October 10th, 2009
Bruno Spengler claims pole position at Dijon
DTM
Dijon-Prenois. For the first time this season, Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz) is on pole position. In qualifying for the ninth DTM season round at Dijon-Prenois in France, the Canadian set the fastest time of 1:19,914 minutes. Another AMG Mercedes C-Class will be lining up alongside Spengler on the front row of the grid: Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz) claimed second place. Tom Kristensen (Audi) and Mattias Ekstr?m (Audi) will be starting from third and fourth place. The best-placed driver of a year-old car in the battle for grid positions was Maro Engel (Mercedes-Benz): the German ended up fifth and will be ahead of Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes-Benz) on the grid on Sunday. For DTM points? leader Timo Scheider, qualifying was already over after the first heat. He will be starting into the race from 16th place. An extensive press release will follow shortly.
Qualifying in detail
Air temperature: 17.0 ?C
Asphalt temperature: 14.5?C
13.34 hrs All cars already lined up at the pit lane exit, the drivers eager to get a lap time in before rain sets in.
13.35 hrs Jarvis is the first driver to go out.
13.38 hrs Green is on top with 1:10.573, followed by Kristensen, Di Resta, Paffett and Tomczyk.
13.40 hrs Ekstr?m is now fourth, Engel is fifth. Green has improved his own fastest lap time to 1:10.559.
13.41 hrs Winkelhock is now second with 1:10.564.
13.45 hrs Jarvis on top: 1.10.462.
13.46 hrs Engel is first with 1.09.989. Scheider is currently on the bubble in 14th place.
13.47 hrs Paffett moves up into sixth. Scheider is now 16th - time is over.
13.48 hrs End of the session. Not qualified for the second heat are Rockenfeller, Scheider, Legge, Kostka and Seidlitz.
13.49 hrs Engel remains fastest from Jarvis, Green, Winkelhock, Lauda, Tomczyk, Schumacher, Paffett, Kristensen and Di Resta.
13.53 hrs Start of the second heat. Pr?mat is the first driver on the track.
13.58 hrs Green is on top with 1:09.867, followed by Paffett, Ekstr?m, Spengler, Jarvis.
14.01 hrs Di Resta moves up into third place.
14.02 hrs Tomczyk off the track at the first corner on his final flying lap. He ploughs through the gravel trap, but continues.
14.04 hrs End of the session. Green remains fastest from Paffett, Di Resta, Ekstr?m, Spengler, Engel, Kristensen, Schumacher.
14.05 hrs Not qualified for the third heat are Tomczyk, Jarvis, Lauda, Pr?mat, Stoddart and Winkelhock.
14.09 hrs Now, it is really wet. Green is the first and so far only driver to go out. After a few seconds, Engel, Spengler, Kristensen, Ekstr?m go out as well.
14.11 hrs Jamie Green on top: 1:22.729.
14.12 hrs Kristensen first with 1:20.967.
14.13 hrs Kristensen improves his own fastest lap time to 1:20.337.
14.16 hrs Spengler is the last driver to go out with two minutes remaining.
14.18 hrs Spengler moves up from fifth into second.
14.19 hrs End of the session. Kristensen remains fastest from Spengler, Ekstr?m and Di Resta. They all move up to the fourth and final heat. Engel is fifth from Schumacher, Green and Paffett.
14.25 hrs Paul Di Resta: 1:20.446 Mattias Ekstr?m: 1:21.149 Bruno Spenger: 1:19.914 Tom Kristensen: 1:20.908
