The race at the ninth and penultimate round of the 2003 DTM at Zandvoort saw home hero Christijan Albers triumph for AMG-Mercedes in front of a record crowd – but only after pole sitter, and race leader, Timo Scheider lost a wheel after a routine pit stop.
The first half of the race was marked by a breathtaking battle between the two 24-year olds, with Opel driver Scheider leading from the start and absorbing constant pressure from his opponent.
However, the crucial moment came when Albers pitted first for new tyres, on lap 20 of 36 – Shieder came in a lap later, but in their haste to keep the German in front, the right front wheel wasn't properly attached by the Opel team and the devastated Astra V8 driver was forced to stop soon after.
Thus, Albers went on to take a popular home win, ahead of Mercedes-Benz colleague driver Bernd Schneider, while last year's winner Mattias Ekström occupied the final podium slot. Manuel Reuter came home fourth with his Opel Astra V8 Coupé.
"It is hard to describe the feelings that I had during my cooling-down lap," beamed race winner Albers. "When you look out of the car and you are being cheered by thousands of people, it sends shivers down your spine. It is just great. Winning right here at Zandvoort in front of my home crowd means an incredible lot to me."
By contrast, Scheider couldn't hide his disappointment after driving the race of his life.
"Retiring while in the lead is very hard," said a tearful Timo. "Basically, the fact that my team has always been among the best in pit stops throughout the season is making it even more dramatic.On the other hand, we have shown today as the entire Opel-team that we are able to win a race. We have been the strongest make at Zandvoort throughout the weekend, and that gives me courage and energy for the final in a fortnight."
