AUDI reveals new look to 2014 RS 5 DTM Challenger.

• Audi RS 5 DTM presented in Schaeffler colors
• Schedule before 2014 Hockenheim season opener established
• Mike Rockenfeller: “Can hardly wait for track tests to start”

No other car has shaped the image of the DTM in recent years as much as the yellow-green Audi has. Now, the brand has revealed the livery of the new # 1 Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM car in which Champion Mike Rockenfeller is aiming to defend his title. 

Martin Tomczyk in 2011 and Mike Rockenfeller in 2013: Two titles have gone to Audi and the race car sporting the yellow-green colors of the Schaeffler Group in the most recent past, and the reigning champion wouldn’t mind if the string of success in the most popular international touring car series continued. “If the car is as fast as it looks, we’ve got good chances of being in contention,” Rockenfeller commented about his new Audi RS 5 DTM.

 

The new generation of the race car that made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show last week features newly developed aerodynamics and numerous detailed improvements underneath the carbon fiber skin. Audi has revealed the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM as the first of the total of eight liveries with which the brand is competing in the DTM in 2014. While the basic colors of ‘Rocky’s’ car have been retained, the body contours of the near-460 hp (340 kW) touring car are now even more dynamic than before.

 

“I was thrilled as soon as I saw the initial designs but the car itself looks even more impressive,” says Mike Rockenfeller, who presented his RS 5 DTM to guests on the night before Audi’s annual press conference. “I’m incredibly excited about my first DTM season with ‘#1’ emblazoned on the car and can hardly wait for the next track tests to start.” 

 

The schedule before the season opener at Hockenheim on May 4 has been confirmed. The Audi RS 5 DTM was homologated at the beginning of March. From March 31 to April 3, the DTM will be testing on the Hungaroring in Budapest to which the series is returning this year. From April 14 to 17, the ‘rehearsal’ for the first race will follow at the Hockenheimring. Furthermore, the eight drivers including the three DTM Champions Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider got ready for the new season, which Audi has totally dedicated to the ‘title defense’ mission, at a one-week teambuilding and fitness camp. 

AUDI looking to build on successful qualifying at the Nurburgring

• Miguel Molina on grid position three at Nürburgring ‘home round’
• Edoardo Mortara on second row as well 
• Leader of the standings Mike Rockenfeller starts from position eleven

Since the beginning of the season Miguel Molina has had a second residence near the Nürburgring. Round seven of the DTM is thus something like a home round for the Spaniard – and on Sunday the 24-year-old will be tackling it from grid position three as the best Audi driver.

As is often the case in the DTM, thousandths of a second made the crucial difference about moving on to the next segment of the four-part qualifying session. This truth was brought home as well to leader of the standings Mike Rockenfeller, who in the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Phoenix set the best time in the first segment but in the second one missed the leap into the top ten by a razor-thin margin of 0.007 seconds. Thus, ‘Rocky’ will be starting from position eleven, one place behind his fiercest rival in the battle for the title, BMW driver Bruno Spengler.

Rockenfeller’s team-mate Miguel Molina on the other hand managed a nearly perfect qualifying performance and the leap into the top four for the first time this season. The Spaniard missed a position on the front row by only 0.006 seconds. He was highly pleased nonetheless: “That was a good qualifying session for me. My thanks go to Audi and to Team Phoenix. We’ve had many rough days this season. That makes it all the sweeter to finally be able to battle for victory again. I never lost my self-confidence but worked hard. I know how tough the DTM is and that anything can always happen. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow.”

Alongside Molina, Edoardo Mortara in the Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Rosberg will be tackling the race from the second row as well. The Italian who lives in Geneva was quick in all four qualifying segments.

With Mattias Ekström in the Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline on grid position nine, drivers of all three Audi factory teams made it into the top ten. Ekström’s team-mate Jamie Green in Q3 felt obstructed by Mercedes driver Gary Paffett and will start alongside Rockenfeller from the sixth row on Sunday.

Adrien Tambay in the Audi ultra RS 5 DTM will be tackling the race from position 14. Filipe Albuquerque in Q1 in 17th place was lacking 0.004 seconds to make it into the next segment after having achieved the best time in the morning’s free practice.

Timo Scheider’s string of misfortune continued at the Nürburgring. In free practice, a technical defect activated the fire extinguisher of his AUTO TEST Audi RS 5 DTM. Due to a problem with the fuel tank system Scheider at the end of Q1 only had a single lap, which ended in traffic and grid position 18.

“We’ve been able to continue our string of being the only manufacturer to have had at least one car on the two front rows of the grid in all races – and here we’ve even got two,” said Dieter Gass, Head of DTM at Audi Sport. “Qualifying was as close as usual, the conditions kept changing slightly, depending on the position of the clouds. So that meant a bit of fortune was necessary as well. ‘Rocky’ unfortunately didn’t have it in Q2. Starting from position eleven tomorrow won’t make things easy for him. But Bruno (Spengler) and Gary (Paffett), his two fiercest rivals in the battle for the title, aren’t at the very front either. I’m particularly happy for Miguel (Molina) and Edo (Mortara): Both have had a difficult season so far and will have the chance of finishing on the podium tomorrow.”