Marco Wittmann won the first DTM race on foreign soil in 2016. The BMW driver started from first place on Saturday and defended his lead to the finish. The racing tyres from exclusive DTM partner Hankook showed no wear and supported the drivers throughout the race, displaying the usual high level of grip despite the track temperature reaching 42 degrees.
Fastest in qualifying, Marco Wittmann did not relinquish his position at the start and crossed the finish line in first place after 30 laps. This result propelled the 2014 champion up to third place in the overall standings. His BMW team-mate Tom Blomqvist stayed within touching distance for the entire race but had no opportunity to challenge Wittmann, finishing in second place. The best Audi driver was Edoardo Mortara in third, who moved up to second in the overall standings. Paul Di Resta was the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver in seventh, retaining his position at the top of the drivers’ championship.
Hankook race engineer Thomas Baltes: “BMW had the best setup for their car, ideal for the new asphalt and the Hankook racing tyres. The Ventus Race provided peak performance throughout the race, with a very high grip level for all drivers from the first lap to the last. That also explains the unbelievably high level of performance throughout the field. On Sunday we are expecting even warmer temperatures than today, which changes the situation again. Qualifying is important, as the driver in pole position has claimed victory in six of the last seven DTM races at the Red Bull Ring.”
Marco Wittmann (BMW): “The new asphalt here at the Red Bull Ring provides a lot of grip and the Hankook racing tyres worked very well with the BMW in qualifying. There was hardly any tyre wear and I was able to drive consistently fast lap times from start to finish. It is great for a racing driver not to have to worry about the tyres, and to be able to keep pushing.”
Tom Blomqvist (BMW): “So far this weekend, the Hankook racing tyre has worked very well on the new track surface and has been amazingly consistent. There was no sign of wear in training or in the race, and the grip level was extremely high. I am very happy with it.”
Edoardo Mortara (Audi): “It was a special race today. The Hankook racing tyre showed no wear on the new asphalt, despite the high temperatures and I was able to go at full speed for the whole race. That worked well, and it was a lot of fun.”
Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-Benz): “The new track surface here in Spielberg is very soft and has a lot of grip. The Hankook racing tyre showed no signs of wear and I was able to score enough points to defend my first place in the drivers’ championship.”
