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.
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: O1 v- x# N/ k/ Z. R公仔箱論壇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.
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2 G& c. n5 D! z8 G) Ktvb now,tvbnow,bttvbShould 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.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb/ \6 l1 U. v$ [ O
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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.公仔箱論壇# ?- u2 y& c' P
4 l9 x" ?& d( W1 f2 y+ FWith 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.5.39.217.77# }6 h. u2 q( E, v/ H0 K Y" D
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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.. P, Q$ d5 c. o4 q' U2 m
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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.
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; U. w( U3 ?% M$ `1 \公仔箱論壇He 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.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb: f% b' C8 V5 C, H0 w) S+ j `2 z
# J& m* Y/ ]' T) _1 HPaffett 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.公仔箱論壇( c( c3 j# u7 x; j [; E
3 F& k) Y' Z+ y, T% I5 L“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.
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) U3 _% e6 z V4 Ftvb now,tvbnow,bttvb“You’re out there to have a good race and get what you can.”5 M4 z8 u% [7 u0 x
% l7 R- ?! y3 w. D“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.
* n! ^3 w* E4 sTVBNOW 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。
' H7 G S$ X- M9 g% g2 N3 P( 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。“If we can qualify further up the grid, then we’ll be back in contention for the top spots.”
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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.5.39.217.773 h- a! A* f+ i" V4 m' R
9 V# Z2 d4 Q5 N# s5.39.217.77Fellow 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.
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Green, 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.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb" J4 _/ N1 J3 Y
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“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.! `4 H( B% H: E B# y4 Q
2 v; X3 K1 j4 L# Q D) O* }“I personally feel very comfortable, have got fond memories of the next tracks and would like to achieve even more.( o* c2 M" K' y/ }4 a, ]
9 w6 J6 s5 [) S$ k% r4 u“Zandvoort and Hockenheim should be suiting our car.”
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/ Z% _. [' X( p; z3 R; X, v( i& MSo, 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…
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1 v* T0 C7 V* Y- n8 o# Z. [… The battle of the Brits in Holland looks especially good.
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5 L% N$ }. Z& o7 Y4 \) fZandvoort facts:
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Track length: 4.3 kilometres公仔箱論壇2 Z' X( t" J. B" ?/ M3 b" O
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Laps: 44. [ x5 L( [: M f
3 o1 w& n' e: y8 q3 M, gTVBNOW 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。Lap Record: Timo Scheider, Audi, 1m32.967s (2010)公仔箱論壇: x4 p2 Q4 d [" z
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Weather: Unpredictable
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' a; K% H$ `7 HPrevious winners:/ J3 l) S2 C: U
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。7 G8 o! K0 `# H
2001: Uwe Alzen (Mercedes-Benz)
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2002: Mattias Ekström (Abt-Audi)
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W$ I% f) _0 z7 q: g2003: Christijan Albers (Mercedes-Benz)
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9 Z4 W- O7 l. y1 KTVBNOW 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。2004: Mattias Ekström (Audi)5.39.217.772 ?- b# n9 a6 l/ _# O
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2005: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)7 D6 }) j: g6 v
1 H7 `% h; C+ ttvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2006: Tom Kristensen (Audi)5.39.217.77" E# V# Q6 o! f# R; t% I
) {' d' K# f! a1 L2007: Martin Tomczyk (Audi)5.39.217.77& d f/ D1 K8 c8 z1 N
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2008: Mattias Ekström (Audi)tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb% r, K: w; Y* p) A, z
9 U0 D, s' _( S+ L9 G2 N2 [0 ~0 i1 ATVBNOW 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。2009: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)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。/ l- C0 O6 J$ ]. ~- c: z+ ?
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2010: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)
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2011: Mike Rockenfeller (Audi)tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb m% x( B- F. V- J
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。( J8 U2 X. f" _8 ~6 G/ B4 O" e) C1 {
2012: Edoardo Mortara (Audi) |
發表於 2013-9-27 12:50 PM
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