Audi 2008 Annual Report Download - page 57

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hat a year: tension, work, 11 races,
wins, defeats, then the title – and a very
special one at that. It was the first time Timo
Scheider won the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) and
the first time I was directly involved in such a victory. I
have been working for Audi Motorsport in the DTM for four
years now, the last two years on Timo’s car. But 2008 was
my first season as his chief mechanic. If asked to character-
ize Timo, there are a number of traits that would spring to
mind: friendly, funny, active in the community, honest,
focused, ambitious and fair – both to us and to his oppo-
nents on the track. He never thinks of me and my colleagues
as just the mechanics working for him, but cultivates a truly
friendly relationship with us. And he takes it farther than
anyone else: One race weekend, he surprised us with a game
console; another time he gave each of us a mountain bike as
a token of his gratitude.
This go-to attitude has had a direct influence on our inter-
personal relationships. In principle, Audi mechanics have
to perform the identical program to prepare each Audi A4
DTM for the race. The differences lie primarily in the indi-
vidual setup requested by each driver. So on race week-
ends, we use Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning to test
the car. But well before that, Timo Scheider, his engineer
Armin Plietsch and the entire Audi team give a great deal
of thought to the optimal setup of the A4 DTM, making
our work more transparent and easier. There is a clear
focus on efficiency.
There is a palpable and perceptible crescendo of emotions
as the race weekend progresses into Sunday. When Timo
climbs into the car on Sunday afternoon, we spring into
action again. As I close the door behind him, all the hype
and stress surrounding the television cameras, photo cam-
eras and guests comes to an abrupt halt. After everyone
has left the starting grid, only a single mechanic remains
standing at each vehicle with a starting battery to ignite
the car. That’s what I do for Timo. It is the last chance we
have to look each other in the eye. The next time will be in
parc fermé, the enclosed area of the racetrack where the
cars are parked following the race. We had plenty of op-
portunities to offer our congratulations this season.
The tension mounts on the way from the starting grid back
to the pit area. It’s a strange situation for those of us on
the team: First of all, there is nothing more we can do to
help Timo until he pits. Other than the two pit stops that
last just a few seconds, we are relegated to being nothing
more than spectators. Of course, we can’t enjoy the race
the same way the fans in the stands do. I cheer Timo on,
listen to his comments on the radio and eagerly follow
events on the monitors. There are moments of pure joy –
such as during the final race at Hockenheim, when Timo
pulled away from his greatest rival at the start. But the
DTM is a rollercoaster of emotions: In Mugello, Italy, we
had to stand by helplessly as Timo false-started, received
a drive-through penalty and fell far behind.
Situations like these prove one thing above all: that racing
drivers are people and not robots. And each of us gives
110 percent to achieve everything for our driver and the
Audi brand.
The final DTM race was a powerful demonstration of how
strong we can be. After qualifying, we realized that Timo’s
car was seriously damaged. He had gone all out, but ran off
line on one of the corners and his car bounced over the
curb. When the car landed, there was quite a bit of damage,
which meant we had to change the engine on the night
before the race. Almost the worst situation imaginable.
But the other Audi drivers’ mechanics were happy to help
and worked hard with us late into the night. The repairs
were finished at around four in the morning. Everything
was fine; the work paid off. The Audi A4 DTM was perfect
during warm-up the next morning – just as it was during
the race.
Timo was completely focused on victory and winning the
title. Neither hectic, nor anxious, his will to succeed was
palpable, which had a calming effect on the team. His ar-
rival in the pits testified to his expectations: He entered
purposefully, was single-minded and didn’t have to say
much. Everyone understood what was at stake. And that
was exactly how he drove that decisive race.
The first cause for celebration was in April when he fin-
ished first in Oschersleben, Germany. Timo’s second win
was at Brands Hatch, Great Britain. And it all came down
to the final race of the season at Hockenheim, Germany.
Timo and his rival for the title were almost level on points.
After the tremendous start, it remained extremely close
at the front. That meant that our pit stops, again, had
to be perfect. The pressure seemed to make us stronger.
We completed each stop in slightly more than three sec-
onds, thereby helping Timo Scheider cross the finish line
in first place.
W
Photos: AUDI AG
“Timo entered purposefully – and that
was exactly how he drove the race.”
Sebastian Wilfert, chief mechanic for Audi driver Timo Scheider
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Reported by motorsports journalist Mark Schneider, who has long
accompanied the DTM both in front of and behind the scenes.