Second win of the season and third at the Norisring for Bruno Spengler, driver of a Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-ClassBruno Spengler, driver of a Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class, won the fifth race of the DTM season from pole position at the Norisring, ahead of Jamie Green (AMG Mercedes C-Class). This was Spengler’s ninth DTM win and his third at the Nuremberg street circuit, having previously won here in 2006 and 2007. For Mercedes-Benz, it is the 14th victory at this track. Spengler has now finished on the Norisring podium six years in a row. Since 2003, Mercedes-Benz has won all nine DTM races held at the Norisring.

Spengler’s second win in five races has put him back at the top of the drivers’ standings, which he had led for the first three rounds of the 2011 season.

In the direct comparison between the manufacturers, from a total of 195 races, Mercedes-Benz leads Audi by 107 victories to 58.

The race was stopped after 64 laps owing to extremely poor weather conditions. Four AMG Mercedes C-Class drivers finished in the Top 8, and six Mercedes-Benz drivers finished in the Top Ten. Jamie Green, winner of the last three races at the Norisring took second place to share the podium with Spengler. Ralf Schumacher (Salzgitter AMG Mercedes C-Class) finished sixth, while David Coulthard (Deutsche Post AMG Mercedes C-Class) secured a point in eighth position. Maro Engel (GQ AMG Mercedes C-Class), Renger van der Zande (stern AMG Mercedes C-Class) and Christian Vietoris (Junge Sterne AMG Mercedes C-Class) came home in positions nine to eleven. Susie Stoddart (TV Spielfilm AMG Mercedes C-Class) was 13th, Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class) retired during the first third of the race after a steering problem put him in the wall at turn three.

Across the race weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), a total of 124,000 spectators visited the Norisring DTM race.
Second win of the season and third at the Norisring for Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class)
Spengler retakes the drivers’ championship lead with his ninth DTM win
Ninth consecutive Mercedes victory at the Norisring since 2003
99th one-two and 163rd DTM win for Mercedes-Benz since 1988
Six Mercedes-Benz drivers in the Top Ten

Race summary

The start: The race begins behind the safety car owing to the wet conditions. Bruno Spengler starts from pole for the eleventh time in his DTM career. Gary Paffett runs P2, followed by Jamie Green in P3. Ralf Schumacher and Maro Engel are in P5 and P6.

Lap 5: The safety car comes in, and the racing begins.

Lap 6: Spengler defends his lead from Paffett. Green consolidates third place, Schumacher is fifth. Maro Engel loses sixth place to Timo Scheider (Audi).

Lap 9: David Coulthard overtakes Miguel Molina (Audi) and moves into ninth place.

Lap 11: Susie Stoddart moves up a position into P14.

Lap 14: Spengler maintains his lead over Paffett and Green. Schumacher runs fifth.

Lap 15: Gary Paffett crashes into the wall at turn three after a steering problem and retires.

Lap 21: The pit stop window opens. Spengler leads the race. He’s 3.6 seconds ahead of Green in P2.

Lap 28: Seven C-Class drivers run in the top 10 – Spengler, Green, Schumacher, Engel, Coulthard, Christian Vietoris and Renger van der Zande.

Lap 32: Vietoris is the first Mercedes-Benz driver to make his mandatory pit stop.

Lap 35: Coulthard in P8 comes in for his first pit stop.

Lap 38: First pit stop for Engel. He emerges in twelfth place.

Lap 43: Rain begins falling again. Spengler continues to lead from Green.

Lap 45: Leader Spengler comes in for his first mandatory pit stop. Stoddart also pits for fresh tyres.

Lap 47: Schumacher makes his first pit stop. He emerges in fifth place.

Lap 48: Green heads for the pits. After his first pit stop, he emerges in second place behind Spengler.

Lap 52 : Engel and Stoddart pit for the second time for fresh tyres.

Lap 54: Lead driver Spengler completes his second pit stop. Vietoris also pits for a second time for fresh tyres.

Lap 56: Green remains in P2 behind Spengler after his second pit stop.

Lap 58: The safety car comes back out owing to heavy rain. Schumacher pits for the second time for fresh tyres.

Finish (Lap 64): The race comes to an early end. Spengler secures his second win of the season. Green comes home in second place, Schumacher is sixth. Coulthard climbs from P13 on the grid to finish P8. Engel and van der Zande complete the Top Ten.