Following a long winter break, racing will finally start in earnest again for the ABT DTM squad next weekend. The Hockenheimring will be hosting the first two races of the new DTM season on May 7 and 8.
Everyone knows how close the competition is in the DTM. Fans and drivers are only going to see the relative strengths in qualifying on Saturday. That is the moment Audi driver Mattias Ekström is looking forward to with eager anticipation as well. “Even after 15 DTM years, the first qualifying session of the season is really special,” says the Swede. The Audi factory driver knows how important a perfect start to the season is in the DTM. It’s not only about beating the competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. He is also challenged to win against seven other strong Audi drivers – first and foremost Jamie Green. The Briton was the Audi driver with the best points score last season and won two of the four DTM races at Hockenheim as well. In addition, Ekströms team mates Miguel Molina, Edoardo Mortara and Nico Müller are set on mounting the top step of the podium this season, too.
ABT Sportsline has been active for Audi Sport in the DTM since 2004. Still, the engineers have optimized their processes for a DTM weekend once more last winter, analyzed data for hours on end, and invested in their technical equipment. “In the DTM, even the smallest details matter,” says Hans-Jürgen Abt, Team Director of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline. “We optimally prepared and are all fired up to clinch another DTM title for Audi – it would be our sixth one.”
ABT is the DTM master of quick pit stops, and for good reason. The choreography of the tire change which, ideally, takes less than three seconds and involves 13 mechanics is practiced in Kempten several times a week. Before the first race weekend, the squad practiced nearly 800 pit stops and spent many hours in the outfit’s own gym.
In many countries, the DTM can be watched live on television or on the DTM’s YouTube channel as well.