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.公仔箱論壇% p$ g! l# f Y, H- ~ [8 Y& G
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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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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.
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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.
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; |7 g) {+ |. m o" Y+ Z F公仔箱論壇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.7 \& |/ R% ~4 |, z- F& t$ D5 c
* ]7 X ]& Q3 ~( ~( v+ X$ }5 z; jtvb now,tvbnow,bttvbJust 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.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb p8 d: \ _/ _3 @( r0 e: N8 l
7 D/ `- R7 `7 Q- r( I+ u3 E" ]5 ?1 |tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbWhilst 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.! g; _$ ]/ t5 G, a, l! w( C
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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.
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: n4 [1 o" Q' m2 T7 v0 n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.5.39.217.77:8898- C: R0 O% V1 l, S" D5 s9 c
+ l% |6 `9 C% ?% h# R8 A3 A8 e2 F“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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“You’re out there to have a good race and get what you can.”
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“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.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb& V+ E) T) \ z: R$ [! q
" P6 D r) t' ?3 ~5.39.217.77:8898“If we can qualify further up the grid, then we’ll be back in contention for the top spots.”公仔箱論壇8 ?6 u& Q$ k( s2 z- a. f
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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.公仔箱論壇- d+ W" E5 ~( Y' v: I) `0 Q8 y" v
6 d# h5 i9 e4 o) t# V; O0 E& SFellow 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.5.39.217.77:88989 Y" c7 ]. W m2 Y7 C9 k
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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.; J% C# j& G; n5 ?
" Z4 L7 e7 H; v3 Z1 Q% w `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。“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 D( F7 L+ i ]( C% q
8 m) ]' A; I% w“I personally feel very comfortable, have got fond memories of the next tracks and would like to achieve even more.公仔箱論壇" u4 P# d% B* L4 B; o
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“Zandvoort and Hockenheim should be suiting our car.”/ |' I7 f/ ]3 L0 @- f* \' e7 l7 |
! _8 |+ ?& R( }+ q; O公仔箱論壇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…9 a( s" T1 c" S
# _- X0 y/ ~; _4 C. f; o8 vtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb… The battle of the Brits in Holland looks especially good.5.39.217.77:8898: I* q/ l7 _/ L- o
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Zandvoort facts:
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! {9 d. Q( L& Y5 f5 m) y) B公仔箱論壇Track length: 4.3 kilometres5.39.217.77:88981 F8 I* \- x9 U ~( R
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Laps: 44
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" i- w1 m& {3 h+ ]8 e' H5 mtvb now,tvbnow,bttvbLap Record: Timo Scheider, Audi, 1m32.967s (2010)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。$ {8 Y' N. K1 Y& h5 A1 U
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Weather: Unpredictable* Y" y7 l( [/ Z* G$ x1 Z
% ]4 d3 n9 t8 g( r, C$ U, J4 aPrevious winners:
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2001: Uwe Alzen (Mercedes-Benz)
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7 P; L: K3 W; w$ a: {公仔箱論壇2002: Mattias Ekström (Abt-Audi)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。) g9 ?0 W& p, W1 _; T& k3 d% ~
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2003: Christijan Albers (Mercedes-Benz)
7 E1 ] Y5 T. n Z8 u9 \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。
3 l2 ^) L3 j* M' i/ ]$ u8 `, dtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2004: Mattias Ekström (Audi)5.39.217.77:88980 v; ~& p" O# p, l5 g
( a q. _1 L$ P. b- U1 [5.39.217.77:88982005: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)公仔箱論壇* {# L+ g8 h6 I0 k1 l. C
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2006: Tom Kristensen (Audi)
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2007: Martin Tomczyk (Audi)
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2008: Mattias Ekström (Audi): S) X+ }, w9 k# a! _
8 A, t" k( {3 a/ D( A公仔箱論壇2009: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)& M4 } P) X. I, g
* n4 U' Q p3 [4 F( s$ a4 a: \2010: Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz)
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% p8 L/ T- F$ d- r& ]9 O3 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。2011: Mike Rockenfeller (Audi)
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p6 ] V- v9 ]7 n- i: O5.39.217.77:88982012: Edoardo Mortara (Audi) |
發表於 2013-9-27 12:50 PM
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