After sitting out at Misano due to a sudden appendicitis, Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s Jamie Green spoke with happiness after scoring his second DTM podium of the season in this afternoons race at the Norisring.
Over three weeks ago, Green was in hospital and forced to miss the two races in Italy but returned to action this weekend.
“It’s nice to be back racing,” he explained, “and feeling healthy again.”
It was not a straightforward weekend for the British driver who was pushed out of the points after the race one safety car and picked up a penalty for disobeying red flag rules during Sunday qualifying.
“Today I got a penalty after qualifying, in the race I had to let Philipp Eng past me after I overtook him,” explained the Audi driver.
“All in all I’m happy to be second and drive a good race.”
Green was forced to relinquish second place to BMW Team RMR’s Philipp Eng after the stewards deemed the contact Green made with the Austrians bumper to be too influential in his move.
“I touched him on the rear, because we were turning into T1,” Green reported, “For me, in the DTM, I think I have seen a lot worse than that over the years and not had to give the position back.
“So I felt like it was a bit harsh to be honest.
“With these kind of cars a little bit of rubbing is part of the deal and good for the show in some cases.
“I think that without that I maybe could have given Bruno more of a race.”
The 16 time DTM race winner remains positive about what has been an impressive return from illness, in particular his ability to retain enough life in his Hankook tyres to hold of the changing Audi Sport Team Phoenix driver Mike Rockenfeller in the final five laps.
“The main positive I will take out of todays race, the second stint was very long and I was able to manage my tyres to not get caught out by Rocky [Mike Rockenfeller] at the end.”