I can’t describe to you how hot it was in the car during my first complete DTM race – I think I could have cooked my dinner whilst driving! I am pretty fit, I have my own trainer Karl Bickley, who I work with me five to five times a week and comes with me to all the races, but you’ve got to be fit to stand the heat and keep your concentration.
I know I will get used to the heat in time – the important thing is to get into the car as cool as possible because then it takes longer for your body to warm up. That is not always possible though as we have lots of driver duties to do on the grid, and parade to the crowds. It is just another thing for me to used to!
The other thing I really noticed was the lack of vision at the start of the race. I think it was the first time I’d seen the back of someone’s helmet since karting! In single seaters it is much easier to see what is going on around you; when a car stalls you can see round it and you know much sooner when a someone is along side. So you have to be extra vigilant at the start.
It was great to finish the race at Oschersleben, it was actually the first race I have done since Monza last September in GP2! To get into the top ten with my Team Futurecom-TME 2005 Audi was good but now my aim is to collect some points.
I made the second qualifying which was progress although I would liked to have been a bit further up the grid. It is so tight and tough that every grid position makes a real difference on the Sunday – one less person to pass.
This weekend at the Euro Speedway, Lausitz I will keep pushing and I really hope to get more out of my car.
I have actually driven before here in an Opel DTM car. In 2003 I did a few rounds of the Euro F3 and at end of it Opel asked me to test. It was rained off after 5 laps though. But I have also driven the banking at Rockingham so it doesn’t faze me at all. It is just another corner and the main thing is to get round it.
![Adam Carroll - Team Futurecom-TME [Pic credit: Audi Motorsport]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/311966.jpg)
