Audi’s Timo Scheider has admitted that he is ‘not happy’ with his performances, despite clinching a season-best result of fifth in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters race at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.
Scheider finished the race in Austria having started from 14th on the grid. It is the German’s fourth points finish of the season and his best result, yet the German admits that he is still not happy.
“Obviously, it’s nice to be the best Audi driver and to advance so far to the front from grid position 14,” admitted Scheider. “But as a team, we’re not really happy with this result.
“Our aim – as well as my personal one – is to clinch victories. And that’s what we’re going to battle for again as quickly as possible.”
The former double champion has only clinched one podium finish in the past three seasons in the DTM and he has not tasted victory since the end of the 2010 season in Italy.
“I’ve been in motorsport and the DTM long enough to know that setbacks are always followed by upwards trends again,” said an optimistic Scheider. “And looking at how hard my guys are working for our success and making a lot of sacrifices then it goes without saying that, even after difficult weekends, I’m traveling to the next race again with 100 percent motivation.”
Scheider is the most experienced of the current crop of DTM drivers, having made his series début in 2000. The German scored 19 of his 22 podiums in the series in a run of strong form between the 2008 and 2010 seasons, including taking two titles. However since then success has proven hard to come by for the 35-year-old.
“My great wish would be for our streak of misfortune to be over and for us to continue exactly where we left off at Spielberg,” said Scheider of his run of form in recent seasons. “I hope that we’ll be able to turn this around now and to have fortune on our side in the second half of the season.”
The German heads to the Nürburgring for the next round of the DTM on the 16th and 17th August, an event which he admits is very ‘special’ to him.
“The home round is very special because many friends and acquaintances will be on location to keep their fingers crossed. In addition, this is the home race of my Audi Sport Team Phoenix and my team-mate. So there are many reasons to up the ante.”