Mattias Ekström on pole position at Valencia
DTM
Valencia. For the 15th time in his career, Mattias Ekström (Audi) will be on pole position for a DTM race. In qualifying for the second DTM round of the season at the ’Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo’, the Swede claimed the best starting grid position with his Audi A4 DTM with a lap time of 1:29.565 minutes. Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz) will be lining up alongside Ekström on the front row of the grid. The second row is also equally divided between one Audi and one Mercedes-Benz driver each: Oliver Jarvis (Audi) will line up third behind Spengler. Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) will be starting from fourth place. Local hero Miguel Molina (Audi) will be lining up behind Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz) and Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) in fifth and sixth place respectively. In qualifying for his home round, the Spaniard ended up seventh. An extensive press release with quotes will follow shortly.
Qualifying in detail
Air temperature: 27.3 °C
Track temperature: 44.7 °C
13.24 hrs. Qualifying starts. Prémat is the first driver to go out on the track.
13.27 hrs. Mike Rockenfeller is the first leader with 1:30.409.
13.28 hrs. Miguel Molina takes over first place: 1:29.531.
13.29 hrs. Martin Tomczyk is now on top: 1:29.345.
13.30 hrs. Oliver Jarvis takes over first place with 1:29.282. He is leading a trio of Audi drivers, followed by Tomczyk and Molina.
13.32 hrs. Mattias Ekström moves up into second place with 1:29.312.
13.34 hrs. Two minutes remaining. Currently, Coulthard, Cheng, Stoddart and Legge would not be classified for the second heat.
13.36 hrs. End of the session. Jarvis remains fastest from Ekström, Scheider, Tomczyk, Spengler, Winkelhock, Prémat, Molina, Di Resta and Paffett.
13.37 hrs. The following drivers aren't qualified for the second heat: Engel, Cheng, Stoddart and Legge.
13.43 hrs. Start of the second heat - nine minutes, after which the first eight drivers will make it through.
13.46 hrs. Alexandre Prémat tops the time sheets with 1:28.911, followed by Paffett, Jarvis and Ekström. Then, Bruno Spengler takes over the lead with 1:28.743.
13.47 hrs. Di Resta is now first with 1:28.730.
13.48 hrs. Timo Scheider is standing in the pit lane, waiting for his pit stand to clear as Tomczyk is standing there.
13.50 hrs. Ekström moves up to third place with 1:28.877.
13.52 hrs. End of the session. Di Resta remains fastest from Spengler, Ekström, Prémat, Paffett, Jarvis, Molina and Rockenfeller.
13.53 hrs. Not qualified for the next heat are Tomczyk, Scheider, Winkelhock, Green, Schumacher and Coulthard.
13.59 hrs. Start of the third heat with three Mercedes and five Audis. Six minutes, after which the last four will make it through.
14.02 hrs. Prémat tops the time sheet with 1:31.911, but is soon toppled by Jarvis with 1:29.496.
14.03 hrs. Ekström is now fastest with 1.29.273. Paffett moves up into second place with 1:29.338.
14.05 hrs. End of the session. Not qualified for the fourth heat are Di Resta, Molina, Prémat and Rockenfeller.
14.06 hrs. Ekström remains fastest from Paffett, Spengler and Jarvis.
14.13 hrs. Start of the fourth and final heat.
14.16 hrs. Oliver Jarvis: 1:29.854.
14.18 hrs. Bruno Spengler: 1:29.581.
14.20 hrs. Gary Paffett: 1:30.220.
14.22 hrs. Mattias Ekström: 1:29.565
