Mika H?kkinen wins his second DTM race
Klettwitz. For the second time in his DTM career, Mika H?kkinen (Mercedes-Benz) was on the top step of the winners? podium: after the third DTM season round at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, the Finn crossed the finish line as the winner with his AMG Mercedes C-Class. H?kkinen had celebrated his maiden DTM victory in 2005 at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). Second place in a turbulent race with two safety car interventions was occupied by his fellow Mercedes-Benz-driver Paul di Resta with the 2005-spec AMG Mercedes C-Class. The success for Mercedes-Benz was completed by Canadian Bruno Spengler, who came home third. German Timo Scheider scored the best result for Audi with his Audi A4 DTM by finishing fifth behind Bernd Schneider. The remaining points? scoring positions were occupied by Jamie Green, Mathias Lauda and Gary Paffett (all Mercedes-Benz). His second podium finish in his third DTM race allowed Paul di Resta to take the lead in the drivers? standings. The Scotsman is now in front with 20 points ahead of Martin Tomczyk (Audi), Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) and Mattias Ekstr?m (Audi), who are all tied at twelve points. An extensive press release with quotes from the drivers and motorsport directors will follow shortly.
The race in detail
Spectators over the weekend: 77,500
Air temperature: 28.5 ?C
Asphalt temperature: 40.4 ?C
Start Spengler takes the lead from H?kkinen and Di Resta. Pr?mat into fourth, Lauda stalls at the start. H?kkinen into the lead at the first corner, Di Resta through into second, Spengler is now third. Abt spins, Margaritis stalls and drops back to last
Lap 1 H?kkinen is leading from Di Resta, Spengler, Schneider, Pr?mat, Green, Paffett, Ekstr?m, La Rosa and Tomczyk
Lap 2 H?kkinen is leading by 2.0 seconds over Spengler, Di Resta is third
Lap 3 Spengler outbrakes Di Resta before the first corner and takes second place
Lap 5 Bernd Schneider has overtaken Di Resta and is now third
Lap 6 Green is the first driver to come in for his first mandatory pit stop, Carroll also into the pits
Lap 9 Spengler is closing up on H?kkinen, he is now 1.2 seconds down on the Finn. La Rosa into the pits
Lap 10 Abt into the pits. Drive through penalty for Mathias Lauda
Lap 12 La Rosa and Winkelhock slightly collide, La Rosa gets through. Lauda into the pits for his penalty
Lap 13 Tomczyk into the pits
Lap 14 Winkelhock into the tyre barrier coming into the oval after contact with Lauda. Stoddart into the pits
Lap 16 Paffett, Rockenfeller into the pits.
Lap 17 Safety car. Ekstr?m into the pits, pit lane is closed, but he is being released once the field has gone past
Lap 18 Spengler, Pr?mat, Scheider, Green, La Rosa, Lauda, Abt into the pits. Scheider and Pr?mat past Spengler at the pit lane exit
Lap 19 Schneider, Paffett, Stoddart, Rockenfeller, Ickx into the pits
Lap 20 H?kkinen, Di Resta, Tomczyk, Pr?mat into the pits.
Lap 21 Spengler, Schneider, Ekstr?m, Lauda into the pits
Lap 22 H?kkinen, Di Resta into the pits
Lap 23 Safety car in at the end of this lap. Luhr into the pits
Lap 24 Restart. H?kkinen is leading from Di Resta and Spengler. Pr?mat and Paffett tangle on the main straight, Pr?mat straight at first corner, left front side of his car heavily damaged
Lap 28 Scheider, Carroll and Ickx are the only drivers that have not yet completed two pit stops. Carroll and Green collide, Carroll spins
Lap 31 Safety car. Scheider, Carroll into the pits
Lap 34 Safety car into the pits at the end of this lap. H?kkinen is leading from Di Resta, Spengler, Ekstr?m, Schneider, Lauda, Scheider, Green, La Rosa, Tomczyk. Ickx into the pits
Lap 35 Restart
Lap 37 Fourth-placed Ekstr?m, who has already made two mandatory stops, has to make one extra pit stop due to an infringement of the pit stop regulations
Lap 40 Ekstr?m into the pits for his penalty stop, during which the four tyres are changed. He gets back into the field in 13th
Lap 42 The current standings: H?kkinen is leading from Di Resta, Spengler, Schneider, Scheider, Green, Lauda, La Rosa, Tomczyk and Abt
Lap 44 Abt into the pits after clipping the tyre barrier - retires
Lap 48 Final lap. H?kkinen scores his second DTM victory from Di Resta, Spengler, Schneider, Scheider, Green, Lauda, Paffett, Tomczyk and Ekstr?m. La Rosa into the pits
