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Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

The battle for the DTM title will go down to the wire. Jamie Green (Audi) won the penultimate race of the season at the Hockenheimring on Saturday to move to within just nine points of fellow Audi driver and championship leader Mattias Ekström. However, Green’s hopes of winning the championship were dealt a major blow when the Briton was handed a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s final race of the season, as he received his fifth warning. Mattias Ekström suffered a similar fate: The Swede received a five-place grid penalty for receiving his third warning. The major beneficiary of these penalties could be René Rast (Audi), who is now one of the big favourites to take the title. Rast trails his fellow Audi drivers by just 13 points.
Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Hockenheim/Germany, 14th October 2017 – In glorious sunshine, fans in Hockenheim witnessed a lightning start from pole-sitter Timo Glock (BMW), who not only held onto his lead, but also started to pull clear of the chasing pack. However, Jamie Green, who started the race from third on the grid, then started to pick up the pace and moved into the lead on lap seven. Even after the Audi driver had been in for a new set of the Hankook race tyre on lap 14 of the iconic circuit near Heidelberg, the Briton still held a clear lead. After 36 laps, Green came home 3.939 seconds ahead of the rest of the field to claim his 16th win in what is probably the most popular international touring car series.

Green was followed over the finish line in second place by fellow Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller, who produced a sensational fightback. The 33-year-old started the race from seventh place and only came in for his tyre change on lap 23. Now on fresh Hankook dry tyres, Rockenfeller cut through the field with a number of skilful overtaking manoeuvres. He then passed Timo Glock’s BMW on the final lap to take second place. This result means that Rockenfeller, who now trails Mattias Ekström by 20 points, still has a mathematical chance of winning his second DTM title.

Maxime Martin (BMW) ended the penultimate race of the DTM season in fourth place. The best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver was Edoardo Mortara in fifth. René Rast (Audi) came home sixth to score valuable points. Rast is third overall, and is still well placed in the title race – particularly as the two drivers ahead of him, Ekström and Green, were both handed grid penalties for Sunday’s final race, having received one warning too many. Championship leader Mattias Ekström finished outside the points in eleventh place.

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “This eventful race was a fair reflection of the entire season. The DTM has rarely been more exciting and evenly-matched, and the spectators are witnessing motorsport as it should be: Hard-fought battles and overtaking manoeuvres right down to the final lap. Mike Rockenfeller showed that, with the right pit stop strategy, it is possible to come from the back of the grid and finish on the podium. He came in very late for his fresh set of Hankook race tyres, and the dry tyre supported this tactic perfectly in the final third of the race. We can look forward to an exciting DTM finale on Sunday, as the title race is still wide open.”

Jamie Green (Audi): “I am very happy with my win here in Hockenheim. This circuit just seems to suit me. I had hardly any tyre wear in these conditions, which were pretty warm for October. Even in my second stint, which was quite a long one, the Hankook race tyres were perfect.”

Mike Rockenfeller (Audi): “I was able to look after the Hankook tyres well in the race. There is obviously a drop, particularly here at the Hockenheimring, but that is intentional. In my case, it was only very slight and I came in very late for my tyre change. I was then able to work my way through the field on the fresh Hankook dry tyres. I have absolutely no cause for complaints, as far as the tyres were concerned.”

Timo Glock (BMW): “The Hankook tyres worked well on my car. However, I came in for my tyre change on lap eleven, while Rocky stayed out until lap 23. That is why he had far fresher tyres than me at the end, which meant I had no chance.”

Hankook Tire fabrique à l’échelle mondiale des pneumatiques radiaux premium et innovants – dont plusieurs ont été primés – destinés aux véhicules de tourisme, 4X4/SUV, utilitaires, poids lourds, autobus ainsi qu’aux véhicules de sports automobiles (courses sur circuit, circuits urbains, rallyes).

Afin d'offrir à ses clients une qualité optimale associée à l'excellence technologique et au confort de conduite, Hankook investit en permanence dans la recherche et le développement. L'entreprise élabore et produit des solutions de pneumatiques sur mesure, parfaitement adaptées aux exigences et aux demandes des marchés régionaux dans cinq centres de développement internationaux et huit grandes usines. En Europe, le développement des pneumatiques ainsi que la production des équipements de première monte sont effectués dans le Centre technique d'Hankook à Hanovre en Allemagne selon les critères des plus grands constructeurs automobiles européens. Les pneumatiques sont produits au sein de l'usine européenne ultra moderne de Rácalmás en Hongrie, qui a été inaugurée en 2007 et ne cesse d'être agrandie depuis.

Le siège européen du manufacturier de pneumatiques est situé à Neu-Isenburg, près de Francfort-sur-le-Main en Allemagne. Le manufacturier possède des filiales dans plusieurs pays européens et vend ses produits par l'intermédiaire de distributeurs régionaux sur d'autres marchés locaux. Hankook emploie environ 20 000 salariés dans le monde entier et commercialise ses produits dans plus de 160 pays. L’entreprise a été choisie comme partenaire technique et fournisseur exclusif de pneumatiques de la Génération 3 pour le championnat du monde de Formule E de la FIA ABB, à partir de 2023. Pour leurs équipements de première monte, les plus grands constructeurs automobiles font confiance aux pneumatiques fabriqués par Hankook. L'Europe représente environ 38 % du chiffre d'affaires global de l'entreprise.

Pour obtenir plus d’informations, veuillez consulter www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com ou www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 53 Jamie Green (GBR, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS5 DTM)

File size: 2 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 99 Mike Rockenfeller (GER, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS5 DTM)

File size: 1 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 16 Timo Glock (GER, BMW Team RMR, BMW M4 DTM)

File size: 2 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 99 Mike Rockenfeller (GER, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS5 DTM)

File size: 1 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 6 Robert Wickens (CAN, HWA AG, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM)

File size: 2 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 53 Jamie Green (GBR, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS5 DTM)

File size: 2 Mo

Jamie Green and the Hankook race tyre ensure the DTM remains exciting until the very end

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheim-II, Saison 2017 - 9. Event Hockenheimring, GER, # 53 Jamie Green (GBR, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS5 DTM)

File size: 1 Mo

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