Excitement in the battle for the DTM title - victory for Jamie Green
in Mugello
Mugello. With a double victory, Mercedes-Benz has proven to be back in the battle for the
DTM title. After 33 laps at the 5.245 kilometres long track, the longest circuit featuring on
the DTM calendar, British driver, Jamie Green won the third round of the season in Mugello
in Italy. With the third DTM victory of his career, the 25-year old driver also secured the first
win of the season for Mercedes-Benz. ?I am happy with this victory, especially after the start
of the season that has been particularly difficult for all of us?, said a delighted Green. His
fellow-Mercedes-Benz driver, Paul di Resta (GB) came home in second place, 3.166 seconds
down. Third place went to Audi driver Tom Kristensen from Denmark, who was already on
the podium after having finished third in the season opener at Hockenheim. In the drivers?
standings, Timo Scheider remains in the lead with 18 points, just ahead of today?s winner
Green (17) and Mattias Ekstr?m (Audi/S) with 14 points. The race result from Mugello has
led to a situation in which there are now seven drivers within seven points, all with good
chances in the drivers? standings.
At the start, Green and di Resta had the upper hand over the leader in the points? standings,
Timo Scheider (Audi), who had started from pole position. Both drivers didn?t lose their
positions until the race was over. For Scheider, the racing weekend in Tuscany brought
mixed emotions. On Saturday, the 29-year old made it to pole position in the final minutes,
but in the race, he started a little bit too early. A drive-through penalty for his jump start
deprived the Austrian-based German of all his chances of a possible race win. After a
recovery with fascinating overtaking manoeuvres, Scheider eventually came home tenth.
Canadian Bruno Spengler, who had been the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver in the points?
standings in fourth place before Mugello, only finished one place better. Having started sixth,
he was involved in a collision on the opening lap and lost six places.
Behind the trio on the podium, DTM record champion, Bernd Schneider, was classified
fourth with his AMG Mercedes C-Class. Briton Oliver Jarvis was delighted by finishing fifth,
scoring points with his year-old Audi A4 DTM. He was followed immediately by a trio of Audi
drivers with reigning DTM champion Mattias Ekstr?m (S), Markus Winkelhock (D) and
Frenchman Alexandre Pr?mat, the two latter drivers also with year-old machinery. Canadian,
Bruno Spengler, was the third driver with an AMG Mercedes C-Class to make it into the top
ten, finishing ninth.
Ralf Schumacher didn?t make it to the finish in the third DTM race of his career.
Schumacher?s car was damaged in a collision and he had to retire after lap two already. Audi
driver, Martin Tomczyk, had his share of problems, too. After a collision with fellow-Audi
