Audi Sport ready for battle on “home” soil

This weekend sees Audi Sport leading the way in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, as points leader Jamie Green will be clearly a force to be reckoned with as “Mr. Norisring,” having won at the street track four times.

Mattias Ekström is still out for glory this time around, after his unfortunate exclusion in 2013 saw a birthday win slip away from his grasp. It’s been a love and hate relationship for the 36-year-old.

The Swede is out to make amends for it, and could do with the current pace Audi are showing so far: ““There’s no doubt about it: I’d finally like to win at the Norisring. It’s cool that this year we even have two opportunities and that the many Audi fans are already treated to a DTM race on Saturday – plus another one on Sunday. With the retro livery of my Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM, victory can be the only aim anyhow.”

Jamie Green, who is well into a rhythm of success with three wins to his name already, is eager to get behind the wheel of his Team Rosberg RS5 DTM and charge to further victories on a track that has served him so well.

“Now, the Norisring, one of my favorite tracks that I’ve always been able to handle particularly well, is coming up,” said the Brit, who leads the standings by 17 points. “Obviously, it’s not going to be easy for us because we 
 have to start with a lot of additional weight. But the RS 5 DTM fits my driving style so perfectly this year that we should be in contention for victory in spite of this.”

As a result of Audi Sport’s results this season, which sees Green, Ekström and Edoardo Mortara rounding out the top three in the drivers’ standings, Mortara and 2013 champion Mike Rockenfeller will be at a clear disadvantage.

This is as a result of the additional “performance” weight that their cars will have on board, with each car weighing 1140kg in total including the driver.

“Of course, having to start with so much additional weight in our home race at the Norisring of all places hurts us, but that’s the way the regulations in the DTM are,” explained Dieter Gass, Head of DTM, who is well aware of the fact that Ingolstadt are not the clear favourites this weekend. “We’re going to leave no stone unturned to deliver a tremendous show to the traditionally large crowd of Audi fans in Nuremberg.”