DTM: Olé, olé: Audi driver Molina clinches first pole

Olé, olé: Audi driver Molina clinches

first pole

􀀁 22-year-old Spaniard shines in DTM qualifying at Oschersleben

􀀁 Three Audi A4 DTM cars on the two front rows

􀀁 Leader of the standings Martin Tomczyk on grid position 14

Ingolstadt/Oschersleben, 17 September 2011 – Olé, olé: The Spaniard Miguel

Molina stole the show from the established stars in qualifying for the DTM race at

the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben by clinching his first pole position in the most

popular international touring car racing series. With three A4 DTM cars on the two

front rows of the grid Audi achieved an impressive qualifying result.

The youngster from Audi Sport Team Abt Junior, who has been suffering a string of

misfortune and unable to score points so far this year, managed to continually

improve on Saturday afternoon. After eleventh, fifth and second place in the first

three qualifying segments Molina, who at the age of 22 is the youngest Audi factory

driver, secured the top spot on the grid in Q4 with a lead of one thousandth of a

second over Bruno Spengler.

“Achieving a pole position in the DTM is simply fantastic,” jubilated the Spaniard.

“Particularly after a season that has been so unfortunate for me up to now. I want to

thank Audi and my team for the fantastic car but also my family who is supporting

me.”

Two of his team-mates, Oliver Jarvis and Mattias Ekström (both from Audi Sport

Team Abt Sportsline), are starting from the second row on Sunday. Directly behind

them Timo Scheider is following as another driver from Audi Sport Team Abt

Sportsline, who missed Q4 only by 67 thousandths of a second.

Edoardo Mortara (Audi Sport Team Rosberg) managed the leap into Q3 as well.

However, the best rookie in the 2011 DTM did not manage a perfect lap in the third

segment. The Italian will start into the race from position eight, Mike Rockenfeller

and Filipe Albuquerque, who achieved the fastest time in both free practice

sessions, will start from positions ten and eleven.

For Martin Tomczyk qualifying turned out to be a disappointment. For the first time

this year the leader of the standings from Audi Sport Team Phoenix was eliminated

in the first qualifying section and will only be starting from position 14. “My car was

slipping way too much,” said the driver from Rosenheim, Bavaria, who is living in

Switzerland. “We need to analyze the reason for this because this has never

happened before this year. I have my work cut out for me tomorrow. But in the DTM

anything is possible.”

Tomczyk’s team-mate Rahel Frey will tackle the race on Sunday starting at 2 p.m.

(from 1:45 p.m., local time, live on “Das Erste”) from grid position 16.

”It was an extremely thrilling qualifying,” commented Head of Audi Motorsport Dr.

Wolfgang Ullrich. “I’m very happy for Miguel (Molina) and Oliver (Jarvis), who have

had a difficult season so far. Today both of them showed their true potential.

Naturally, it’s a shame that Martin (Tomczyk) is starting so far from the rear here of

all places. But it shows how incredibly close the competition is in the DTM this year.”

Audi Sport/ For Acreditated and Autorized Media Press.