Five C-Class Cars in Rows One to Three

• Mika Hakkinen will start the ninth race from the front row for the fifth time
• Six C-Class cars among the top-eight

Mika H�kkinen (AMG Mercedes C-Class) will start tomorrow�s ninth and penultimate round of the 2007 DTM in Barcelona second on the grid. In Saturday�s qualifying on a drying track, H�kkinen set a time of 1min18.868 and was 0.179sec behind Audi driver Martin Tomczyk�s pole position time of 1min18.689.

It is Mika H�kkinen�s fifth front row position in the ninth race of the season after he had achieved two poles and two second places earlier this year; no other driver has achieved more and so Mika is the top qualifier of the season. Bruno Spengler (DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class) qualified third with 1min19.483.

Four more C-Class cars finished among the top-eight: Bernd Schneider (Genuine Parts AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min19.498) in fourth place ahead of Jamie Green (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class/ 1min19.540). Gary Paffett (Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min19.617) and Alexandros Margaritis (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min20.061) qualified their 2006 cars sixth and eighth respectively.

Qualifying, part 1: On a wet track and in a light drizzle, Bernd Schneider was third fastest (1min19.315) and best C-Class driver. Bruno Spengler (1min19.406), Mika H�kkinen (1min19.482) and Jamie Green (1min19.610) followed in positions four to six. Mathias Lauda (Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class), who is living in Barcelona, qualified 18th for his home race with 1min20.518 ahead of Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min20.604).

Qualifying, part 2: Jamie Green was fastest with 1min18.961, Mika H�kkinen improved to seventh and thus to the final part of qualifying just when the chequered flag came out (1min19.603). Paul di Resta (JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min20.207) was 12th whilst Daniel la Rosa (TrekStor AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min20.687) qualified 14th.

Mika H�kkinen (2007 AMG Mercedes C-Class), second (1min18.868): �Five of my team mates are among the top eight and the front row for me is a great achievement considering the circumstances. It shows again the potential of the C-Class. We all will work hard tomorrow to keep the championship open until Hockenheim.�

Bruno Spengler (2007 DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class), third (1min19.483): �I am glad to start from the clean side of the track tomorrow. It was not an easy qualifying, because the grip level was pretty low. Third place therefore is OK. I expect a positive result in the race.�

Bernd Schneider (2007 Genuine Parts AMG Mercedes C-Class), fourth (1min19.498): �I am quite satisfied starting from the second row. It was difficult to keep the car on the track during my last turn, because I was sliding several times with the rain tyres on the drying surface. We are well prepared for the race and I am confident.�

Jamie Green (2007 Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class), fifth (1min19.540): �Not a bad qualifying for me, but on the drying track it was a lottery for everybody. I have been strong in dry as well as in wet conditions this weekend, so I am optimistic for the race no matter how the weather will look like tomorrow.�

Gary Paffett (2006 Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class), sixth (1min19.617): �Sixth on the gird is a good basis for tomorrow�s race and I should be able to build upon this. The result would probably be not so good when it would have been dry.�

Alexandros Margaritis (2006 stern AMG Mercedes C-Class), eighth (1min20.061): �A good qualifying. After being not better than 13th in the dry yesterday and this morning, I was significantly faster in the wet. Now I want to score points tomorrow.�

Paul di Resta (2005 JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class), 12th (1min20.207): �I was not able to get the maximum out of the car due to the weather conditions. I hope for a dry race tomorrow, that should help me to improve.�

Daniel la Rosa (2006 TrekStor AMG Mercedes C-Class 2006), 14th (1min20.687): �A better result was not possible for me. I did not manage to get the best out of the tyres to repeat my 11th place in this morning�s free practice.�

Mathias Lauda (2006 Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class), 18th (1min20.518): �I can handle a wet track usually pretty well, but today I just didn�t have enough grip. It�s a shame, I had expected more for my home race.�

Susie Stoddart (2005 TV-Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class), 19th (1min20.604): �I gave it my all, but I struggled with bad traction all the way. I am disappointed and we have a lot of work ahead of us to improve for tomorrow.�

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: �Six Mercedes among the top eight and five of them on the first three rows are a good basis for us. Tomorrow we want to repeat a similar result and to improve one position at the top. If we manage this, the Hockenheim circuit will be bursting at the seams during the final race.�