Motorsport: Grandiose DTM start by Nico Müller
First pole position, first DTM podium, best Audi driver in the second race: Nico Müller could not have made a much better start to his third DTM season at Hockenheim. Nevertheless, the ambitious driver from Bern is not completely satisfied. Praise from everywhere, relief on his side: Nico Müller's start to the season has been a success. After setting the best time in Saturday's free practice [...]
Praise from everywhere, relief on his side: Nico Müller has made a successful start to the season. After setting the fastest time in free practice on Saturday, he took pole position for the first race two hours later. Although he failed to get off to a good start, he was at least able to secure the podium position he had longed for in third place behind Edoardo Mortara (Audi) and Robert Wickens (Mercedes). The last time the Swiss flag flew on a DTM podium was also in Hockenheim on October 5, 2003 after Marcel Fässler's third place in a Mercedes.
As in the race the day before, all Audi RS5s had to contest the second qualifying session with a success ballast of five kilos, making them ten kilos heavier than Mercedes and 17.5 kilos heavier than BMW. Thanks to the new regulations, they were allowed to unload five kilos again for the second race because the competition had clearly been faster on one lap in qualifying. However, the starting positions in the middle and rear of the field were a handicap that could not be compensated for over the course of an hour. Nico Müller crossed the finish line in eighth place, making him the best Audi driver.
When will there be another opportunity like this?
Due to the disqualification of second-placed Timo Glock (non-compliant rear wing position on the BMW), the Bernese driver moved up one position. "But I could even have finished sixth. I was almost past Blomqvist's BMW when he pushed me off. I would have gladly taken these two additional points. But we can definitely be satisfied with the first race weekend," said Nico Müller, drawing a positive conclusion. However, the fact that he did not make better use of his ideal starting position on Saturday is still bothering him for a long time - who knows when such an opportunity for his first victory will arise again? In the championship, Müller is in a good fourth place with 21 points behind Sunday's winner Paul di Resta (Mercedes, 37 points), Robert Wickens (28) and his Abt-Audi team-mate Edoardo Mortara (25), who spun in the second race in the scramble at the start and dropped to the back of the field.
Nico Müller told AutoSprintCH how he experienced the Saturday of the race from his point of view in an exclusive interview.
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Photos: Audi Motorsport
