Press Release

  • Motorsport

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Not one for the faint-hearted. Timo Glock emerged victorious after 36 laps of dramatic racing to win Sunday’s race of the 2018 DTM season-opener in Hockenheim. The BMW driver was embroiled in a thrilling battle for the lead with Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) in the second half of the race. Having seen the lead change hands on several occasions, the German eventually held on to clinch the fifth victory of his DTM career. In summer conditions and with track temperatures soaring above 40 degrees, the race tyre provided by premium tyre maker Hankook once again impressed with a high degree of consistency and solid performance at the iconic 4.574-kilometre circuit near Heidelberg. Spectators were treated to an extremely exciting race, which demonstrated exactly why the DTM is probably the most popular international touring car series.
Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Hockenheim/Germany, 6th May 2018 – Timo Glock was the fastest man in qualifying at a sun-drenched Hockenheimring on Sunday, earning him pole position and a lead he was able to defend at the start of the race. The BMW driver came in for a fresh set of Hankook race tyres on lap 14, while Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz), who had joined the leading group from tenth on the grid, came in for his pit stop on lap 15.

From then on, Glock and Paffett were embroiled in an incredibly intense battle for the lead, the likes of which have rarely been seen in the DTM. A series of skilful and extremely fair overtaking manoeuvres saw the lead change hands a number of times, before Timo Glock was eventually able to pull a little way clear towards the end of the race and ultimately take the chequered flag for win number five of his DTM career. Sunday’s success also sees the 36-year-old move to the top of the championship standings, having finished third on Saturday.

Gary Paffett, who won race one of the opening weekend of the DTM season in Hockenheim, was passed by Mike Rockenfeller on the final lap. The Audi driver came through to take second place ahead of the Brit, but lies third in the championship behind Paffett. DTM rookie Joel Eriksson (BMW) produced an eye-catching performance to finish fourth and narrowly miss out on his first visit to the DTM podium.

Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Motorsport Director Europe: “That was a great advert for motorsport, and particularly for the DTM. Rarely have we been treated to such a dramatic battle for the lead as Timo Glock and Gary Paffett produced today. The Hankook tyre, which offered all the drivers a consistently high level of grip right through to the finish, was also responsible for this exciting race. The fact that the first seven drivers crossed the finish line within five seconds just goes to show how evenly matched the DTM is. While Audi were unhappy on Saturday, Mike Rockenfeller responded in the right way by finishing runner-up on Sunday. However, it could be a completely different story at the Lausitzring in 14 days’ time.”

BMW Team RBM produced the fastest pit stop of the opening race weekend in Hockenheim, with a time of 28.136 seconds. They were rewarded for their efforts with 25 points towards the Hankook Best Pit Stop Award.

Mike Rockenfeller (Audi): “I managed the Hankook race tyres very well and was always able to drive at the limit. The tyres were put under a lot of strain during the many battles, but hardly wore at all. Our car had a good balance and I have nothing to complain about.”

Timo Glock (BMW): “That was the best race of my motorsport career so far. That was largely down to the Hankook race tyre, which made the long and fierce battle for the lead possible. Gary and I were able to push hard and drive bumper-to-bumper for many laps without the tyre deteriorating. That was simply incredible sport. The real winner is the DTM.”

Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz): “The Hankook tyres did a very good job today. We were able to push really hard at the front of the field, rode the kerbs at top speed, and did not look after the tyres at all, even in these high temperatures. Despite that, they were still incredibly fast and consistent right through to the end of the race.”

Hankook Tire manufactures globally innovative, award-winning radial tyres of proven superior quality for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/street circuits/rallies).

Aspiring to bring consumers the utmost excellence in product quality, technological excellence and driving satisfaction, Hankook Tire continuously invests in research and development maintaining five R&D centres and eight production facilities around the world. Bespoke tyre solutions for the European markets as well as European Original Equipment according to the requirements of leading premium car manufacturers, are developed in the company’s regional Technical Centre in Hanover/Germany. Production for the European region is taking place in the state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Rácalmás/Hungary which was inaugurated in June 2007 and is continuously being expanded.

Hankook Tire’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The manufacturer operates further branches in several European countries and sells its products through regional distributors in other local markets. Hankook Tire employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and sells products in over 160 countries. The company has been the technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Generation 3 for the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship since 2023. Internationally leading car manufacturers rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment. Approximately 38 percent of the company's global sales are generated within the European region.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

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

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Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Timo Glock, ( D, BMW Team RMG )

File size: 1 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Timo Glock, ( D, BMW Team RMG )

File size: 2 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Timo Glock, ( D, BMW Team RMG )

File size: 2 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Mike Rockenfeller ( D, Audi Sport Team Phoenix )

File size: 1 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER

File size: 1 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Timo Glock, ( D, BMW Team RMG )

File size: 2 MB

Timo Glock wins Sunday’s thrilling DTM race at the Hockenheimring

Motorsports: DTM race Hockenheimring, Saison 2018 - 1. Event Hockenheimring, GER, Gary Paffett ( GBR, Mercedes HWA AG )

File size: 2 MB

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Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Lisa Schmid

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Alexander Nevinny-Stickel

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Annika Malcherek

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Stefan Prohaska

Digital Marketing Communications

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