Audi Sport Team Rosberg no longer the third team

By Tarek Ramchani

Team Rosberg has been racing with Audi as a factory team in the DTM since 2006. The team always used older specification Audi A4 DTM cars, with disappointing results most of the time.

Things have changes since 2011. Team Rosberg welcomed two young and fast drivers, who adapted quickly and really well to the demanding DTM. Portuguese driver Filipe Albuquerque who came from Audi Sport Italia and Italian Edoardo Mortara who came from the F3 single seater formula. Both drivers had a great debut in the German series during 2011. Mortara was on the podium twice and even better he won the non-championship event at Munich Olympic Stadium.

In 2012 Team Rosberg finally had the chance to use a brand new DTM racer, when Audi debuted the A5 DTM R17, an equal start for all three Audi factory teams. Overall the season was very difficult for Audi as a brand, but not for Team Rosberg. Edoardo Mortara won his first ever DTM victory at the Red Bull Ring, the first ever for Team Rosberg with Audi. Later in the year Edo won again at Zandvoort. He finished fifth in the championship. Filipe Albuquerque had a harder year but was always capable of taking points and fighting hard on track, Filipe ended the season in eleventh overall. Audi Sport Team Rosberg was classified fourth in the teams standings, and the best Audi team.

For 2013 both drivers will continue with Audi Sport Team Rosberg. The team is aiming very high for this year's competition in the DTM overall, but also within the Audi squad, to again be the top Audi team alongside Phoenix Racing and Abt Sportsline. The season opener is set for this weekend, at the Hockenheimring. Team Rosberg and their pair of Audi RS 5 DTM cars will try to prove again that they are no longer the third team at Audi.

Photo credit: Audi Media

DTM: A word from … Edoardo Mortara

Audi Press Release

You’ve just returned from a brief visit to Moscow to promote Audi and the DTM race there on August 4. What was your impression?

This was my first visit to Russia. It was really exciting to be standing on Red Square with the Audi A5 DTM. I was particularly surprised about the high interest of the media. Around 50 journalists were there and Mattias Ekström and I had to give a lot of interviews.

And how did the Russian fans respond to the Audi visit?

They were clearly thrilled. I haven’t signed such a large number of autographs as I did at this event in a long time.

Did you get the impression that the people in Moscow were familiar with the DTM at all?

Yes, absolutely. I think the people there have a great interest in motorsport. Their questions showed me that they definitely know the DTM and are paying attention to it. Of course, we’ve still got to explain the series in terms of its various specifications in more detail to the motorsport journalists and the fans. Mattias and I tried to communicate what our sport is all about as best we could.

What are your expectations of the DTM’s Russian debut this summer?

The track will be new for all of us, so there’s not much you can say about it at this point in time. But after my experiences during this brief visit I’m sure that the race will be a resounding success. The people are obviously very enthusiastic about motorsport. I’m already looking forward to running there. We’ll be doing everything we can to deliver a good show to them and to make the race a success for Audi. Generally speaking, I was very impressed with the hospitality and interest of the Russian people. I’m definitely expecting to see full grandstands at the race and am already excited about my next visit to this fascinating metropolis.

Photo credit: Audi Media