It seems forever since the 2013 DTM season started back in May; Mike Rockenfeller, Augusto Farfus, Bruno Spengler, Robert Wickens and yes, I’m including him, Mattias Ekström, have all taken victories in the previous eight races on a ten season calendar.
$ D0 l+ j8 y/ ^* u# x
`7 W8 I2 e- d# oTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。But now there are two left; two races which will see a new DTM champion crowned in the guise of either Rockenfeller or Farfus, with the Audi driver heading into this weekend at a significant advantage over the Brazilian.
) g! w6 y6 l, L* p MTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。
! |: n" u7 C( J8 ^% |1 a( |公仔箱論壇Should Rockenfeller finish second in either of the following two races, then he will take the 2013 drivers’ title, and be Audi’s first champion since Martin Tomczyk took the title in the final year of the ‘old’ spec cars in 2011.) \) x" v9 v( u! U
' F3 W0 V+ L( j5 B* O" I8 }) m
Given that Farfus is 33 points behind Rockenfeller, the title seems to be a tall order for anyone else but ‘Rocky’, who won at Zandvoort in 2011.5.39.217.76( I" c" l3 |0 a& [; Z1 X
4 _; Z$ `* I) x
With the title gradually becoming a foregone conclusion, it is the battle which for third in the standings which appears to be the most pressing matter at this final stretch of the season.
. v0 F% Z4 [5 E- F9 Ftvb now,tvbnow,bttvb7 {- F; v. s$ l6 W) |2 j) g
Just six points separate Gary Paffett in sixth with 65 points, from third place man, Paffett’s HWA Mercedes’ team-mate, Christian Vietoris, who has 71.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。" E$ D) r. v% C h c8 y o
+ e; P, W0 S5 g' l( bTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Whilst Vietoris has had the most consistent season of the Mercedes’ drivers, after he managing to score in every race apart from the last round at Oschersleben, it is Paffett who appears to be the favourite for taking third spot come the end of the year.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb. o/ K& I) y/ y- I$ t
$ u% G* l; m$ ^; AHe has a good reason for it, too; the twisty, 4.3 kilometre circuit is a favourite of the Briton and since his title winning year of 2005, he has taken three victories on the Dutch coast.5.39.217.76, L$ Q4 v, l) }/ {, l
1 u2 ^, [, w. a. \# }3 P公仔箱論壇Paffett also feels that whilst being out of the championship race isn’t ideal, he is now able to go out and enjoy his racing without the added pressure which a title fight brings.
0 b5 b! V P* m& e5.39.217.76
( _* x+ B" Q6 O3 o* _tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb“You don’t like to be out of the championship race, but there’s a bit less pressure on you,” Paffett told TouringCarTimes. “Of course you want to score and have a good race, but you’re not in this tense battle.
6 ^ p5 u# c5 V6 U8 m8 M& T6 r7 `TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。5.39.217.76( f( v8 v0 L' B" v
“You’re out there to have a good race and get what you can.”TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。" O9 d, p0 ~6 C
9 g" t3 B% ?: L' N' b“It’s a fantastic track that is definitely one of my favourites [as] the circuit has a good mix of fast and slow turns and uphill and downhill sections – driving there is great fun.
+ R7 K# G& F! V* B8 ]0 [- z公仔箱論壇
& o# c! [- ^0 h4 S% ktvb now,tvbnow,bttvb“If we can qualify further up the grid, then we’ll be back in contention for the top spots.”5.39.217.76. O* C. N& ~, r% k3 D
5.39.217.76+ e- p" r$ n4 ` ~: p' D* \
Paffett will be up for the win, and given it would be sensible for Rockenfeller and Farfus to settle for points, another Zandvoort victory for the Mercedes man is far from unlikely.
! P+ H! {% B; X# C1 E! B1 o$ WTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。
) R0 ^( z1 {% U/ s4 Z- u5.39.217.76Fellow Briton and Paffett’s former Mercedes team-mate, Jamie Green, is another man who cannot be discounted for victory, despite never having won in the Netherlands.
n0 B1 x; V( K3 {: u E公仔箱論壇
' F( L% X. P* W) B% E6 o/ d5.39.217.76Green, who left Mercedes to partner Ekström at Audi for 2013 has had a trying season so far, but at Oschersleben, he appeared to make a break through with his first podium for the Ingolstadt manufacturer.
2 D, i: r+ x1 h9 E r# O" G2 U% Btvb now,tvbnow,bttvb) w9 b# G1 M$ Q
“This [podium] is a bit of a milestone for me and an important stage win on the road to my next aim; that’s achieving the first victory for Audi.
2 j3 \! G* n: g& G1 uTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。
- S7 h+ ]/ V+ w+ `0 U5 ktvb now,tvbnow,bttvb“I personally feel very comfortable, have got fond memories of the next tracks and would like to achieve even more.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb' q) y6 b7 Z# {3 S9 U* O7 W
) s, V; d9 ~+ P0 f; i" m“Zandvoort and Hockenheim should be suiting our car.”
' p4 C1 K) s& ^7 u5 t3 I+ Atvb now,tvbnow,bttvbtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb* i! O7 r. d& h" J$ }
So, whilst we’re all but certain to see a new DTM champion this weekend, keep an eye on what’s happening further down the field…
! v m! h$ G, G
$ j. h% u L5 `, m o* jtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb… The battle of the Brits in Holland looks especially good.
/ [0 L$ {: J# W) j5.39.217.76TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。. W! j- M& ?. W4 ^$ h2 h) n- T
Zandvoort facts:
/ l2 P3 u6 S7 W, |! B2 _5.39.217.76
# T' r; N/ H2 Z4 Ztvb now,tvbnow,bttvbTrack length: 4.3 kilometrestvb now,tvbnow,bttvb$ L1 e/ y" u) c+ l" g5 L) |$ \
$ r$ W- ] e4 S: e. ~, xLaps: 44tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb; u% m: `& n6 s% g5 E! J+ Z
' }9 s" ~$ A4 R# u2 ltvb now,tvbnow,bttvbLap Record: Timo Scheider, Audi, 1m32.967s (2010)
& @# P9 n: U8 J4 D& @
7 a' x1 [/ F" H1 AWeather: Unpredictabletvb now,tvbnow,bttvb! T; u, r5 C/ \% y9 b( |. f/ l
TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 m. w5 O9 f0 b9 k9 |
Previous winners:5.39.217.76% A! A$ W/ Z* y% v9 J. B9 X
) O5 F- r, \. x1 f公仔箱論壇2001: Uwe Alzen (Mercedes-Benz)公仔箱論壇( m: A; M, z& T# j, q7 ]" \6 L
# }/ |! h( V9 E4 @0 M9 J5 F- y: l2 qtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2002: Mattias Ekström (Abt-Audi)公仔箱論壇6 o9 }0 ]- {; b0 E4 U/ q
' K* n4 t( h3 E0 u5 y2003: Christijan Albers (Mercedes-Benz)
8 X, q) F0 q: |. v% iTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。3 r1 p6 V v1 \ ]% n% N- X
2004: Mattias Ekström (Audi)/ {+ l0 Z# m8 [
. |5 R/ a' g' c) v, V0 w( Y5 Y6 [TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。2005: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)
; J# X* o" l+ Z, [ r8 ^tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb
3 T# j, ?% E! N- N8 X: WTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。2006: Tom Kristensen (Audi)
Y) Y% N0 s- \TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。
% r* y+ o" t8 {' c, l' g6 Btvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2007: Martin Tomczyk (Audi)5.39.217.76/ r7 ]! V' I; z" \1 h' S, p/ M1 E5 V
公仔箱論壇! E1 ]' V) W W7 f9 c
2008: Mattias Ekström (Audi)
w5 T- R. |* O% U% @; ^) C
+ M" a9 K% u3 N+ O2009: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)
0 o: G# v$ b( t1 {7 l
) n) ~! E; Y e8 Y% N& D5.39.217.762010: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)
+ x5 H# B9 j2 X% s, l1 J% L7 V8 w公仔箱論壇& K+ d1 [; j2 u6 d8 T/ s% j
2011: Mike Rockenfeller (Audi)* X* y. ~! I3 u a$ M8 q! P
5.39.217.761 ?+ ^! n7 ~$ C# ]/ q- s. b3 b) ]
2012: Edoardo Mortara (Audi) |