Third Consecutive Pole Position for Audi
For the third time in a row and for as much as the fifth in the total 2004 DTM season so far, an Audi A4 DTM car will be starting to the race from the top position on the grid. In the qualifying session at Brno (Czech Republic), Audi works driver Mattias Ekström clinched his fourth pole position of the year, thus giving him optimum prerequisites for the race in which the Swede could be claiming the DTM title even before the season has ended. The qualifying session on the 5.403-kilometre circuit saw the Audi teams rendering a strong performance of the Audi brand as a whole: for the first time, five Audi drivers managed to get into the top ten, with the first two rows on the grid filled by three Audi A4 DTM cars. Quotes after qualifying Mattias Ekström (Audi Sport Team Abt / Audi A4 DTM #5) Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Abt / Audi A4 DTM #6) Tom Kristensen (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline / Audi A4 DTM #12) Christian Abt (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline / Audi A4 DTM #11) Emanuele Pirro (Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest / Audi A4 DTM #44) Frank Biela (Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest / Audi A4 DTM #45) Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “Yet again our team has done a super job. To get all four cars into the top ten, considering the strength of this field, cannot be simply taken for granted. Mattias did everything right in the qualifying and has a good starting position for tomorrow’s race. Again, we’ll try to support him with perfect pit stops. But the race will probably be a thriller.” Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest): “Finally, we’ve managed to make it into the super pole with Emanuele. During the whole weekend it was pretty sure he’d be getting into the top ten. Thank god, the qualifying went well this time, too, that was important for the motivation of the whole team. Now, we’re hoping to be able to apply all this in tomorrow’s race and to be scoring more points. It’s too bad that Frank didn’t quite make it. He was complaining about excessive oversteer.” Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “That was an incredibly tight qualifying session with a super result for Audi. We might have been able to achieve even better places for our cars on the starting grid, but considering how tight the field of the top runners is, even the smallest mistakes account for one or two positions right away. Mattias drove a completely perfect lap. The pole he’s clinched is well deserved. And, what’s more, he has four team-mates competing alongside him at the very front as well. That is a good team performance and a good starting base for the race.” |