March 04, 2010
Source: Audi Communications Motorsport
· Seven weeks to go before the 2010 DTM season starts
· Katherine Legge is Markus Winkelhocks new team colleague
· Two lifestyle magazines as media partners
Ingolstadt, Markus Winkelhock and Katherine Legge will be in for some completely new challenges in the 2010 DTM: for the first time, both of them will compete as team colleagues for Audi Sport Team Rosberg. That the driver from southern Germanys “Swabia” region will continue to advertise the mens magazine “Playboy” on the Audi A4 DTM while Katherine Legge will represent the colors of “Glamour” magazine should add a dose of lifestyle spice to the DTM and can be expected to inspire the media to come up with some clever comparisons and puns.
“People have been telling me that they think this sponsor fits me pretty well,” says Markus Winkelhock with the mischievous look on his face that is a hallmark of the family of racers he comes from. The sponsor hes talking about is the mens magazine Playboy. Its colors have been emblazoned on the cars in which the professional racer has been contesting the DTM for Audi since 2008. “In any event, it looks like Im the only single guy in Audis driver squad at the moment…”
Katherine Legges views on this are anyones guess. The Briton who, like Winkelhock, will be 30 this summer and is tackling her third DTM season for Audi will now experience the cheeky Swabian at close quarters. This season she switched from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline to Audi Sport Team Rosberg. “This is a totally new task for me and Im fully motivated and better prepared in a sporting sense than ever before,” explains the Briton who lives in Switzerland. “Last year I learned a few sporting tricks of the trade from the Abt squad thatll probably come in handy this year too.”
The straight-forward lady certainly has ambitions of being on a par with the Swabian “playboy” in the team: with words because her German language skills have reached a respectable level and at the wheel because the quick lady would like to continue last years pinnacle of her performances when she beat all the men on the lap chart at the Norisring race. And last but not least in terms of visibility because her Audi A4 DTM will again sport the colors of the womens lifestyle magazine Glamour which makes it a real eye-catcher in the field. “This is exactly the right partner for me. Im competing in a mens world but dont want to hide my femininity,” enthuses Legge who as the “Queen of pink” with her helmet and shoes is in perfect personal harmony with her sponsors colors.
The main focus, however, should be on the sporting ambitions of the two team-mates. A year ago, Markus Winkelhock completed Audis 1-2-3-4 wins at the Hockenheim season opener and at the Nürburgring in fourth place and thus just barely missed his first DTM podium finish. “Of course a lot depends on the rating of the year-old cars which hasnt been issued yet,” he emphasizes. “But the main thing for me is to clinch the best possible single results. And of course Id like to mount the podium and take a trophy home for a change.”
Both drivers are well aware of the fact that the colleague in their own team is the primary benchmark for any comparison. “I look forward to this because last year I didnt have any team-mates who drove a car from the same year as I did,” says Legge. Her team colleague knows that her friendly nature does not reveal the tough racer she is. “Youve got to respect her, and I definitely do,” declares Winkelhock. “Katherine has shown that shes determined and able to stand her ground in DTM duels. Itll be a nice season.”
Since Katherine Legge has known Markus Winkelhock as a brand colleague for as many as two years now she knows what to expect at least for the most part. “Of course, before the season, I wont let anyone in on the best practical jokes Im going to play on her off the track,” says the Swabian with a grin on his face. “But I do get along well with her. Heres just one tip: shed better not be faster on the track than I!”
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