Quotes from the Audi drivers before the race in Brands Hatch

Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): "Brands Hatch is a short but demanding circuit. There isn’t much time to relax when you are driving. I think that we’ll be good there - just how good is difficult to judge, since the test was held before the start of the season. Whatever the case I’m looking forward to the race and that things finally get rolling again after the five week break.”

Mattias Ekström (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): "I’ll be racing for the first time at Brands Hatch. At the test there we had a good speed and the track was a lot of fun. With Tom winning at Oschersleben we have to drive with a few kilograms of ballast. On the other hand Tom leads the Championship. I think it’ll be a hard fight again with Mercedes. We’ll try to help Tom so that he can also leave Brands Hatch still leading the Championship.”

Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): "The race at Brands Hatch will be wild. The circuit is spectacular and is unforgiving. The set-up isn’t actually very difficult, but nevertheless very important. Brands Hatch only has four corners - and the car has to be perfect in each one. The track is short, so the lap times will be very tight. That means the cars will be separated by a few hundredths.”

Tom Kristensen (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): "We are all looking forward to Brands Hatch. It is our first race abroad this year. Brands Hatch is stepped in tradition. 82 laps around the Indy Circuit will be incredibly tough, concentration is important. There is hardly a straight, it goes up and down, and the corners are exciting. At Brands Hatch everything has to slip into place if you want to win.”

Christian Abt, Audi Sport Team Phoenix): "After things didn’t go quite as I’d planned during the first three races, I now look to Brands Hatch for an upturn in form - even though it isn’t necessarily my favourite circuit because it’s a little Mickey Mouse like. With 82 race laps I’m even expecting a safety car period. There could be quite a few surprises.”

Pierre Kaffer (Audi Sport Team Phoenix): "I’m really looking forward to Brands Hatch. We had a successful test. I think that it will be a fantastic event. It’s always a special good feeling to drive on a traditional English race track. My last race in England was in 2004 with the R8 at Silverstone - and I won there together with Allan McNish.”

Frank Stippler (Audi Sport Team Rosberg): "The Brands Hatch circuit is demanding. It goes up and down, it’s like a mini Nordschleife. I think it’ll separate the men from the boys since the circuit is really difficult. Things didn’t run too badly at the test. We’ll see how things are on the race weekend.”

Timo Scheider (Audi Sport Team Rosberg): "The fans will be treated to an exciting and interesting race weekend. I’m personally not a great friend of short tracks; the longer circuit is just more fun to drive for me. However, it’s obviously fantastic for the fans that we come by so often. As a driver we’ll probably get quite dizzy after 82 laps…”

Vanina Ickx (Futurecom TME): "We tested at Brands Hatch in March. It was quite cold at that time. This DTM race will also be tough and interesting. The circuit is short and tight, the run-off areas are small. Over the last couple of weeks the team and I have been trying to improve the pit-stop procedure and the car set-up. I hope it helps.”

Olivier Tielemans (Futurecom TME): "I drove for one-and-a-half days with the A4 DTM at the pre-season test at Brands Hatch, which should help me to find my feet a lot quicker than at the previous races.”

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "The DTM goes to Brands Hatch for the first time - to a circuit where Audi has already competed in many great touring car races, and was frequently successful. We know that it is a very special track. Normally the races there are very close and wild. I’m convinced: The DTM at Brands Hatch will be motorsport at its finest. To go there as championship leader is particularly good.” Schon gesehen?