DTM 2007 ? Press Release No. 43
Bruno Spengler wins DTM race at the Norisring
Nuremberg. The season highlight of the DTM at the Norisring in Nuremberg saw Bruno Spengler claiming his first win of the season with his AMG Mercedes C-Class. After 74 laps at the 2.3 kilometres short street circuit, the 23-year old crossed the line in first place ahead of his team-mate Bernd Schneider. The success at the Norisring is the fifth DTM career win for Spengler, who clinched his maiden victory in the series at the same venue one year ago. The podium was completed by Swede, Mattias Ekstr?m with the Audi A4 DTM. Since the start of the DTM in 1984, 333 races have been held including today?s round at Norisring. By finishing second, Bernd Schneider took over the lead in the championship standings of the DTM at the halfway point of the season. After five of ten rounds, the reigning champion is in first place with 25.5 points. Mattias Ekstr?m is second with 24 points from Martin Tomczyk (20 points).
The race in detail
Spectators during the weekend: 141,000
Weather conditions: sunny
Air temperature: 25.3 ?C
Track temperature: 34.3 ?C
Start Spengler takes the lead from H?kkinen, Paffett inside from Schneider in third place, Lauda, Tomczyk, Stoddart and di Resta collide at Grundig hairpin. Rockenfeller through the grass at first corner. Di Resta spins coming out of the corner.
Lap 1 Tomczyk has dropped down the order, comes into the pits with damage to the right front part of his car.
Lap 2 Tomczyk retires.
Lap 3 Spengler is leading from H?kkinen, Schneider, Paffett, Ekstr?m, Scheider, Abt and Kristensen.
Lap 6 Ekstr?m into the pits for his first mandatory stop.
Lap 7 Schneider, Kristensen into the pits, Susie Stoddart's car is driving without the bonnett after a collsion with Vanina Ickx at Dutzendteichkehre.
Lap 8 Pr?mat and Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 9 Green and Carroll into the pits. Stoddart gets a drive-throuh because of the collsion with Vanina Ickx.
Lap 11 Abt into the pits. Stoddart comes in for her penalty.
Lap 14 Bruno Spengler is two seconds clear from Mika H?kkinen. Paffett is third from Scheider, La Rosa, Margaritis.
Lap 15 Kristensen and Abt collide at Grundigkehre, both continue. Paffett into the pits.
Lap 17 Lauda into the pits.
Lap 18 Margaritis into the pits.
Lap 19 Timo Scheider into the pits. Ekstr?m and Paffett battling for ninth place.
Lap 21 Pr?mat, Margaritis and Carroll in a three-way fight, Margaritis overtakes both on the inside. La Rosa into the pits.
Lap 22 Ickx hits the barriers in the run-up to Grundigkehre after being hit by Lauda. Race leader Spengler into the pits.
Lap 23 Safety car is deployed, in the field in front of Lauda. The pitlane is closed.
Lap 24 Luhr into the pits - although the pitlane is closed.
Lap 27 Kristensen and Green into the pits.
Lap 28 Restart. H?kkinen is leading from di Resta, Rockenfeller, Spengler. Di Resta, Schneider, Ekstr?m, Pr?mat into the pits. Ekstr?m re-joins between Schneider and di Resta.
Lap 29 Paffett and Rockenfeller into the pits. For Paffett, it is his second pit stop.
Lap 30 Abt into the pits. Drive through penalty for Carroll because of ignoring blue flags.
Lap 31 La Rosa, Carroll into the pits.
Lap 32 H?kkinen into the pits.
Lap 33 Lauda into the pits. The Austrian is under investigation by the stewards.
Lap 34 Scheider, Luhr into the pits.
Lap 35 Spengler is leading from Margaritis, H?kkinen, Schneider, Ekstr?m. Di Resta into the pits.
Lap 37 Halfway through the race, Spengler comes in for his second pit stop.
Lap 38 Spengler rejoins behind H?kkinen, well ahead of Bernd Schneider. Warning for Mathias Lauda.
Lap 40 Margaritis leading from H?kkinen, but both still have to come in for a second stop. Puncture right front for Timo Scheider.
Lap 44 Di Resta spins at the Grundigkehre after trying to overtake Carroll. Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 45 Luhr is coming in for his second stop. Now, only Margaritis and H?kkinen have to make a second stop.
Lap 46 Spengler in third is three seconds clear of Bernd Schneider in fourth.
Lap 50 H?kkinen into the pits, rejoins in eleventh behind Lauda.
Lap 52 Margaritis into the pits, rejoins behind la Rosa in ninth.
Lap 54 Bruno Spengler is leading from Schneider, Ekstr?m, Paffett, Kristensen, Green, Pr?mat and Margaritis.
Lap 58 H?kkinen in eleventh place is attacking Christian Abt for tenth and gets past at Dutzendteich.
Lap 59 Luhr spins at the chicane after being hit by la Rosa, following a four-way fight with la Rosa, Margaritis, Pr?mat and Luhr, although Luhr was one lap down.
Lap 62 La Rosa gets a drive-through penalty because of the collision with Luhr and comes in. Luhr also in the pits ? retires.
Lap 66 Schneider is closing up on race leader Bruno Spengler, the gap is only 0.9 seconds, while Ekstr?m is only 1.8 seconds behind Schneider. Carroll into the pits.
Lap 68 Drive through for Daniel la Rosa.
Lap 72 Spengler is leading Schneider by 1.1 seconds, then another 1.4 seconds down is Ekstr?m in third.
Lap 74 Final lap.
Finish Bruno Spengler claims his first victory of the season from Schneider, Ekstr?m, Paffett, Kristensen, Green, Margaritis, Pr?mat, H?kkinen and Abt.