Classic DRM battle with DTM in Spielberg
Text and photo: Roman Klemm
The beautiful field of four dozen cars (!) of the "Golden era of DRM and DTM" was dominated on Saturday by the sensational Zakspeed-Capri-Turbo steamed and piloted by the former driver of the "Peace and Friendship Cup" Peter Mück. On Sunday, Stefan Rupp's newer Audi A4 prevailed after Mücke's failure.
The car with which Erich Zakowski caused controversy (rear spoiler) in 1980 in the then-still-trodden DRM and which Klaus Ludwig drove to five triumphs, the team of technicians around Peter and Stefan Mücke's son is getting better and better. Gone are the days when this supercharged monster only lasted a few laps. Reliability has now been added to the car's speed, and Mücke beats the competition with it without mercy. In Saturday's race, only the relatively modern DTM-Audi A4 of Stefan Rupp finished in the same lap, which basically sums up the history of DRM-DTM well: DRM and its supercharged silhouettes could not be matched even by the later flourishing DTM... "Pro" Sebastian Asch finished third in a Ford Sierra The RS500, which he is preparing (like the Mücke family) together with his father, DTM legend Roland.
"I don't know. If he feels like it, I'll let him go on Sundays as well," answered Stefan Mücke when asked whether he or "Papa" will drive the invincible Zakspeed-Capri on Sunday. Dad might have wanted to, but he didn't want the car, which - just like the similar car of the Austrian Petrakovits - did not appear at the start. So Stefan Rupp had a clear path to victory in front of Roland Asch - another of the great fathers who "had the taste" - and also the car.
Result Saturday:
1. Peter Mucke, Zakspeed-Ford Capri Turbo
2. Stefan Rupp, Audi A4 DTM
3. Sebastian Asch, Ford Sierra RS500
4. Erich Petrakovits, Zakspeed-Ford Capri Turbo
5. Peter Rikli, Honda Accord Euro
6. Markus Reich, Audi A4 STW
Sunday's result:
1. Stefan Rupp, Audi A4 DTM
2. Roland Asch, Ford Sierra RS500
3. Leonard Batenburg, BMW M3
4. Markus Reich, Audi A4 STW
5. James Everard, BMW M3
6. Franz Straub, De Tomaso Pantera
