Bruno Spengler claims pole for returnee BMW at Lausitzring

Spengler (center) will start on pole for BMW

In qualifying for the second DTM round of the year at Lausitzring, BMW sparked a major surprise. Canadian Bruno Spengler claimed pole position with his BMW M3 DTM. Spengler’s fellow BMW driver Augusto Farfus from Brazil completed the 1-2 for the DTM returnee from Munich in qualifying.

He was only 38 thousandths of a second slower than the Canadian. Spengler, who claimed pole for Mercedes-Benz at the very same venue last year, will be starting from first place on the grid on Sunday at 14.00 h for the twelfth time in his DTM career. “A pole position is always an absolutely great feeling. The fact that it is the first for BMW after 20 years is making it very special and exciting", an overjoyed Spengler said.

The winner from the season opener at Hockenheim and points’ leader, Gary Paffett with the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé, set the third-fastest time at the 3.478 kilometers long circuit in the Lausitz region. “When you see how close it is in the DTM, I am happy with third place. I was only 43 thousands of a second down on Bruno Spengler. Surely, it will be a very thrilling race", the Brit commented.

German Mike Rockenfeller was the best Audi driver on Saturday. With his Audi A5 DTM, the 28-year old ended up fourth to claim a spot on the second row of the grid. “Today, I had what it took to make it on pole. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a perfect lap together. And with such strong opponents, that is what you need to make it all the way to the front", Rockenfeller explained

Italian Edoardo Mortara (Audi), Jamie Green from Great Britain (Mercedes-Benz) and Martin Tomczyk from Germany (BMW) followed in fifth to seventh place. Hockenheim pole sitter Mattias Ekström (Audi) also failed to make it into the final heat of the four-heat shoot-out qualifying and ended up eighth. French Audi driver Adrien Tambay surprised with a good tenth place in only his second DTM qualifying.

A glance at the first three rows of the starting grid with two cars each from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, clearly reveals how well balanced the 2012 DTM is.

There was disappointment for Timo Scheider (Audi) in twelfth place and the two Mercedes-Benz drivers Ralf Schumacher (D) and David Coulthard (GB) in 16th and 20th position respectively.

Lineup

Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap
1. Bruno Spengler Schnitzer BMW 1m18.777s +0.000s
2. Augusto Farfus RBM BMW 1m18.815s +0.038s
3. Gary Paffett HWA Mercedes 1m18.820s +0.043s
4. Mike Rockenfeller Phoenix Audi 1m19.206s +0.429s
5. Edoardo Mortara Rosberg Audi 1m18.374s Q3
6. Jamie Green HWA Mercedes 1m18.461s Q3
7. Martin Tomczyk RMG BMW 1m18.490s Q3
8. Mattias Ekstrom Abt Audi 1m18.569s Q3
9. Miguel Molina Phoenix Audi 1m18.667s Q3
10. Adrien Tambay Abt Audi 1m18.686s Q3
11. Filipe Albuquerque Rosberg Audi 1m18.749s Q2
12. Timo Scheider Abt Audi 1m18.758s Q2
13. Andy Priaulx RBM BMW 1m18.771s Q2
14. Joey Hand RMG BMW 1m18.817s Q2
15. Robert Wickens Persson Mercedes 1m18.840s Q2
16. Christian Vietoris HWA Mercedes 1m18.862s Q2
17. Ralf Schumacher HWA Mercedes 1m19.506s Q1
18. Roberto Merhi Persson Mercedes 1m19.557s Q1
19. Susie Wolff Mucke Mercedes 1m19.584s Q1
20. David Coulthard Mucke Mercedes 1m19.672s Q1
21. Dirk Werner Schnitzer BMW 1m19.737s Q1
22. Rahel Frey Abt Audi 1m20.415s Q1