Amazing quiet race of the BTCC Knockhill in a dry, boring waiting for the DTM and a lot of chaos at the WTCC in Oschersleben.

It was already clear that the 98 rounds of the DTM at Brands Hatch would not just belong to the treat. Drivers and cars are just too identical good that one could really get on the short haul. Paul di Resta drove alone the whole weekend in a whole league of its own and let the rest of the world by up to five tenths behind. If you consider that the distance between place 3 and 11 5 / 10 is, one can realize how superior was di Resta. Accordingly, the fight was going on in terms of peak really nothing at all, after the start was made. The also made sure to transcribe the Audi's last title contenders this year had to. What then is clear that we can no longer defend the title.

Those who have no desire to read: Basic Groove colleague was in the WTCC Oschersleben race and has lots of photos allowed!

Starting in the fray, Ralf Schumacher and Mattias Ekstrom had come into the enclosure. Schumacher unhappy touched the left rear of the Swedes, whose suspension is adopted. The touch was really minimal, all the more astonishing that the suspension gave way immediately. The rest Stottard Susie, when he completed the Ekstrom scooped rumschlich behind the crest of Paddock Hill Bend on the racing line. Ekstrom said after the race and that the DTM cars because of their extreme sensitivity to its simple construction method. For Schumacher, the race was ended not much later, as he rumbled through the gravel and its suspension, also appears to give the rest.

Once that was sorted out, did not actually much more. Timo Scheider tried lying in 3rd place, put the car in front of him Spengler pit strategy through better under pressure, which almost succeeded at the second stop. Scheider missed maybe 1 or 2 tenths and he would have been through. As you could guess, was driven as hard on the track, had to fight as much the driver for every meter.

Again a good race gave the Spaniard Molina. From 8th place went to the race, he fell back on after starting 10th place. But his team was simply to help two very long stints that could participate as long as the tires. Since the Audi with the tires a little gentler deal, Molina managed the feat at the end even set a new lap record for the DTM up. So he slipped from 10th place to 4th place (!), He could hold to the finish. What delivers the young driver is really remarkable. He is usually flawless go and fight for points. He is definitely a man for a current car, should be adopted towards Ekstrom NASCAR.

Paul di Resta won in the end completely unharmed from Spengler, who was traveling inconspicuously and Scheider, confirming its uptrend. Because Paffett behind Molina came to the finish, he lost important points to his two Mercedes-colleagues. Spengler will still work, but his lead is in the last four races at nine points along narrow melted. Stand at the moment:

Plumber 52
di Resta 43
Paffett 39
Scheider 29
Ekstrom 28

BTCC
It went amazingly civilized, at least in the first two races of the BTCC. Maybe it was just so shocked that it was dry at Knockhill. It was clear that the two Hondas would set the pace. You are on the rather narrow range in Knockhill maneuverable and has since Silverstone is also a new, more powerful engine under the hood. All the more surprising was that the young Alex MacDowell was able to secure the pole in the Chevy Cruze. But in the race were able to beat the Honda.

Race 1
MacDowell could not transpose his pole. A bit too much wheel spin past the start and was already Shedden. Lined up in Turn 1, the young pilot Cruze Shedden behind a little too optimistic and touching him in the rear. Shedden was almost completely across rescued the car somehow and stayed ahead. Behind the rows of one Neal and Plato, in the first race of the speed of his teammates could not go with. Around him, but clenched his colleagues, who put him under enormous pressure. Onslow-Cole tried to be the first to Plato, but let him drain. Beneficiaries of the action was Steven Kane with his BMW, which was awarded to both before and immediately lifted off from Plato. Even behind there were many good tackles, which remained mostly fair. Rob Collard was just suddenly in the tire stacks, as it happened, the cameras have not dissolved. Front initially but did relatively little. Shedden had dropped by 2 seconds, MacDowell was a good distance from Matt Neal, who could take it easy. Then someone had taken a huge banner and stored in the Weir Chicane. A safety car was the result, which should have consequences for Neal. Because when restarting Steven Kane was suddenly behind him, who then turned a lap later in the hairpin and was able to overtake. At the end Shedden won before MacDowell, Kane, Neal, Chilton, Plato, Cole, O'Neill, Jordon and Jackson. For BTCC Knockhill and conditions, it was a rather calm race.

Race 2
It was almost time to go that far MacDowell messed up the start and falling behind. In the back of the field turns Pinkney, the same still entrains Rob Collard. Both out that Marshall put a little slapstick act. First they push collards cars still in the tire pile, then they get away car Pinkneys not. After the restart, grabs the leader Matt Neal Gordon Shedden, in which he lays his braking point beyond good and evil, and in the past Haipin suppressed. Although Shedden rumschleppt the placement of weight from one run with it, but can not be deposed Neal. Front then forms a nice fast train out of 5 cars with Neal, Shedden, Kane, Chilton and Plato, who holds back and wanted to protect evidently long the tires. Although nothing was paid to the front, but it happened just before closing it. Only in the last four rounds swing came back into the booth, as Plato put the Ford of Chilton in the hairpin and walked out of the way. Two laps later he made a similar maneuver with Steven Kane, who also had to deal immediately with Chilton. The fast Ford sat down in Turn 1 next to the BMW and of course nobody wanted to give. Kane had the worse end to his side and turned out of it. Unfortunately, he took it with even Paul O'Neill, who fell far behind. Neal won before then Shedden and Plato, who could keep his lead in the championship. Although a nice fight at the top, but otherwise relatively little movement in the field.

Race 3
After the first two races were even more quiet for BTCC conditions, then the third race should be a bit rougher. The draw for the reverse grid Cole had moved to the poles, but lurking behind him with Kane and Jackson, two BMWs, whose rear-wheel drive at the start should be better. Unlucky was Kane, who had to park his BMW before the start with a broken driveshaft. Onslow-Cole was able to prevail at the start just to Mat Jackson, who jostled from behind, however. Plato and Shedden was plözlich grabbed third place. In the second round, Jackson tried to Cole in the chicane to go over, what promoted him but on the grass. Half the field went past him with the neck and the size of a tree trunk, he went in pursuit.
Forward it long remained quiet, even a restart after Pinckney had sunk his car again, did not alter the order. Plato hung on Cole, but did not say anything. Andrew Jordan was secure third party, and took a respectable distance behind the two leaders. Behind him there was a gap because James Nash Triple 8 cars in Matt Neal and the rest stayed. In the final laps, it was still really hectic times.
Plato massively increased the pressure on Cole. Three times he tried another line into the hairpin on the line to have more momentum every time Cole played from the superior acceleration of the Focus and let stand Plato. It was only the fourth time that Plato was next to him sat and sat by in Turn 1 on the line better. The maneuver allowed Jordan to come closer, threw his car but with the arrogance in the grass and fell far behind. Matt Neal had become James Nash out of the way and stuck to Onslow-Cole, but escaped with slight lead to the finish.

A remarkable race, with a not entirely expected winner. Plato victory is valuable, because it means 20 in the championship points lead. This is still too little, here come two more race weekends, but better than nothing, it is in any case.

WTCC
Hard to believe, but BMW is the almost decrepit 320si thanks to a good mood again Andy Priaulx in the middle of the championship. This does not only the WTCC well, but apparently even BMW. Although it has not yet decided whether it wants to be on the road in 2011 as a works team, but this one was known that it wants to offer all of the BMW team, an upgrade kit to the new rules for 2011. Thus, all buy the new 1.6 liter turbo engine from BMW and displays the necessary conversion kits also. BMW will be present in every case, even if one is not as work on the road, you will probably support one of the "house and home teams."

Both races in Oschersleben were very varied and well worth seeing.

Race 1
As usual, the initial phase brought a lot of excitement in Oschersleben. Farfus, who had taken something of a surprise pole came off well, covered the inside line and wanted to go first in the lead. But from behind, pushed Rob Huff and Yvan Muller. The Frenchman moved to Huff, Huff as the BMW of Farfus, who was again pushed far out. What did it mean that the two Chevys long lead. Been in the starting commotion must have a touch and then Tarquini, at least briefly, the Seat limped around the track. Tarquini made the car a bit unfair not depend on the edge of the track, but right on the racing line after the chicane. They apparently wanted to force a SC phase. The race organizers did not get angry, and you put away the car under a local yellow phase. That was pretty dangerous, but also extremely unsporting by Tarquini.
In the meantime, the race organizers had also seen the start and again came to the conclusion that Rob Huff had probably acted deliberately when he urged Farfus. It imposed a drive-through penalty, but not the Huff took. What was understandable, because what happened at the start was just the usual Tourenwagengemetzel. Which also can not say whether Farfus had not slowed down a bit too early, because deep inside he was on the dirty track. Outside because Chevy and Huff had discussed with the race organizers, it was then, as it had come: Huff was brought in with a black flag.
The beneficiaries of all was Yvan Muller. Outside Tarquini, while Priaulx, who had a tough race, disqualified only at number 6, Huff. The points were rich. At the end won again before Farfus Menu, Muller, Coronel, Monteiro, Priaulx, Nykjaer, Michelisz, who was aiming for two races on pole.

Race 2
Priaulx scored at the start of the second row of two seats over. One could almost say that the Briton is off to an early start, but apparently both came with their front seat not just drive away. After the first round and after all the scuffles were through, Prilaux led before Michelisz, Nykjaer, Monteiro, Farfus, Menu, Coronel, Poulsen. Yvan Muller was at this time to see anything. Tiago Monteiro, however, was apparently on a very special mission. First he pushed brandmate Nykjaer out of the way, a couple of laps later he passed on rüpelte is also driving a Seat Michelisz. The race management was whether the robust driving style of the Portuguese not pleased and sent him once through the pit lane. The unfortunate Michelisz fell during the race even Rob Huff and Gabriele Tarquini points to the victim and did not finish. The Seat-half chaos, especially Yvan Muller, who held out from everything and could be at the end of third parties. Farfus benefited and took second place Nykjear made it after all of the attacks of Monteiro in fourth place. But Priaulx drove forward towards an easy victory, second place BMW of Farfus enjoyed it twice.

However - the race organizers had announced that there would be one or the other maneuvers in races one and two again wanted to look closely. But so far I have not heard anything in terms of penalties. If that changes, I wear it after.

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Amazing quiet race of the BTCC Knockhill in a dry, boring waiting for the DTM and a lot of chaos at the WTCC in Oschersleben. It was already clear that the 98 rounds of the DTM at Brands Hatch would not just belong to the treat. Drivers and cars are just too identical good that you at ...