Audi’s Michael Rockenfeller wins the drivers’ title
Augusto Farfus drove his BMW Team RBM M3 DTM to victory in the Zandvoort DTM race ahead of Michael Rockenfeller’s Audi. It was Farfus’ second consecutive win, and his third of the season. Farfus took the lead from his second-place starting position and led the entire distance. BMW Team MTEK’s Marco Wittman, who started from his first-ever DTM pole position, finished fifth, and Farfus’ RBM teammate, Joey Hand, finished seventh.
Farfus and Rockenfeller were the only contenders for the drivers’ championship going into the race—and second place was enough for Rockenfeller to secure the title, with one race remaining in the 2013 season.
The track went yellow late in the race when BMW racer Dirk Werner’s car landed in a gravel trap after a collision with Mercedes’ Jamie Green. Wittman and Hand were fourth and sixth at the time, with Audi’s Adrien Tambay between them. But when the track went green for a one lap shootout to the finish, a hard-charging Mattias Ekstrom in his Audi passed all three racers to finish fourth.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said, “Augusto Farfus produced another sensational race. That was his third victory of the season, his fourth podium in a row, and the 50th win by a BMW M3 in the DTM: these figures speak for themselves. At the same time, however, we would like to congratulate Mike Rockenfeller and Audi. That was another very impressive race from ‘Rocky’ and he is a very worthy champion. He has been incredibly consistent throughout the entire season and deserves to be on top.”
Farfus is now guaranteed a second place finish in DTM driver’s points. BMW Team RBM trails Rockenfeller’s Audi Sport Team Phoenix by just three points in the team championship, and BMW is a close second to Audi in manufacturers’ points.
The team and manufacturers’ titles will be decided in the season finale at Hockenheim on October 20.—Brian S. Morgan
