Squeaky Clean – Coffee Meet 2012
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
Squeaky Clean – Coffee Meet 2012
Neo Motorsport
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
May 6th, 2012
Now that the season is in full swing, many of the usual local hang outs and meet areas are once again growing in numbers. As a first for Canada and the Toronto area, Squeak Clean (a local tuner meet organization) held their coffee meet bringing cars from all across the city. Held on the grounds of well known track shop and parts supplier Neo Motorsport, this gathering of car enthusiasts brought out a great selection of rides ranging from the usual Honda Civic bunch to the Nissan drifter-fiends, a British classic sports car to modern day race cars, and even a pack of motorcycles too! The weather was ideal with sunshine beating down and a DJ duo pumping out the tunes.
This Honda Civic was clean to the whistle – in all regards. Even the bike on the rack above it somehow suited the overall appeal and who ever said Civic coupes weren’t practical? Think again.
The row of Civics in various hot hues makes me think of Skittles candy – orange, yellow and red… all delicious! Up front is the gorgeous K20-powered Honda hatch we featured as “Freshly Squeezed” months back and now sporting a new hood, wheels, and individual throttle bodies. In the middle is the not-so-popular fifth generation (EP3-chassis) done tastefully with track-fast goodies. Last in the group is the beautiful 6th-gen Civic hatch from Tony Ho of Focal Point Concepts – one of the cleanest red rockets on the streets!
A rarity not only at car meets especially ones whereby tuners dominate, but also rare on its own – a 1963 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II. During post-WWII, this was the car to have if you went on spirited drives and also had the pockets to afford it. For a quick lesson in automotive racing history, it is in fact the Austin Healey that began the onset of American racing legend Carroll Shelby to build what is known as the Cobra. The story goes that Shelby approached Austin Healey to use this platform for his sports car vision, unfortunately he was turned down and thus went in favour of AC hence the early branding AC Shelby Cobra for his creation. The 3000 Mk II is legendary on its own and all those in attendance paid their respects in some form or another.
This wicked looking Nissan Silvia (yes, it is a true JDM Nissan 240SX) is one of Neo Motorsport‘s race cars. In fact, only days before took 2nd place in the GT5 Sprints series at Mosport International Raceway – Grand Prix track! Congrats to everyone at Neo Motorsport for not losing hope and pushing to the end – especially as they were on the fence on crushing it just days prior to the race due to endless mechanical gremlins.
Another awesome ride sponsored by Neo Motorsport and on the main showcase of the meet, Peter Chrisikopoulos‘ Nissan Silvia S13 pro drift car. Peter is no stranger to the drift scene having raced countless times and looking forward to a great season in the DMCC series – we wish him tons of smoke on sliding!
Quite possibly the cleanest looking Honda Civic in all of Toronto at the moment complete with a bling’d out engine bay, wire wheels and lots of negative camber (-4 degrees on the rear alone). We look forward to featuring this unique hot hatch in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back!
Tony Ho’s red rocket Civic hatch. Ho-Ho (as he’s referred to) is not only an avid car meet fan and show goer, but also a weekend track warrior hitting as many pavement patches as possible within a season. Be sure to keep an eye out on this car as it will surely be passing you on the track (or street) this summer!
A mean looking Integra with the ever-so-beautiful JDM front end conversion and tinted headlights. The DOMO sticking out of the sunroof is a nice touch – possibly to attract cute JDM-friendly girls?
Mint and black – a colour combination not found often, but executed perfectly on this 8th generation Honda Civic sedan. Great fitment with the wheels and that Mugen RR front-end conversion, very nice.
Mitsubishi Evolution vs. Nissan Skyline – tough battle. One is a four cylinder turbo, the other is an inline six turbo. Both great vehicles on their own accord and looking great parked next to each other.
A group of motorcycle riders showed up to check out the action on four wheels. Kawasaki-green mixed into the pack of some Suzuki GSX-Rs and Honda CBRs. In the end two wheels or four, everyone loves speed – it’s addicting.
The most epic motorcycle on the streets in Canada (in my opinion), Jason’s turbocharged (yes – you read correctly) Suzuki GSX-R built by MT Motorsport. KUDOS to Jason for also sporting the AMF Box decal on his windshield – much respect!
The Austin Healey 3000 Mk II caused such a stir for its uniqueness that it was awarded by the Squeaky Clean crew! Who ever said that British classic cars aren’t appreciated by tuner enthusiasts? Think again, all gear heads appreciate the beauty that we call cars – we just have preferences and budgets, that’s all.
After spending a great Sunday afternoon with many AMF fans and fellow industry supporters, it was good to know that things are looking up this summer. Be sure to check out Squeaky Clean for more meets in the coming weeks and as always, AMF is a proud support and will continue to bring you coverage.
For more information, please visit Squeaky Clean
Words & Photos: Giancarlo Pawelec
Spring Bling 2012
Monday, May 7th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
Spring Bling 2012
Factory Tire & Rubber Inc.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
April 28th, 2012
With the car show and meet season well on its way here in Canada, weekends are starting to get booked with hot spots all around and Factory Tire is no stranger to them. Every year around the same time, this unique rim and tire shop hosts an outdoor car show on their grounds that somehow always spills on the street – this time however, the road was closed by the city for this unique event. Cars from all across Toronto showed up ranging from the common Honda Civic to VIP-style sedans and all of course, rocking some serious wheels.
A rarity to see these days – the Plymouth (Chrysler) Prowler. This two-toned neo-retro roadster is powered by a sub-250hp V6, but it isn’t the power that attracts onlookers it is purely the styling in this case!
There’s nothing bad that can be said about a Mitsubishi Evolution, especially one that is wearing some not-so-typical wheels and sitting flush.
These old school BMWs are becoming quite popular nowadays amongst the tuner crowd partially due to their affordability. Gotta love the German-style of tuning with tinted headlights and a perfect set of rollers to compliment the low stance.
Even this golf kart had some awesome wheels setting it apart from your average electric-mobile. How’s a set of Dayton Wire Wheels sound for a change? Only at Factory Tire could you ever see this!
One of the most underrated SUVs / crossover vehicles of the last decade, Ford’s Flex. This air ride slammed box gives a whole new meaning to the term gangster grocery getter! Love it! Think we should feature it?
The famous VIP-styled Infiniti sporting all Junction Produce aero goods, FUSA knot, air ride and beautiful wheels. I think it is due for a feature, don’t you?
There were even some Euro cars thrown in the mix amongst all the Hondas and domestics like this clean 4th generation Volkswagen Jetta. You can never go wrong with gunmetal and black as a theme especially when it sits so flush.
The show had it all from a DJ spinning, food truck and some vendors on hand for those looking to spend a little – it was a Saturday after all! Each and every year, the crew at Factory Tire throw this event as a way to thank not only their clients, but also their community. Kudos to them for staying true to the grassroots scene and for putting on a family-friendly street event.
For more information, please visit Factory Tire
Aston Martin Racing Looks Forward to Leguna Seca After Spa Retirement
Monday, May 7th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
Having led its class in the early stages of the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Aston Martin Racing was forced to retire its Vantage GTE due to gearbox issues. The V8-powered racer proved its winning potential during the opening laps of the second FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) round by leading the GTE Pro category, but the team will now switch its focus to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) qualifier at Laguna Seca, California, next weekend.
Factory driver Stefan Mücke (D) had qualified the #97 Vantage GTE in third position in class on Friday to set the team on course for a second consecutive WEC podium result. Beneath dark clouds and on a wet circuit, Darren Turner (GB) guided the Gulf-liveried car through the spray and quickly snatched the class lead on the opening lap of the race.
The car led the GTE field for the early laps, proving its class-leading pace on just its third competitive outing. Turner, however, began reporting gear selection issues, which ultimately proved to be terminal. With mid-race gearbox changes not permitted within the WEC regulations, the team was forced to withdraw the car.
Despite the retirement, Turner was encouraged by those early laps: “The performance in qualifying showed that the pace of the car is very good and the first few laps of the race reinforced that. I was able to pull away from our GTE rivals, so I think we could have been in contention for the Vantage GTE’s first win. The performance is definitely going in the right direction; we just have to get on top of the gearbox issues, which the team is working hard to do.
“Laguna Seca is a great circuit and hopefully we can get another good race beneath our belt. The target is to finish the race in a strong position – without any issues – to help our preparation for Le Mans.”
John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, added: “It’s disappointing to have been forced to retire from the race because we were on course to fight for the victory. We qualified well and the pace of the Vantage GTE was strong, so we took the decision to fit a new gearbox ahead of the race to give us the best chance of winning. Unfortunately, a component within the new gearbox failed and we weren’t able to continue.
“Darren did a superb job in very tricky conditions during the opening laps and we can be encouraged by the pace that we showed during that period. We’ll now continue our preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans as we ready the car for its next outing at Laguna Seca this weekend where, again, we’ll be targeting a podium result in the GT class.”
Mücke, Turner and Adrian Fernandez (MX) will travel to Laguna Seca to tackle the six-hour endurance race as the team continues to develop the Vantage GTE. The highly competitive series will give Aston Martin Racing an ideal benchmark by which to measure the car’s performance level. Qualifying for the third ALMS round of 2012 starts at 1645hrs EDT on Friday 11 May, with the race starting at 1330hrs the following day.
Aston Martin Racing is competing in the new-for-2012 FIA World Endurance Championship as it returns to the production-derived motorsport discipline that earned the marque back-to-back Le Mans victories in 2007 and 2008. In addition, the team competed in the second ALMS round at Long Beach in April – and will race at Laguna Seca next weekend – to accelerate the development of the Vantage GTE ahead of a two-car campaign at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
King of Europe Drift – Episode 1
Monday, May 7th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
We have featured Round 1 of the King of Europe drift series from Poland just last week and now the great minds at KoE have brought us the first installment of their video series. In this video, you’ll get to see a piece of the action from the front lines ranging from the incredible drifting action of Nissan Silvias vs. BMW E30s and even a Supra thrown into the mix, to the beautiful European models, and even some of the media folk found track-side.
If you are a drifting enthusiast, then you’re sure to love the KoE series as it is a multiple city stop in Europe showcasing the very best of pro-level competition. Angle, smoke and tire shredding action at its very best – gotta love it! Be sure to check back in June as Round 2 in Spain kicks off on the 9th-10th and our coverage will be up shortly after.
For more information, please visit King of Europe or on Facebook
Togue Track Day #3
Sunday, May 6th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
Touge Track Day #3
Toronto Motorsports Park
Cayuga, Ontario, Canada
April 29th, 2012
A perfect day! The sun was shining, but it was still cool making it an ideal afternoon for Touge’s 3rd lapping event of the 2012 season. It could be seen when I first entered the gates that the turn out was already fantastic and there was only more to follow. Once the majority of the pre-registered drivers checked in, a short drivers meeting was held then it was game on!
The majority of the pack on Sunday was held by Subarus, but there were a couple Fairladys tossed in to spice things up.
Shortly after 4pm the drivers gathered as the Touge boys lay down the ground rules for the day and gave instructions to those who required them.
Before the cars made their way onto the track they gave a couple bikes that showed up the chance to rip around the track a few times. Ivan Lam was getting some serious angle in the turns for the few laps he was out.
This BMW 335i was one of many BMWs in attendance that day. He was also one of the first drivers to get out on to the track giving him wide open space out front to really let loose.
This R33 (Skyline) has all the toys and goodies you could ever get your hands on. An HKS turbocharger, coilover suspension, Nismo intake manifold, upgraded fuel rail, GReddy big brakes, and an Apex’i fuel management system just to name a few. This event was the first time the owner had his R33 out on the track.
The recently featured Subaru Impreza 2.5RS driven by Dov Aronoff was also letting loose as well on Sunday. This is gonna be a busy season for the boys at NV Auto so they decided to get some laps in before the time attack season starts.
This supercharged 350Z was tearing up the course like it was his only job to put down some serious lap times. The awesome rear spoiler is also functional, but had to be installed at the track most likely to avoid attracting unwanted police attention driving to the event.
I haven’t seen to many BMW Z4s ripping around the track lately, but it was obvious when this one came blazing around the corner that the great handling and awesome speed of this coupe make for an incredible weekend track car.
With such beautiful weather a few of the drivers decided to rock it topless for a while like this S2000, but as soon as the sun started to set it was back on with the hardtops.
This highly modified K-powered RSX fell victim to a combination of cold track temperatures and a corner apex cracking up the front bumper. Thankfully, with a little white duck tape the driver was back out onto the course for a few more laps before the night ended. All in all it was a successful day with an awesome turnout and little mishaps. Touge will be holding their next lapping session this Saturday on the Shannonville Motorsports Park full track, so stay tuned!
For more information, please visit Togue
Words & Photos: Josh Smith
Jaguar Launches XJ Sport and Speed Taxi
Sunday, May 6th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
The latest addition to Jaguar’s fleet at its Nürburgring Nordschleife engineering test centre is the marque’s very first taxi, albeit one with rather more ability than you may expect from a traditional cab; based on the latest all-aluminium long wheelbase XJ Supersport with Sport and Speed Pack options, Jaguar’s ‘Nürburgring taxi’ boasts 510PS from its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine and a top speed of 174mph, but no fare meter…
Said Frank Klaas, Global Head of Communications, Jaguar Land Rover: “We’ve been running a successful Nürburgring driving programme from our Nordschleife engineering test centre now for some time, as it’s the very best place to demonstrate the dynamic abilities of the current Jaguar XF, XJ and XK models.
“Of these models, we found it’s the XJ Supersport that most often surprises journalists with its speed simply because they perceive it to be a large luxury car. The XJ is both those things, of course, but its aluminium architecture means it’s rigid and lightweight too, which make it a very good car on track. To underline that fact, our engineering team created this special Nürburgring taxi version in which our trained drivers can safely take passengers on very hot laps!”
Finished in non-standard matt grey paint with exterior Sport Pack, the Jaguar Nürburgring taxi is also specified with the Speed Pack – which raises its electronically limited top speed from 155mph to 174mph – but is otherwise mechanically standard. Inside there is, of course, ample room for four, although a few of the XJ’s usual creature comforts have been replaced in order to keep its occupants securely in place during the very quick laps of which it is capable. Gone are the standard leather-trimmed heated and cooled seats, and in their place are four race seats, each equipped with four-point harnesses. A full bespoke roll cage completes the interior changes.
Kplayground Track Day #2
Saturday, May 5th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
Kplayground Track Day #2
Mosport International Raceway (DDT)
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
April 29, 2012
It was a beautifully bright, but chilly day in Bownmanville, Ontario at the Mosport Driver Development Track (DDT) where the Kplayground crew hosted their second lapping event of 2012. Despite the cold weather it was once again an amazing turn out including pro Canadian Touring Car Championship driver Sasha Anis was out testing his new Nissan 350z. Also spotted on the paddock was a TommyKaira kitted R35 GT-R sporting Mine’s livery to which everyone desperately hoped it would go out for a few laps, sadly it didn’t.
Here’s the very skilled driver Spencer Brown in his “Freshly Squeezed” K20-powered Honda Civic, which appears to be just cruising around the track possibly showing the passenger the ‘fast line’ around DDT!
The fifth and youngest member of Drifters Anonymous, Jeremy Semenuk had the pleasure of being able to have his first few laps ever on any race track. It will be a day he will always remember, but the 300ZX it won’t be seeing a lot of track time this season as he has some “special” plans for it!
Who doesn’t love a clean and simple NSX? It was one of two present at the event and was very aggressive coming into corners, almost looking like its getting up on 3-wheels!
Just because you don’t have a “racecar” doesn’t mean you can’t come out for some fun! Take this Civic for example, Civics are great cars in general as they are amazing cars even when stock. You don’t need to have a track built car like Spenser Brown or Sasha Anis to come out to these events. Next event I want to see some grocery-getters out there!
Remember that fearsome NSX that almost hopped on 3-wheels? Well this little EG Civic did so coming in hard to the final turn. I actually noticed quite a few hatchback Hondas jumping on 3-wheels out there, sadly I don’t think I got photos of them all, but you also didn’t catch all 150 Pokemon when you were a kid did you? Thought so.
Hey it’s a 240SX, but it’s not Hellaflush! This wasn’t your average drift missile 240sx either. This S-chassis was a mean grip loving time attack beast. When he was getting sideways on corners it wasn’t because he wanted to drift, he was just pushing it to the limit.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Sasha Anis drive in the CTCC before and he can handle a car beautifully. I remember seeing his old red SG-Motorsport 350z at the older Kplayground events laying down insane times. His new Z33 sounds even more meaner and scarier than the last one!
It was well worth the cruise down to Mosport for this event and I was lucky enough to ride down with Jeremy Semenuk in his 300zx. I really just can’t wait for warm sunny weather though as I like the brightness, but it’s that cold stuff that gets me. This was my first time actually at Mosport shooting with Kplayground as I love the track layout better than Shannonville as it just seems faster, but I miss being able to go onto the infield to shoot like I can in Shannonville. Either way it was great to come out to see some familiar faces and new ones.
Stay tuned to find out when the next Kplayground event is! Check them out on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated.
For more information, please visit Kplayground
Words & Photos: Ben Fry
#WhatIfWednesday | Ferrari 599 vs. Bentley Continental GTC
Saturday, May 5th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
As you can probably tell from the fact I’m writing this article I did not win last week’s Lotto 649. Someone did and by the comments it looks like you fine readers would hope that they buy a drop top Ferrari F430.
This week’s inspiration came to me as I walked home Saturday evening. I live right by the five star restaurant ‘Centro’ and often I have drooled at the mix of cars parked out front in the valet section. It’s not rare to see a Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ferraris of every model and BMW or Mercedes as if they were Kias at a WalMart. Saturday was a little different because in a row they had a Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, Bentley Continental GTC and a Ferrari 599 and I got to thinking, “What if I had won the Lottario Encore draw for $1 million, which of those cars would I have?”
So I went home, popped open my laptop and researched the prices. Now the obvious answer to any car nut would be to buy the Ferrari, who wouldn’t want a 599? We must remember that everyone’s situation is different! I live in Toronto where the roads are garbage and driving around a Ferrari would only lead me to either having my license revoked for driving 50km/h over the speed limit or I would be very friendly with the tire guy at MT Morotsport, because I would be cracking rims all over town; not to mention burning through a set of tires on a monthly basis!
2008 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano F1 ($239,999 CAD)
http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ferrari/599/MONTREAL/Quebec/5_13205173_20061013055955976/
Sure it’s the clear winner, but everyone glazes over the flaws of this $240,000 car. It only has 2 seats, so with your pockets full of cash you could never pick up more than one person. The maintenance bills would easily turn that million into pennies; did you know an oil change carries a price tag of about $1500? What would you be driving in the winter?
But god damn, how nice it would be to put your ass cheeks into the supple leather and get behind the wheel of one of the best V12 engines ever made. The 599 shares the same engine as the Enzo and I have been lucky enough to drive a 599 – there is truly nothing like it. This car oozes sexiness, but is also civilized to fit in when being parked next to a Bentley. A Ferrari 458 Italia would have looked like a boy racer car parked next to the Bentley.
2010 Bentley GTC ($199,500)
http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Bentley/Continental%20GTC/NOTRE-DAME-DES-PRAIRIES/Quebec/5_10523956_20110222141153465/
There is not a better convertible in the $200k price bracket than a Bentley Continental GTC. The car is nothing but class and if you do have a boy racer pull up next to you, you’ll have enough power to make him cry. Yes the GTC is a powerhouse with 575hp. Its downside is that all that power needs to push a car that tips the scales at 5500lbs, that’s only a few pounds shy of a Cadillac Escalade!
This all said what can’t you love about this car though? It has 4 seats, enough space in the boot for your golf clubs and women LOVE these cars. They are also very well built and unlike a Ferrari or Masaratti they are not so delicate and temperamental.
So what would you have? The Italian exotic that will empty your wallet, but put a huge grin on your face or the British civility where you can fit in everywhere from a rap video to the country club?
Words: Patrick Logan
Photos: Stuart Collins (EVO), Patrick Logan, and AutoTrader.ca
The Beginning of a New Era at Audi
Friday, May 4th, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
- Audi R18 e-tron quattro to contest its first race
- Six more weeks to go before the start of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours
- Technologies from the Le Mans sports car are relevant for production vehicles as well
The race debut of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend signifies the beginning of a new era at Audi. For the first time ever, a Le Mans sports car with diesel hybrid drive and two driven axles will compete in a race. For Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, this is arguably the most challenging project in the more than 30-year history of Audi Sport.
Audi previously marked milestones at Le Mans with TFSI gasoline direct injection (first victory in 2001) and TDI diesel power (first victory in 2006). Now, at round two of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Spa, the company’s first diesel hybrid sports car will be contesting its first race. The birth of the idea for an LMP vehicle with diesel hybrid power and quattro drive at Audi Sport dates back several years though.
“We started to think about the hybridisation of a Le Mans sports car relatively soon after the first TDI successes,” reveals Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “A concrete opportunity for this materialized when it became clear that the regulations would be permitting such an option.” In 2008, the Le Mans organiser ACO announced this forward-thinking approach and since 2009 the regulations have expressly been allowing energy recovery systems for LMP1 cars. The complexity of the related tasks is shown by the fact that in 2012 Audi is the first automobile manufacturer to field such an LMP1 vehicle in a race.
As usual, the project at Audi Sport commenced with concept studies. “Naturally, we were again able to benefit from the resources of the Technical Development division at AUDI AG,” stresses Dr. Ullrich. “Right from the beginning of the project, we intensively liaised with our colleagues on the production side of the house where concepts are created and examined for future road vehicles. They worked out a solution in which one of the axles is driven by the power supplied by an internal combustion engine and the other by the power from an electric motor. This defines a new form of quattro drive – the e-tron quattro. We’re also pursuing this strategy in racing, which again puts us on the front row. Not only because we’ll be the first at Spa to contest a race with such a concept in an LMP race car, but because production development will be able to benefit from our system in the future as well.”
For the R18 e-tron quattro, Audi has developed a concept in which the V6 TDI engine drives the rear axle. On the front axle, the energy is electrically recuperated and fed into a flywheel energy storage system which can return it to the front wheels during acceleration. This means that there is no mechanical link between the front and rear wheel drives. The interaction is completely controlled by complex electronic systems.
“The decision in favor of flywheel energy storage was made based on the specific requirements relating to racing,” explains Dr. Ullrich. “That’s also why a battery system is currently out of the question in view of our ultra lightweight design. But I can safely state that the things we’re testing with flywheel energy storage are of interest to our production colleagues too. The combination of different systems is an aspect that will have to be considered in various applications in the future.”
An Audi R8 GT provided the base for the first trials. “In the initial phase of the concept development for the R18 e-tron quattro when we wanted to get a trial vehicle off the ground as quickly as possible we came up with the idea of using the R8 GT as the base for it,” says Dr. Ullrich. “The implementation was possible, at relatively high levels of efficiency and we managed to package all the subsequent original components of the R18 e-tron quattro at the front end of the R8. That’s how our prototype for initial set-up and concept work was created.”
In the development phase up to the finished race car, Audi set ambitious goals for developing the R18 e-tron quattro with support from various partners. Audi Sport has a track record of successfully managing numerous major technological challenges – from the brand’s first carbon fibre race car in 1999 through to TFSI gasoline direct injection and the TDI project. Building a sports prototype with a conventionally driven rear axle and an electrified front axle is an accomplishment that ranks at a particularly high level in Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich’s book: “A look at the timeline for the project since the beginning of 2010 shows that the e-tron quattro with its highly complex technological content and plenty of new territory was no doubt one of the most challenging projects we’ve ever had. At the same time, we should not forget that the R18 ultra as the lightest car ever built by Audi Sport created the prerequisites for hybridisation in the first place. The overall complexity of this project is enormous.”
Audi A5 DTM Finishes Debut on Podium
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012 | Car News | No Comments
- Mattias Ekström in third place at Hockenheimring
- 142,000 spectators witnessed fast and furious start of new DTM era
- Total of four Audi A5 DTM cars in the points
In front of an impressive crowd of 142,000 spectators (throughout the weekend) the DTM made a fast and furious start into its new era with a turbulent race at the Hockenheimring. The new Audi A5 DTM started from the pole position and finished in third place after 40 laps.
This marked a repetition of DTM history. In 1990, Hans-Joachim Stuck clinched third place in Audi’s first DTM race in the V8 quattro at Zolder – at the end of the year he became champion. In 2004, Mattias Ekström took third place on the Audi A4 DTM’s first run at Hockenheim as well. The Swede, too, captured the title in the end.
Mattias Ekström started from the pole position in his Red Bull Audi A5 DTM at the Hockenheimring and immediately took the lead, which he kept until lap five before making a braking mistake in turn two, dropping behind Jamie Green and shortly afterward behind Gary Paffett too. From then on the Swede from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline concentrated on safeguarding third place which, as in Formula 1, is rewarded with 15 points this year.
“When you start from the pole position third place is certainly not your dream result,” said Mattias Ekström. “But our rival was simply better today; we’ve got to accept that. But not to worry: we’ll come back! It was very warm today and we didn’t have the optimum set-up for these conditions.”
Mike Rockenfeller in the Schaeffler Audi A5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Phoenix took fifth place after having to let Mercedes driver Christian Vietoris pass shortly before the end of the race. His team-mate Miguel Molina in the Red Bull Audi A5, who had started from position 17 on the grid, scored points in ninth place as well. The top ten at the DTM opening round were completed by Filipe Albuquerque in the TV Movie Audi A5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Rosberg, who thus grabbed the last point.
Albuquerque’s team-mate Edoardo Mortara in his Playboy Audi A5 DTM was running in the top group in the first half of the race but after a collision with the BMW of Joey Hand had to serve a drive-through penalty that caused him to drop from fourth to twelfth place. He ultimately finished in eleventh place.
Rahel Frey in her E-POSTBRIEF Audi A5 DTM was fighting a duel with her rival Susie Wolff almost during the whole race. She lost a possible 13th place shortly before the end of the race after spinning. The Swiss finished the race in 16th place.
Timo Scheider (AUTO TEST Audi A5 DTM) and Adrien Tambay (Audi ultra A5 DTM) were forced to retire. Scheider was hit by Ralf Schumacher right on lap one and later by Roberto Merhi. The suspension of his A5 DTM was damaged in the process. After a few strong initial laps, Adrien Tambay was running in the top ten on his DTM debut before the Frenchman became entangled in a collision through no fault of his own and was forced to park his car with a defective radiator.
“After yesterday’s pole position third place was certainly not what we’d been expecting from the race,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “We’ve got to analyse why we didn’t have the performance we thought we’d have in the race. By finishing third Mattias Ekström made the best of the situation and scored important points. We’re going to learn from this race for the Lausitzring. On the whole, it was a tremendous opening round for the DTM in front of a fantastic crowd with a turbulent early phase. And it was obvious that overtaking is definitely possible in the new DTM.”
The Audi squad will not have time to take a deep breath after the season opener as the next DTM race is on the calendar for next weekend. That is why the teams are traveling directly from Hockenheim to the Lausitzring.
Quotes after the race at Hockenheim
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “On the whole, it was a fabulous start for the new DTM in front of a great crowd. All three manufacturers put all their cars on the grid under extreme time pressure. The cars functioned well and were very close together in terms of performance. It was nice that we were able to decide the new DTM’s first qualifying event with Mattias Ekström’s pole position. Naturally, we wanted to convert that into victory as well. Yet we were lacking the race performance to do so today. Now it’s our task to do everything we can so that we won’t be able to only show a perfect performance in qualifying but also in the race at the Lausitzring.”
Mattias Ekström (Red Bull Audi A5 DTM), 3rd place
“It’s always nice to be on podium. Our aim today was to be at the very top. Unfortunately, we only managed third place. ‘Well done’ to Mercedes and Gary (Paffett) and Jamie (Green), they were quicker today. We need to analyse what went wrong and then we’ll have a good chance of striking back.”
Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi A5 DTM), 5th place
“The race was very strenuous, I had a good start. After that, I was struggling because we’d changed the brake beforehand and tyre pressure was a bit low. I had to let (Gary) Paffett pass at the start. Then I was running on position five and drove a similar pace as Mattias Ekström. We had two good pit stops. At the end of the race I had to let Christian Vietoris pass. He was too quick for me and I wanted to score points today at all cost.”
Miguel Molina (Red Bull Audi A5 DTM), 9th place
“It was a good race for me. I started from a difficult position, 17th place, and scored points for ninth place nonetheless. That was positive. The team had a good strategy. My speed in the race was good and I scored two points. That was a good start into the season after qualifying had not gone so well.”
Filipe Albuquerque (TV Movie Audi A5 DTM), 10th place
“My start from position 14 was great. With all the incidents that happened I was fortunate. My speed was good. When the track was clear I was able to set good times. At the second pit stop I lost four positions. Then, in traffic, I was not able to overtake Ralf Schumacher and Miguel Molina. Sixth place would have been possible but at least there’s one point for tenth place.”
Edoardo Mortara (Playboy Audi A5 DTM), 11th place
“For me, it was a difficult race. I had a brilliant start and a good rhythm but unfortunately we weren’t able to overtake the others. My team gave everything. There were a few incidents of body contact. I received a drive-through penalty for the collision with Joey Hand. That was a bit strange. But next week at the Lausitzring we want to be strong. We showed that we’re among the best in the Audi squad.”
Rahel Frey (E-POSTBRIEF Audi A5 DTM), 16th
“A race begins with the start and if you can’t see the starting lights then that’s bad to begin with. My race engineer in that situation just screamed: go, go. The race itself was okay then. My team did a superb job and we also had a superb strategy. From position 22 we advanced all the way to 13 in between. Unfortunately, I lost the car in the hairpin and dropped to 17th place. Compared to practice and qualifying the race was definitely an improvement.”
Timo Scheider (AUTO TEST Audi A5 DTM), retirement
“I had a normal start, managed to run alongside Priaulx in turn one, who didn’t leave a lot of room for me, so I had to give in. In turn three, I had recovered a few positions, was almost around the corner when I felt an impact and was turned around. On the first lap that was very frustrating. After running as the last car in the field I managed to advance to 14th place. Then I overtook Roberto Mehri under braking and he hit my car. After that the car was so heavily damaged that it made no more sense to keep on driving.”
Adrien Tambay (Audi ultra A5 DTM), retirement
“That was really a shame. I had a good start in my first DTM race. I was already in eighth place. On lap one everything was going really well and I was shooting for seventh place. But then an accident happened in front of me and there was a lot of commotion. I was right in the middle of a sandwich. There was nothing I could do to avoid that. My car was damaged and I was forced to retire. Still, I take positive stock of my first DTM weekend and am already looking forward to the Lausitzring.”
Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): ”It was a turbulent opening round. You could see that we’ve got to improve some more across the whole race distance. As the best Audi team, we’re very pleased with Mattias Ekström’s performance, he fully used the potential. We haven’t got a lot of time to think about it as we’ve got to prepare for the Lausitzring now. But I do want to thank the team. Everyone worked hard and made no mistakes.”
Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix): “Miguel Molina advanced from 17th place to ninth and found his race speed. Unfortunately, he drove a bit too far at the pit stop and had to let David Coulthard pass. Otherwise he would have finished one or two places farther at the front. Mike Rockenfeller drove brilliantly but we simply didn’t have the speed to keep up with the Mercedes cars. We had to defend ourselves and need to stop that for the Lausitzring.”
Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg): ”Edo (Mortara) had a very good speed at first but then hit traffic after his first stop – the action with the blue flags didn’t work out at all. He lost a lot and dropped behind ‘Rocky.’ After the stop-and-go penalty for turning (Joey) Hand around his race was over. Filipe (Albuquerque) had a good speed and was well on his way toward the front but unfortunately our pit stop didn’t work out at all. I can only say ‘sorry’ for that. Sixth place would have been possible today as a minimum.”
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