POINTS IN THE DTM FOR WRT TEAM AUDI SPORT

POINTS IN THE DTM FOR WRT TEAM AUDI SPORT

16/08/2020

It was a positive weekend of intense racing for Team WRT in Germany. At the Lausitzring, in the second round of the DTM, WRT Team Audi Sport opened its 2020 score card, conquering points twice thanks to Ferdinand Habsburg, 6^th in Race 1 and 10^th in Race 2, while both Harrison Newey and Fabio Scherer missed their first points very narrowly. Moreover, Habsburg qualified the Audi RS 5 DTM of the Belgian squad in P4 for Sunday’s race, proving that the team has made a big step forward.

Team Principal Vincent Vosse was satisfied of the overall performance: “It has been a good weekend. In GT3, we haven’t yet got down from the podium since the Dubai 24 Hours in January, which is very positive and proves that we do a good job, although there is always work to keep the level of performance and you can never rest. In the DTM, we have quickly corrected the situation with respect to the first round at Spa. It was our first objective. The results of Ferdinand, scoring points in both races, and the good performances in Qualifying 2, are very encouraging. It is just a pity that there was a small issue with the pitstop rig of Ferdinand in Race 2, as he could have finished higher in the ranks.”

The hard work done by WRT Team Audi Sport after the Spa round paid off since the start of the weekend at the Lausitzring, as Ferdinand Habsburg managed impressive lap times in free practice, finishing the two sessions in P2 and P6, respectively. His qualifying for Race 1 result (P12) was more average, with Fabio Scherer in P13 and Harrison Newey in P15. The start and first laps of the race saw Habsburg climbing to P11 and shortly after to P10, with Newey in P12, while Scherer had a more troubled kick-off. He was sent off track in turn 3 in first lap and then was involved in a contact with Kubica, which earned him a drive-through, served in lap 12, seven laps before his mandatory pit stop. Habsburg, in the meantime, had been climbing positions up to 7^th, before pitting in lap 17 and rejoining in P12. Newey pitted in lap 15, regaining his original P12 in a few laps. Habsburg perfectly managed the situation

and his tyres in the second part of the race, ascending to an excellent P6 that he kept until the end, resisting to the final assaults of reigning champion René Rast. Newey crossed the line 11^th, at the threshold of the points, and Scherer in P15.

Sunday started with great news for the WRT Team Audi Sport camp as Habsburg qualified an excellent 4^th and Newey took a great P8, while Scherer was 13^th-fastest. At the start of Race 2, Habsburg kept his position through first corner but then found himself on the dirt side of the track, dropping positions and passing 9^th at the end of lap 1, with Scherer in P12 and Newey in P14 after a poor kick-off. The Brit and the Swiss ran together until the pit stop, while the Austrian managed to remain in the top-10. After all stops, Habsburg was 11^th and managed to gain one position to finish in the points, right ahead of Scherer and Newey.

Ferdinand Habsburg: “I feel glad that we can come back here next week and try again, improving on the things that did not work so well and capitalizing on those that did worked out. P4 today in qualifying was great, especially this being only Round 2, it shows I am getting to know much better how to work with the team and the Audi RS 5 DTM.”

Harrison Newey: “I was really happy with Q2 today, step by step we are getting closer to understand the car. Unfortunately, I messed up the start in Race 2 and then it was hard to pass and come back. I really feel sorry for the team, who has done a terrific work, but all in all, a lot of positive. We learnt a lot and are moving forward.”

Fabio Scherer: “Personally, I have mixed feelings, I think we had a lot of up and downs during the weekend. We had problems but also very good things. The best I take out is the last half-hour of Race 2, we really had a very good pace. Sadly, we missed our first points again, but this will be the target for next weekend, when. hopefully, we will be able to put everything together.” 

DTM – Round 2
Lausitzring, 14-16 August 2020

Race 1 Results:

1. Nico Müller (Audi) 43 laps
2. Sheldon van der Linde (BMW) + 2s870
3. Robin Frijns (Audi) + 7s513
4. Marco Wittmann (BMW) + 7s861
5. Timo Glock (BMW) +14s569
6. Ferdinand Habsburg (Audi) +20s226
11. Harrison Newey (Audi) +53s182
15. Fabio Scherer (Audi) + 1 lap

Race 2 Results:

1. René Rast (Audi) 42 laps
2. Nico Müller (Audi) + 0s089
3. Marco Wittmann (BMW) + 9s567
4. Robin Frijns (Audi) +12s532
5. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) +13s731
10. Ferdinand Habsburg (Audi) +37s074
11. Fabio Scherer (Audi) +37s331
12. Harrison Newey (Audi) +37s926

PHOTO: Audi Sport, Alexandre Epping de Barros