Despite a difficult start to his 2016 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) at the Hockenheim season opener a month ago, Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s Jamie Green remains resolute in keeping focus in his efforts to fight with several of the drivers that are ahead of him in the standings.
“The main thing is to be on the top step at the end of the race, which is what I’m aiming for,” explained the Briton at the first press conference of the Lausitzring race weekend.
This time last year, he was dominating proceedings with a double win in the Brandenburg region, before his season suffered its fair share of lows later on.
“Here, last year went really well for me. That doesn’t make it any easier this season as every year is different and that weekend is history.”
With a demanding schedule that puts all 24 drivers under immense strain over nine race weekends, Green admitted that the competitive nature of the DTM is still as close as it has ever been in recent times.
“It’s always hard to be at the front in this championship and to win, and I’ll approach this weekend like I have before. To focus as much as possible and trying to get the most out of the car, and see where that brings us.”
He also touched on the format putting more of a mental strain on the drivers, with media, marketing and team meetings being a bigger part of just what a current DTM driver does over a race weekend.
“it’s pretty full on, as from Friday lunchtime until 6pm Sunday evening,” explained the 33-year-old, who took his first podium of the year at the Red Bull Ring two weeks ago.
“It’s very long, as you get drained mentally, and in the car, you’ve got to deliver, which can be just as challenging.”
Green was a force to be reckoned with at the 3.476-km track, especially when he won the sprint race with no Drag Reduction System (DRS) assistance, but he stated that due to the technical infield sections, the slightest mistake will penalise a driver heavily during qualifying and the races.
“As a driver, it can be a bit tedious at times, with second gear corners not being the most exciting of challenges. It’s technical and low speed, and for a driver, it’s particularly demanding. This is because it is very easy to lose lap time in slow corners, and as we all know, it’s always always very close in the DTM.”
The first practice session of the DTM at the Euro Speedway Lausitzring takes place at 16:30 local time this afternoon (Friday, June 3rd) and lasts for thirty minutes.