points with Audi stable-mate Edoardo Mortara and reigning champion Mike Rockenfeller just three points further back in fourth.