As exclusively predicted by
Crash.net last week [see separate article –
click here], Audi has confirmed that it has indeed signed up former
McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Oliver Jarvis to form part of its ten-pronged DTM attack in 2008, in addition to adding the names of ex-Champ Car star Katherine Legge and Markus Winkelhock to its impressive roster.
Jarvis and Winkelhock have been handed 2007-spec Audi A4s for the forthcoming campaign, and will be run by Audi Sport Team Phoenix and Audi Sport Team Rosberg respectively. Legge – who becomes one of a select group of female drivers to have participated in the DTM, adding her name to a list that includes Susie Stoddart, Vanina Ickx and Ellen Lohr – will race an older, 2006-spec machine for Futurecom TME. Narrowing down the list of possible candidates, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich was keen to stress, was no easy task.
“We really couldn't complain about a lack of interest,” the Head of Audi Motorsport affirmed. “A lot of big-name drivers approached us, which shows just how interesting Audi and the DTM are. It was, however, clear from the off that we would stick to our strategy of further rejuvenating our driver squad and, quite logically, to nurture our own talent alongside our established stars.”
The trio impressed the Ingolstadt marque during a driver evaluation in Spain, and recently got acquainted with their new team-mates at Audi's winter training camp, which traditionally serves as a fitness check and team building event. They will join defending DTM champion and reigning double
Race of Champions winner Mattias Ekström, Martin Tomczyk, ‘Mr Le Mans' Tom Kristensen and Timo Scheider – all in 2008 machinery entered by Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline – as well as Alex Prémat and Mike Rockenfeller behind the wheel of 2007 cars.
