Marco Wittmann moves to top of DTM Drivers’ Championship – Maxime Martin in the points for fifth time in a row.

Lausitzring (DE), 4th June 2016. Marco Wittmann (DE) is the new leader in the Drivers’ Championship after the fifth DTM race of the year at the Lausitzring (DE). The BMW Team RMG driver started from third on the grid and, after 32 flawless laps and a fierce battle with the drivers behind him, crossed the finish line fourth in the Red Bull BMW M4 DTM. Wittmann now has 47 points to his name, making him the overall leader. Victory in Saturday’s race went to Miguel Molina (ES, Audi).

Maxime Martin (BE) drove another good race in the SAMSUNG BMW M4 DTM, coming home ninth to pick up two points. He is now the only driver in the DTM field to have scored points in all five of this season’s races. Bruno Spengler (CA, BMW Bank M4 DTM) and Timo Glock (DE, DEUTSCHE POST BMW M4 DTM) narrowly missed out on the top ten, finishing 11th and 12th.

António Félix da Costa (PT, BMW M4 DTM), Augusto Farfus (BR, Shell BMW M4 DTM) and Tom Blomqvist (GB, Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM) ended the race in 15th, 21st and 22nd. Martin Tomczyk (DE) was involved in a collision with Esteban Ocon (FR), through no fault of his own, and was subsequently forced to retire from the race in the BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM.

Reactions to the fifth race of the 2016 DTM season.

Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “We can be very satisfied with fourth place for Marco Wittmann. He used up his DRS quota relatively early in the race, and then defended his position doggedly against those behind him. That is the mark of a champion: Marco showed nerves of steel. He now leads the Drivers’ Championship Maxime Martin is the only driver in the field to have finished in the points in every race this season. That is a very impressive performance. António Félix da Costa fought his way through the field with some fantastic and fair manoeuvres. In doing so, he showed what a fine racer he is. I am very pleased for him. Given the fact that the Lausitzring does not really suit the BMW M4 DTM, that was a good result today.”

Marco Wittmann (BMW Team RMG, 4th place): “My summary is more than positive. We did not reckon on finishing fourth here, and taking the lead in the Drivers’ Championship. We scored a lot of points, which is important – particularly on a track, at which we are not so strong. I had a good start, but unfortunately I could not find a way through to the very front. Then Robert Wickens forced me off the track. Towards the end of the race I did not have any DRS left and had to go on the defensive. It was a tough race – on the whole, I am very happy.”

Facts and Figures.

Circuit/length/duration:
Lausitzring, 3.478 kilometres, 40 minutes plus 1 lap

Conditions:
Sunny, 26 degrees Celsius

BMW Motorsport results:
#11 Marco Wittmann (DE), BMW Team RMG, Red Bull BMW M4 DTM – 4th place

#36 Maxime Martin (BE), BMW Team RBM, SAMSUNG BMW M4 DTM – 9th place

#7 Bruno Spengler (CA), BMW Team MTEK, BMW Bank M4 DTM – 11th place

#16 Timo Glock (DE), BMW Team RMG, DEUTSCHE POST BMW M4 DTM – 12th place

#13 António Félix da Costa (PT), BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW M4 DTM – 15th place

#18 Augusto Farfus (BR), BMW Team MTEK, Shell BMW M4 DTM – 21st place

#31 Tom Blomqvist (GB), BMW Team RBM, Ice-Watch BMW M4 DTM – 22nd place

#100 Martin Tomczyk (DE), BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM – DNF

Useful information:
Marco Wittmann leads the Drivers’ Championship for the first time since the final race of the 2014 season in Hockenheim (DE), when he was officially crowned champion.

Fourth place for Wittmann was the best result so far for the BMW M4 DTM at the Lausitzring.

Maxime Martin has scored points at each of the season’s five races. He is the only driver in the field to have achieved this feat.

Martin Tomczyk had to retire after an incident with Esteban Ocon.

The second qualifying session begins at 11:30 on Sunday. Before that, the third practice session is scheduled for 09:00.

 

2016 race calendar.

6th -8th May – Hockenheim (DE), 20th -22nd May – Spielberg (AT), 3 rd -5 th June – Lausitzring (DE), 24th -26th June – Norisring (DE), 15th -17th July – Zandvoort (NL), 19th -21st August – Moscow (RU), 9th -11th September – Nürburgring (DE), 23rd -25th September – Budapest (HU), 14th -16th October – Hockenheim (DE).

 

More information.
You can find the latest BMW Motorsport media information, the DTM Press Kit, and copyright-free images for editorial purposes online at www.press.bmwgroup.com/global.

 

BMW Motorsport on the web.

Website: www.bmw-motorsport.com
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Google+: www.plus.google.com/+bmwmotorsport

 

About the DTM.
The DTM is the most popular touring car series in the world. The series pits the three premium automobile manufacturers BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz against each other in a sporting contest. BMW fielded its first works teams from 1984 to 1992, during which time it claimed 49 race victories and won the Drivers’ Championship on three occasions (1984, 1987 and 1989). The manufacturer returned to the DTM in 2012, since when it has won seven of a possible twelve titles. 18 races, spread over nine weekends, are scheduled for 2016. ARD broadcasts all the races live. Tickets for all the DTM races are available here: https://tickets.bmw-motorsport.com/index.html