DTM, 14th July 2007: round 6, Mugello, qualifying

Bruno Spengler Sixth, Jamie Green Seventh

Bruno Spengler (DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class) will start tomorrow?s sixth round of the 2007 DTM in Mugello, Italy sixth on the grid. After three pole positions for him and five for the new C-Class in the season„s first five races, the Canadian was the best Mercedes driver today. In the final part of qualifying, Spengler set a time of 1min44.696 Min. Jamie Green (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class) qualified seventh with 1min44.774. Audi driver Mattias Ekström took pole position with 1min43.851. The race on Sunday will be started at 17:35 h, German TV station ARD will broadcast LIVE from about 17:40 h after reporting from the Tour de France before.

Qualifying, part 1: Bernd Schneider (Genuine Parts AMG Mercedes C-Class) was sixth with 1min44.892 and was the fastest driver with a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The following drivers were 15th to 19th respectively and did not make it to the second part: Mika Häkkinen (AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min45.578), who had started from the front row four times in a row in the recent races; Gary Paffett (Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min45.683); Mathias Lauda (Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min45.934); Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min46.352); Alexandros Margaritis (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min46.485).

Qualifying, part 2: Bruno Spengler (DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class) was sixth with 1min44.705 and qualified for the final part as well as Jamie Green (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class), who was eighth with 1min45.118. Behind them were Daniel la Rosa (TrekStor AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min45.178) in 10th place ahead of Bernd Schneider (1min45.312) and Paul di Resta (JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class/1min45.354.

Bruno Spengler (DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG Mercedes C-Class 2007), sixth (1min44.696): “A difficult qualifying for us. One reason was that Audi did already test here and we did not. Our team performed well, and I was able to improve throughout from yesterday?s tests to today?s qualifying. I look forward to tomorrow?s race and I will give it my all to make the best out of my sixth position on the grid.”

Jamie Green (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class 2007), seventh (1min44.774): “Today, our car was not as fast as we had hoped for. At this demanding track and in these high ambient temperatures, the race tomorrow is going to be tough; however, I am well prepared and I will push to achieve a better result.”

Daniel la Rosa (TrekStor AMG Mercedes C-Class 2006), 10th (1min45.178): “10th on the grid is not bad and I had not expected that after 15th position in this morning?s free practice. However, our team found a good set-up and I should be able to score some points tomorrow.”

Bernd Schneider (Genuine Parts AMG Mercedes C-Class 2007), 11th (1min45.312): “After the first part of qualifying we modified the car a little bit, but the result was not as expected. We will now see what the race will bring tomorrow. I look forward to it, and I will give it my all to score points.”

Paul di Resta (JAWA4U.de AMG Mercedes C-Class 2005), 12th (1min45.354): “A very difficult qualifying and additionally I made some mistakes. At least, I am among the better half of the Mercedes drivers and I aim for a point position tomorrow.”

Mika Häkkinen (AMG Mercedes C-Class 2007), 15th (1min45.578): “Definitely not the result I had planned for. Throughout the weekend, we had problems to find the optimum set-up for this challenging circuit. But I don?t give up. In motor racing, everything is possible and I will fight for a point position tomorrow.”

Gary Paffett (Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class 2006), 16th (1min45.683): “This morning, our set-up was OK, but in qualifying I was struggling with the balance. Once the car had understeer, then it suffered from oversteer. We will now analyse the problem and hopefully improve for tomorrow.”

Mathias Lauda (Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class 2006), 17th (1min45.934): “We knew before that it would be difficult today. Unfortunately, I was slower in qualifying than in this morning?s free practice, because I suffered from severe understeer.”

Susie Stoddart (TV-Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class 2005), 18th (1min46.352): “This was not my day. The car?s handling was not OK and therefore I wasn?t able to drive faster. Tomorrow I will try to improve, but with the many fast corners at this track overtaking will be difficult.”

Alexandros Margaritis (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class 2006), 19th (1min46.485): “I am very disappointed. We did not manage to realise what we had planned. In addition, I made a mistake on my fastest lap – and that was it.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “Our poorest result after five pole positions and first to fourth places in qualifying at the Norisring recently. It is positive, that we have become significantly faster since yesterday?s test until today?s qualifying and that we reduced the gap of initially almost two seconds to about eight and a half tenths. Following our victories, we are ten kilograms heavier than the '07 Audis, but this explains only one third of the difference. Two thirds or about six tenths of a second are what our fastest car with Bruno Spengler lacked of speed. Nevertheless we have five C-Class cars in rows three to six and between positions six and 12. Our HWA team and their partner teams Mücke and Persson did a good job in all five races so far. Now, Gerhard Ungar and his engineers will roll up their sleeves and achieve another improvement until the warm-up which will take place at noon tomorrow. If they manage a similar step as from yesterday until today, the race tomorrow evening will be much more exciting than today?s qualifying.“