Klettwitz/Germany, 21st May 2017 – For much of Sunday’s race, pole-sitter Robert Wickens looked odds on to claim the win. The Mercedes-Benz driver was setting the pace and controlling the field from the front. However, Jamie Green (Audi) improved as the race progressed and passed the Canadian on lap 31. Green then successfully defended his lead to claim his 15th race win in the DTM. This was also his second victory of the season, and propelled the Englishman into second place in the overall standings.
Mattias Ekström started the race from eighth on the grid, and came in for his mandatory pit stop as early as lap one. The Audi driver gradually worked his way through the field on the Ventus Race tyre provided by exclusive DTM partner Hankook, and passed Robert Wickens shortly before the end of the race. The Swede was rewarded for his tactical prowess with second place. Green and Ekström were joined on the podium by Wickens, who finished third. His fellow Mercedes-Benz driver Gary Paffett came home fourth, ahead of Mike Rockenfeller (Audi), who also came in for his tyre change on lap one and climbed to fifth from eleventh on the grid. The best-placed BMW driver was Maxime Martin in eighth – one place ahead of fellow BMW driver and reigning DTM champion Marco Wittmann. Saturday’s winner, Lucas Auer (Mercedes-Benz), finished tenth and did enough to hold on to top spot in the overall standings.
“This race was another great advertisement for the DTM. It was exciting right down to the finish, and featured thrilling battles for position and spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. Lucas Auer dominated yesterday, while Jamie Green and Mattias Ekström both put on a great show today. Ekström, in particular, showed that the Hankook race tyre is not only incredibly quick, but also very consistent,” said Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe.
BMW Team RBM completed the fastest pit stop at the Lausitzring, in a time of 36.024 seconds. They are rewarded with 25 points towards the overall standings in the Hankook Best Pit Stop Award. The victorious crew also receives three crates of beer at the next DTM race weekend at the Hungaroring.
Jamie Green (Audi): “The new Hankook race tyre and the fact that there is no longer a pit stop window have made the races far more interesting from a tactical point of view. Unlike Mercedes-Benz, we changed the tyres very early, otherwise we would probably have got stuck behind Robert. That worked well. You simply have to try not only to be quick on the Hankook slick, but also to make it last a long time. That is the key to success at the moment.”
Mattias Ekström (Audi): “After changing the tyres on lap five on Saturday, I came into the pits on the opening lap today. There was absolutely no risk involved. I could have driven another 20 laps on the Hankook slick. It worked wonderfully throughout the entire race. I have not been as successful in qualifying yet, as you have to really put a lot of strain on the tyres, and that simply isn’t my style. In contrast, I could probably get by on just one set of tyres in the race.”
Marco Wittmann (BMW): “The Hankook race tyre was surprisingly consistent here at the Lausitzring. I had good pace and hardly any tyre wear. However, we are still lacking something compared to the Audis. We must improve our understanding of the way the Hankook tyre works with our package, in order to tease out a few tenths of a second more in the race.”
Robert Wickens (Mercedes-Benz): “My first stint was very good. The Hankook tyre worked perfectly. However, as a few Audi drivers came in for their tyre change on the opening lap, we had to come in relatively early, in order to stay in front. The Audis were then simply able to get a bit more out of the Hankook race tyre in the second half of the race. However, I am still very happy with third place.”
