Driverless AUDI RS 7 Sportback to tackle Hockenheim

At Germany’s Touring Car race finale at Hockenheim Audi will stage one of the most extreme piloted driving demonstrations to date 

• Audi to underscore piloted driving potential as part of the programme for the final German Touring Car Championship race at Hockenheim
• Live broadcast on Audi Media TV from 12:45pm on October 19, 2014
• Two-minute lap time and up to 149mph expected

A driverless Audi RS 7 Sportback will tackle Germany’s Hockenheim circuit at race speed next week to underscore the potential of piloted driving technology. With the latest Audi developments on board, the concept car will drive autonomously to its physical limits with millimetre precision as an exciting sideshow for the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) finale on October 19.

As its sophisticated sensors guide it around the challenging circuit, the RS 7 Sportback piloted driving concept car will be approximately as fast as with a professional racing driver at the wheel. Tests conducted so far indicate that on the grand prix track a lap time of just over two minutes can be expected, and that the technology demonstrator should reach speeds of up to 149mph. 

Mclaren previews the German Grand Prix

The German Grand Prix is one of the most iconic races in Formula 1. It was first included on the world championship calendar in 1951, when it was held at the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife, and hosted its first race at Hockenheim in 1970. When Niki Lauda’s fiery crash ended the Nordschleife’s reign, Hockenheim became the race’s permanent home in 1977. Its long, wide straights usually produce entertaining racing, which the drivers and fans enjoy in equal measure.

Facts & Stats: Hockenheim

The Circuit

Hockenheim was built in 1932. Initially, it was a flat-out 6.7km loop upon which Mercedes-Benz – McLaren’s engine partner for the past 20 years – tested its road and racing cars. A stadium section was constructed after the Second World War, and chicanes were added in 1968, following the death of world champion Jim Clark in a Formula 2 race.

The Race

The layout then remained largely unchanged for more than 30 years, the track becoming a semi-regular fixture on the Formula 1 calendar from 1970. It has staged the German Grand Prix on a biennial basis since 2007, sharing the race with the new Nurburgring. Jenson Button is one of only three drivers on this year’s F1 grid to have raced on the old Hockenheim layout (the track was shortened and re-profiled after the 2001 grand prix). The modern circuit is 2.3km shorter than its predecessor and the average speed is significantly lower, but it promotes overtaking and provides good viewing. The asphalt at Hockenheim is very smooth and the absence of any high-speed corners will allow Pirelli to take their two softest compounds to the race, as they did in Monaco, Canada and Austria earlier this season. The Supersoft is expected to give more performance over one lap in qualifying, the Soft providing better consistency in the race.

The Team

McLaren has a good record at the German Grand Prix. The team has won the race eight times, and twice at Hockenheim since it was re-profiled. Jenson finished second on F1’s last visit to the track in ’12, while Kevin Magnussen has previous racing experience at the track, but he will be tackling it for the first time in an F1 car this weekend.

Vital Statistics

German Grand Prix 18th - 20th July Hockenheim

Race distance 67 laps (306.458km/190.414 miles) Start time 1400 (local)/1200 (GMT) Circuit length 4.574km/2.842 miles 2012 winner Fernando Alonso 2012 pole Fernando Alonso Lap record Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren MP4-19) 1m13.780s (223.182km/h) (2004) First race 1970 What makes it special: The atmosphere in the stadium section of the lap; 50,000 fans make a lot of noise Wins from pole 17. Nobody has won at Hockenheim from outside the top three since the track was re-profiled Track abrasiveness Low. The track was resurfaced in ’01, using smooth asphalt – similar to the Red Bull Ring Pirelli tyre choice Option – Supersoft: Prime – Soft 2012 winning strategy Two pitstops Fuel consumption High. More than 60 per cent of the lap is spent at full throttle Brakewear Medium. There are some challenging braking areas at Hockenheim, but the straights are long enough to cool the carbon discs Weather Qualifying was wet when F1 last raced at Hockenheim in 2012, but the race was dry and hot. Usually, though, the weather is hot at this time of year DRS zones One, on the approach to Turn Six Turbo effect Medium. There are several hard accelerations from low-speed Safety Car likelihood Low. In eight races at the re-profiled Hockenheim, there have been just two Safety Cars Grid advantage The racing line is on the left, so that’s the better side of the grid on which to line up Pitlane time The pitlane is 300m, so expect a pitstop to take around 22s

McLaren at the German Grand Prix

Wins 8 (1976, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2008, 2011) Poles 12 (1976, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008) Fastest laps 7 (1984, 1985, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005)

Team Talk Jenson Button: Car 22 Age 34 (January 19 1980) GPs 256 Wins 15 Poles 8 FLs 8

“I remember racing at the old Hockenheim – four 200mph straights, a couple of fiddly chicanes and a stadium section where you held on tightly because the car didn’t have any downforce. It seems like a different level of craziness compared with today, but it was a lot of fun. “The re-designed circuit could never be as mighty as the old Hockenheim, but it’s a fun little track, and it’s been purposely designed to encourage racing. The long, curved straight up to Turn Six is tailor-made for slipstreaming – you force the car ahead to be defensive, so it’s actually on the run to Turn Seven that you usually try to overtake, because you’re capitalising on the other car’s slower exit. Turn Eight is another place where you can try to make a move – because it’s possible to get into the corner side-by-side with another driver, and then make the position stick. “There are a couple of high-speed corners, but the circuit is largely made up of low-speed turns, so our car shouldn’t be too disadvantaged. It’s a race that often throws up a surprise or two, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Kevin Magnussen: Car 20 Age 21 (October 05 1992) GPs 9 Wins 0 Poles 0 FLs 0

“I’ve raced at Hockenheim before – back in 2010 when I was in German Formula 3 – and it’s a circuit that I enjoy. It has a good mix of corners, it’s a mid-speed track, it’s a place where you can spend a lot of the lap fighting other drivers, so it’s important to have a car that you feel comfortable pushing and which has good traction out of the corners – which is where a lot of overtaking moves tend to start around here. “It’s a circuit which should hopefully suit us a little bit better than some of the faster, more aero-dependent tracks that we’ve visited recently. I don’t think that will significantly change the competitive order, but it would be good to get some more points under our belts as we push to move up both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.”

Eric Boullier Racing director, McLaren Mercedes “It says a lot about the strength of our race team that we’ve recently managed to achieve some respectable results at circuits where we perhaps didn’t expect to shine. We’re aware that those results weren’t fully representative of the pace of our car, but were achieved because our race team has the experience and commitment to make things count when it really matters. “Even if, on paper, the track in Germany suits us better than it seemingly did in Great Britain, we still need to maximise everything to be in a strong points-scoring position on Sunday afternoon. There are no short-term answers: we’re still pushing the development of MP4-29, and are hopeful that the lessons we learn during this season will have a positive effect on the development of next year’s car. “In Jenson and Kevin we have two fantastic racers – both of whom have shown this year that they’re always pushing. When racecraft comes to the fore, they’ll be striving hard for some good results this weekend.”

AUDI has finalised it's 2013 DTM line up.

• Experience is trumps: eight Audi drivers have 34 wins between them
• ‘Norisring King’ Jamie Green high-calibre new signing
• Rahel Frey leaves DTM, Miguel Molina remains with squad

Audi will start into the 2013 DTM season with a mix of experienced campaigners and ambitious youngsters. The eight drivers have four titles, 478 races, 39 pole positions and 34 victories to their credit between them - marking top tallies in the series. The only change compared to last year’s squad: Rahel Frey is switching to GT racing within AUDI AG. The vacant cockpit will be occupied by new signing Jamie Green.

"I’m convinced that in 2013 we’ll be on the grid with an extremely strong line-up - perhaps the strongest one ever since Audi started competing in the DTM," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. While Rahel Frey is leaving the DTM to continue her career with Audi in GT racing, Miguel Molina will be starting his fourth DTM year with Audi.

From this season onwards, the DTM has new regulations: As the race weekends are being shortened to two days, the drivers will have less time in the future to prepare for qualifying and the race. "Finding the perfect set-up in an extremely short space of time will be crucial, so experience is worth its weight in gold," says Ullrich. "Therefore, we decided not to integrate a DTM rookie and to run with our proven squad. I’d like to sincerely thank Rahel for her strong performances and her commitment in the DTM. She was a valuable addition to the DTM with her manner and poise and will definitely continue this way in her future commitments for Audi."

Despite their impressive best marks in terms of races and victories the Audi line-up has an average age of just 28 years. The two-time DTM Champions Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider are spearheading the squad around new signing Jamie Green as ‘old hands.’ Adrien Tambay and Miguel Molina, aged 21 and 23, respectively, are youngsters. Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, Race of Champions winner Filipe Albuquerque and the two-time season winner Edoardo Mortara complete the team.

The new season will start at Hockenheim on May 5, followed by nine rounds, including the DTM premiere at Moscow, until the finale on October 20.