However as the laps wound down the
Red Bull Abt Audi driver gathered a final wind and began to exert more pressure on Alesi, even giving the ex-
Ferrari driver a couple of love taps on the 37th and final lap before completing a MotoGP-esque criss-cross battle across the finish line to the absolute delight of the German crowd.
Alesi’s first DTM win outside of
Donington Park was greeted with major smiles all round and he, new Champ Schneider and the gracious-in-defeat Albers all performed an impressive set of collective victory donuts in front of the imposing new infield grandstand at Hockenheim.
“I am just happy”, said a largely lost-for-words Schneider at the finish. “I’m extremely happy about the championship and I thank everybody in the team for the excellent work throughout the season. This title is something really special for me, because I won it after a hard season and against strong opposition.”
“Indeed, you need that little bit of luck, and that is what I missed today”, Albers summed up. “I am still young, and I can look back upon a fantastic season.“
Schneider also gave credit to his rival. “It would have been really close. But I can live with the fact that it finally was like this”, added a slightly relieved Champion.
Mercedes-Benz motorsport director Norbert Haug felt compassion with Albers:
“It is hard, and I feel sorry for him. But the script for this season couldn’t have been better. A big hand also to Jean Alesi, he showed a great drive. And I also would like to give a compliment to our opponents of Audi and Opel: maybe, we were a little bit better here and there, but all in all, the three makes were balanced.”
Ekstrom only just missed out on his second DTM-victory. At the finish, the Swede only was 0.213 seconds behind Alesi and was left ruing a small delay on his first stop that led to Alesi’s initial passing move back on lap eight.
“Too bad, the pit stop wasn’t completely right,” mused Ekstrom. “I tried until the finish. Today, my car was ready for victory.“
