BMW’s Marco Wittmann once again topped the Hockenheimring times on the second day of official DTM testing. The German lapped the circuit in 1:33.227 to beat Audi’s Miguel Molina to the top spot.
Click here for the full day 2 test times.
Wittmann, who has yet to make his début after only being announced in the newly-formed BMW Team MTEK in December, was just 0.015 seconds faster than Spaniard Molina after posting the fastest time in the morning session.
The second of four days of testing was regularly interrupted by heavy rain, limiting the ability of drivers to post top times. As a result the top time was around two tenths of a second slower than during Monday’s session.
“That was a very successful and busy first day of testing for me here in Hockenheim,” admitted second-fastest Molina. “Despite the difficult weather conditions with a constant change from a wet to dry track I completed 80 laps and worked on the complete testing plan. The lap times were also encouraging and tomorrow we will hopefully be able to continue well as this is the last test before the season begins and we must leave here with a practically race-ready car.”
BMW’s Martin Tomczyk was third fastest, ahead of Audi’s Edoardo Mortara and Adrien Tambay. Tomczyk also admitted that the weather had been problematic, but that the team had been able to get on with their complete testing program – which he believes will be crucial come the first race of the season.
“Despite the changing conditions we could still complete our full testing plan,” said Tomczyk. “It is not easy, especially when it rains very heavily and the track becomes very wet.
“The first race at the Hockenheimring will show who has done their homework.”
Brit Gary Paffett ended the session in ninth and as the second-best Mercedes driver behind Daniel Juncadella, although Paffett did post the fastest time during the morning session.
Several drivers will hand over to their team-mates for the rest of the week, with Wittmann, Tomczyk, Werner, Juncadella, Paffett and Merhi no longer participating in the test sessions. Audi have opted to run their drivers on alternate days.