1-2 for Mercedes-Benz in Nuremberg city race
Nuremberg. For the sixth time in a row, Mercedes-Benz claimed victory in the DTM season highlight at the Norisring in Nuremberg. After 74 laps, Brit Jamie Green won the race at the 2.3 kilometres short street circuit from his fellow Mercedes driver, Bruno Spengler. For Green, it was the fourth win of his DTM career and the 145th victory for Mercedes-Benz. The podium in Nuremberg was completed b Audi driver Timo Scheider, who only inherited third place after Mattias Ekstr?m locked up under braking before the final corner. The 2005 DTM champion, Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) was the best-placed driver with a year-old car, finishing fifth in the fifth DTM round of the season. The final points-scoring positions were taken by Paul di Resta, Bernd Schneider (both Mercedes-Benz) and Tom Kristensen (Audi). Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes-Benz), who had started from eleventh place, retired with five laps to go after an excellent race due to a technical problem. In the drivers? standings after five of eleven races, Timo Scheider (32 points) remains in first place. Right behind him is Jamie Green with 31 points in second place. Paul di Resta is third with 26 points.
The race in detail
Spectators at the race weekend: 140,000
Air temperature: 29.2 ?C
Asphalt temperature: 36.1 ?C
Start Spengler takes the lead while Schumacher has problems getting away. Green in front out of the first corner.
Lap 1 Green is leading from Spengler, Di Resta, Tomczyk, Kristensen, Ekstr?m, Scheider, Schneider, Paffett and Pr?mat. Schumacher is 17th.
Lap 2 Albers and Stoddart tangle coming out of the Grundig hairpin.
Lap 5 Kristensen attacks Tomczyk and takes fourth place.
Lap 6 Green is leading by 1.1 seconds from Spengler, who, in turn, is 0.5 seconds clear of Di Resta. Behind the three Mercedes-Benz drivers, all drivers with the 2008-spec Audis are fourth to seventh.
Lap 10 Di Resta and Spengler side by side through the Grundig corner. Ekstr?m overtakes Tomczyk and is now fifth.
Lap 12 Scheider past Tomczyk for sixth. Paffett takes eighth from Schneider coming out of the Sch?ller-S.
Lap 13 Paffett past Tomczyk for seventh.
Lap 14 Tomczyk battles with Schneider, but defends his ninth place.
Lap 16 Green has extended his lead over Spengler to 3.1 seconds.
Lap 17 Schneider has overtaken Tomczyk as the Audi driver locked up under braking for the Grundig hairpin.
Lap 19 Kristensen is attacking Di Resta for third place.
Lap 21 Di Resta spins all by himself under braking for the Grundig hairpin and loses third place to Kristensen., The Scot drops back to seventh. Ekstr?m past Kristensen for third.
Lap 24 Tomczyk out before the Sch?ller-S ?technical failure. Spengler, Ekstr?m Winkelhock into the pits.
Lap 25 Green, Kristensen, Paffett, Jarvis into the pits.
Lap 26 Di Resta, Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 27 Scheider, Pr?mat, Albers, Schneider into the pits.
Lap 28 Lauda into the pits.
Lap 29 Engel, Legge into the pits.
Lap 30 Schumacher, Rockenfeller into the pits.
Lap 31 All drivers have completed their first stops. Green is leading from Spengler, Ekstr?m, Scheider, Kristensen, Paffett. Albers into the pits - he retires due to steering problems.
Lap 32 Winkelhock into the pits. Blue flag for Legge.
Lap 34 Paffett, Schneider into the pits.
Lap 36 Kristensen, Di Resta , Jarvis into the pits. Blue flag for Pr?mat.
Lap 38 Paffett attacks Kristensen, but the Dane stays in front. Ekstr?m , Pr?mat into the pits.
Lap 39 Spengler, Stoddart into the pits.
Lap 40 Green into the pits. Tank can is stuck in his car, it falls off under braking for the Grundig hairpin.
Lap 44 Scheider, Rockenfeller into the pits.
Lap 45 Lauda, Legge into the pits.
Lap 46 Engel into the pits.
Lap 47 Schumacher into the pits. Tomczyk reported a problem with the throttle likeage as the reason for his retirement.
Lap 48 All drivers have completed two stops. Green is leading Spengler by 0.6 seconds, then Ekstr?m, Scheider, Kristensen, Paffett, Di Resta, Schneider.
Lap 54 Spengler attacks Green.
Lap 55 Paffett overtakes Kristensen under braking for Dutzendteichkehre and is now fifth.
Lap 57 Kristensen locks up under braking, runs wide and loses sixth place to Di Resta.
Lap 59 Kristensen loses another place to Schneider as he runs wide under braking for the Dutzendteichkehre.
Lap 61 Schumacher overtakes Engel and is now ninth. Engel loses another place to Lauda.
Lap 70 Schumacher spins under braking for the Grundigkehre and gets out of the car.
Lap 71 Scheider attacks Ekstr?m for third, but the Swede remains in front.
Lap 74 Final lap. Green wins from Spengler and Scheider, who takes third place in the final corner from Ekstr?m, who comes fourth. The following points scoring positions: Paffett, Di Resta, Schneider, Kristensen.
