Mattias Ekström wins DTM premiere at Valencia
DTM
Valencia. Swede Mattias Ekström (Audi) has won the second DTM round at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in a dominant way. Having started from pole position, the Swede crossed the finish line with a margin of 0.435 seconds from his team- mate and fellow Audi driver Martin Tomczyk (Audi). For Ekström, this was the 14th victory in the most popular international touring car series. The podium at Valencia was completed by Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz). With his third place, the Canadian takes over the points\' lead in the DTM drivers\' standings after two rounds. DTM champion Timo Scheider (Audi) ended up fifth in the round near Valencia, following Alexandre Prémat. Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz) finished sixth, followed by Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) and Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz). An extensive press release with quotes will follow shortly.
Race in detail
Air temperature: 25.8 °C
Track temperature: 48.1 °C
Spectators at the weekend: 21.000
Start Pole sitter Mattias Ekström takes the lead, Spengler overtakes Jarvis. Paffett runs wide and drops back.
Lap 1 Prémat and Paffett tangle, Engel spins.
Lap 4 Cheng through the gravel trap, continues.
Lap 5 Ekström is leading from Spengler, Jarvis, Di Resta, Rockenfeller, Prémat, Scheider, Paffett and Tomczyk.
Lap 8 Ekström is extending his lead by 0.3 seconds per lap, he is now 3.7 seconds clear of Spengler.
Lap 11 Paffett is the first to come into the pits. Molina, Winkelhock also into the pits.
Lap 12 Spengler, Engel into the pits.
Lap 13 Ekström, Jarvis, Rockenfeller into the pits.
Lap 14 Ekström rejoins just ahead of Stoddart. Di Resta, Premat, Coulthard, Cheng into the pits.
Lap 15 Scheider, Schumacher, Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 16 Scheider rejoins ahead of Rockenfeller.
Lap 17 Tomczyk and Green are the only two drivers who have yet to come in.
Lap 18 With old tyres, Tomczyk is the fastest driver in the field.
Lap 19 Tomczyk is now 7.7 seconds clear of second-placed Green, who is another two seconds ahead of Ekström. Engel is the first driver to come in for his second stop.
Lap 20 Tomczyk gains another 0.4 seconds on Green. At the end of the lap, Tomczyk comes in for his first stop.
Lap 21 Tomczyk and Paffett tangle, but Tomczyk remains in front of the Briton. Paffett comes in for his second stop.
Lap 22 Jarvis puts Spengler under pressure. Green still has to make his first stop.
Lap 23 Premat into the pits.
Lap 24 Coulthard and Stoddart past Schumacher. Spengler, Rockenfeller, Coulthard, Schumacher into the pits. Schumacher's car is being pushed into the pits - he retires.
Lap 25 Di Resta, Winkelhock, Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 26 Prémat past Di Resta. The reason for Schumacher´s retirement were misfires. Green comes in for his first stop, Jarvis for his second one.
Lap 27 Jarvis rejoins ahead of Spengler. Scheider into the pits.
Lap 28 Scheider rejoins ahead of Di Resta. Ekström into the pits.
Lap 29 Tomczyk is leading from Molina and Green, all three yet having to make their second stop. Cheng into the pits.
Lap 30 Di Resta under investigation for allegedly having obstructed Winkelhock in the pitlane.
Lap 31 No further action against Di Resta.
Lap 32 Molina into the pits for his second stop.
Lap 33 Tomczyk into the pits.
Lap 34 Tomczyk rejoins ahead of Jarvis. Winkelhock into the pits, damaged left rear suspension - retires.
Lap 35 Green into the pits.
Lap 36 All drivers having completed their stops, Ekström is leading from Tomcyzk, Jarvis, Spengler, Prémat, Scheider, Di Resta, Rockenfeller and Paffett. Molina attacks Paffett for tenth.
Lap 38 Molina and Paffett side by side, Molina gets past at the first corner. Jarvis into the pits with an apparent problem. Coulthard into the pits as well - retires.
Lap 40 Ekström is leading from Tomczyk, Spengler, Prémat, Scheider, Di Resta, Rockenfeller, Molina, Paffett and Green.
Lap 41 Warning for Molina for a dangerous manoeuvre.
Lap 42 Fourth-placed Prémat is closely behind Spengler, but Scheider is also closely behind Prémat.
Lap 45 Final lap. Ekström wins from Tomczyk, Spengler, Prémat, Scheider, Di Resta, Rockenfeller, Paffett and Molina. Paffett has finally found a way past the Spaniard for the final point-scoring position.
