2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race

2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race
The Circuit Park Zandvoort debuted in the DTM in 2002.
Race Information
Date	29 September 2002
No.	53
Event	Rundstreckenrennen Zandvoort 2002
Location	Circuit Park Zandvoort Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands
Format	30 km / 15 min (Qualifikationslauf)
Lap length	4.307 km (2.676 mi)
Distance	8 laps / 34.456 km (21.410 mi)
Qualifying Result
Pole Sitter	Laurent Aïello
Team	Team Abt Sportsline
Time	1:36.960
Fastest Lap
Driver	Christian Abt
Team	Team Abt Sportsline
Time
Race Result
First	Second	Third
Marcel Fässler	Christian Abt	Mattias Ekström
Winner Team	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes
Time	13:22.149
Race Guide
Previous		Next
2002 Spielberg Feature Race		2002 Zandvoort Feature Race

The 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race, formally known as the Rundstreckenrennen Zandvoort 2002 Qualifikationslauf, was the seventeenth race of the 2002 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship, staged at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands, on 29 September 2002. The race would see Marcel Fässler secure victory and pole position for the Feature Race, after Championship leader Laurent Aïello was barred from competing from the race.

Qualifying for the Qualifikationslauf had seen Aïello sweep to pole position, only for the Champion-elect to be disqualified from the results of qualifying for a fuel discrepancy. Furthermore, Aïello was told he was not allowed to start the Qualifying Race due and would hence start from the back of the Feature Race grid, as Fässler moved up to secure pole for the Qualifikationslauf ahead of Christian Abt.

The start of the race saw Fässler storm into the lead, while Mattias Ekström got the jump on Abt to secure second. Indeed, Abt would find himself having to fend off Alain Menu into the first corner to hold third, while in the middle of the field Bernd Mayländer was knocked into a half spin.

The early laps saw Fässler have to work to keep Ekström at bay to hold the lead, with Abt joining them in an early bid to break clear of the pack. Menu, meanwhile, had Manuel Reuter and Uwe Alzen in close company, while Bernd Schneider ran in seventh knowing he had to get up the order to ensure he could score significant points in the Feature.

As the race wore on Abt made a move on Ekström to secure second, a lunge into the chicane that allowed the rest of the top ten to close up onto their tail. Alzen, meanwhile, would allow Schneider to pass without much opposition, as Fässler began to ease away as the race entered its final throes.

Indeed, after the opening laps there would be very little action due to the tight nature of the Zandvoort circuit, as well as the fact that drivers were preserving their cars for the Feature. As such, Fässler was able to win the race at a canter from Abt, while Ekström rounded out the top three and the scorers. Menu and Reuter were next up ahead of Schneider, who now needed to win the Feature Race to claim the Championship.

Background

Three weeks after the battle of Spielberg the 2002 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship arrived in the paddock at the Circuit Park Zandvoort for the penultimate round of the season. The Series' second trip to the Dutch circuit, the DTM field would find that there had been no changes to the venue since their last visit in 2001, although the bumps at the circuit had reportedly worsened over the previous twelve months. The entry list, meanwhile, would feature one change, with Éric Hélary returning to the series in place of JJ Lehto in the now #44 numbered OPC Euroteam entry.

Schneider's Reprieve

The results of the sixteenth race of the season meant that the title fight would continue on to Zandvoort, as Laurent Aïello had not outscored Bernd Schneider in the Spielberg Feature. Indeed, with 26 points left to fight for the Frenchman would hold a nineteen point lead, meaning he would have to wait until the Zandvoort Feature race if he was to take the crown away from the double Champion. Behind, Mattias Ekström was now officially out of the hunt in third, 33 points off the leader, while Jean Alesi and Marcel Fässler rounded out the top five.

In the Teams' Championship it was still Team Abt Sportsline who led the charge with two rounds to go, the German squad having moved onto 78 points. However, their closest challengers Vodafone AMG-Mercedes had closed to within striking distance, just five behind, while their sister squad Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes had moved up to third ahead of the second Team Abt entry. Abt's junior entry for Martin Tomczyk then completed the top five, ahead of the first Opel entry of OPC Team Phoenix.

Entry List

The full entry list for the 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race is displayed below:

2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race Entry List
No.	Name	Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Livery
1	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
2	Jean Alesi	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
3	Laurent Aïello	Team Abt Sportsline	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
4	Karl Wendlinger	Team Abt	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
5	Uwe Alzen	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
6	Marcel Fässler	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Phoenix	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002
8	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Team Phoenix	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002
9	Mattias Ekström	Team Abt	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
10	Christian Abt	Team Abt Sportsline	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
12	Peter Dumbreck	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
14	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Holzer	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002
15	Michael Bartels	OPC Team Holzer	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002
16	Bernd Mayländer	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
17	Patrick Huisman	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
18	Alain Menu	OPC Euroteam	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2001
23	Martin Tomczyk	Team Abt Sportsline Junior	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
24	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
42	Christijan Albers	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
44	Éric Hélary	OPC Euroteam	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2001
Source:

Qualifying

Results

The final qualifying result for the 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race are outlined below:

2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race Qualifying Result
Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Time	Gap	Ave. Speed	Grid
1st	6	Marcel Fässler	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	1:37.282	—	159.125 km/h	1
2nd	10	Christian Abt	Team Abt Sportsline	1:37.391	+0.109s	158.946 km/h	2
3rd	9	Mattias Ekström	Team Abt	1:37.435	+0.153s	158.875 km/h	3
4th	7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Phoenix	1:37.446	+0.164s	158.857 km/h	4
5th	18	Alain Menu	OPC Euroteam	1:37.552	+0.270s	158.684 km/h	5
6th	1	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	1:37.559	+0.277s	158.673 km/h	6
7th	5	Uwe Alzen	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	1:37.665	+0.383s	158.500 km/h	7
8th	14	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Holzer	1:37.681	+0.399s	158.475 km/h	8
9th	15	Michael Bartels	OPC Team Holzer	1:37.798	+0.516s	158.285 km/h	9
10th	4	Karl Wendlinger	Team Abt	1:37.821	+0.539s	158.248 km/h	10
11th	2	Jean Alesi	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	1:38.037	+0.755s	157.899 km/h	11
12th	24	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	1:38.103	+0.821s	157.793 km/h	12
13th	16	Bernd Mayländer	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	1:38.105	+0.823s	157.790 km/h	13
14th	23	Martin Tomczyk	Team Abt Sportsline Junior	1:38.171	+0.889s	157.684 km/h	14
15th	8	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Team Phoenix	1:38.319	+1.037s	157.446 km/h	15
16th	11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	1:38.371	+1.089s	157.363 km/h	16
17th	17	Patrick Huisman	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	1:38.464	+1.182s	157.214 km/h	17
18th	42	Christijan Albers	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	1:38.570	+1.288s	157.045 km/h	18
19th	12	Peter Dumbreck	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	1:38.570	+1.288s	157.045 km/h	19
20th	44	Éric Hélary	OPC Euroteam	1:39.012	+1.730s	156.344 km/h	20
107% Time: 1:44.091
DSQ*	3	Laurent Aïello	Team Abt Sportsline	1:36.960			21
Source:

• Bold indicates a driver's best/qualifying time.
• * Aïello was disqualified from the results of qualifying after an irregularity was found in the fuel sample obtained from the #3 car in post-session scrutineering.

Grid

The starting grid for the 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race in shown below:

		3	Laurent Aïello	DNS*			12	Peter Dumbreck	1:38.649			17	Patrick Huisman	1:38.464			8	Joachim Winkelhock	1:38.319			16	Bernd Mayländer	1:38.105			2	Jean Alesi	1:38.037			15	Michael Bartels	1:37.798			5	Uwe Alzen	1:37.665			18	Alain Menu	1:37.552			9	Mattias Ekström	1:37.435			6	Marcel Fässler	1:37.282
						44	Éric Hélary		1:39.012		42	Christijan Albers		1:38.570		11	Thomas Jäger		1:38.371		23	Martin Tomczyk		1:38.171		24	Stefan Mücke		1:38.103		4	Karl Wendlinger		1:37.821		14	Timo Scheider		1:37.681		1	Bernd Schneider		1:37.559		7	Manuel Reuter		1:37.446		10	Christian Abt		1:37.391

• * Aïello was unable to start the race after being excluded from qualifying.

Race

Results

The final classification of the 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race is displayed below:

2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race Result
Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Laps	Race Time	Fastest lap	Pts.
1st	6	Marcel Fässler	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	8	13:22.149		3
2nd	10	Christian Abt	Team Abt Sportsline	8	+2.414s		2
3rd	9	Mattias Ekström	Team Abt	8	+2.859s		1
4th	18	Alain Menu	OPC Euroteam	8	+3.274s
5th	7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Phoenix	8	+3.610s
6th	1	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	8	+4.057s
7th	5	Uwe Alzen	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes	8	+4.344s
8th	14	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Holzer	8	+4.714s
9th	4	Karl Wendlinger	Team Abt	8	+5.741s
10th	15	Michael Bartels	OPC Team Holzer	8	+6.581s
11th	23	Martin Tomczyk	Team Abt Sportsline Junior	8	+6.948s
12th	11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	8	+7.637s
13th	17	Patrick Huisman	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	8	+9.718s
14th	2	Jean Alesi	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	8	+10.087s
15th	8	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Team Phoenix	8	+11.310s
16th	44	Éric Hélary	OPC Euroteam	8	+16.456s
17th	16	Bernd Mayländer	OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes	8	+17.873s
18th	12	Peter Dumbreck	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	8	+18.567s
19th	24	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	8	+30.251s
Ret	42	Christijan Albers	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	3	Collision
DNS	3	Laurent Aïello	Team Abt Sportsline
Source:

• Bold indicates a driver started from pole.
• Italics indicate that a driver set fastest lap.

Milestones

• Fourth victory for Marcel Fässler.
• 28th win for HWA Team as an entrant.
  • Mercedes secured their 30th victory as a manufacturer.

Standings

While neither of the main title protagonists had scored in the Zandvoort Qualifying Race, it had nonetheless been an important factor in the outcome of the title fight. Indeed, Bernd Schneider's failure to score in the Qualifikationslauf meant that he now had to win both of the remaining Feature Races in 2002, and likely see Championship leader Laurent Aïello fail to score in any of the final three races. Aïello, meanwhile, would seal the title in the Zandvoort Feature Race if Schneider failed to win, or if he finished on the podium with Schneider winning.

In the Teams' Championship Team Abt Sportsline had inched further ahead of Vodafone AMG-Mercedes, with the main pretenders split by ten points ahead of the Feature Race. Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes, meanwhile, had kept themselves mathematically in the title hunt, although they would need Marcel Fässler and Uwe Alzen to finish each of the remaining races in first and second, and see Abt Sportsline fail to score more than six points. Instead, they were likely fighting Team Abt for third behind the lead duo, with the gap between Audi and Mercedes' secondary teams having grown to eight points in HWA's favour.

2002 Drivers' Championship Pos. Name Pts. +/- 1st Laurent Aïello 65 ◄0 2nd Bernd Schneider 46 ◄0 3rd Mattias Ekström 33 ◄0 4th Jean Alesi 24 ◄0 5th Marcel Fässler 24 ◄0 6th Uwe Alzen 20 ◄0 7th Christian Abt 15 ◄0 8th Martin Tomczyk 7 ◄0 9th Alain Menu 7 ◄0 10th Christijan Albers 5 ◄0 11th Timo Scheider 5 ◄0 12th Manuel Reuter 4 ◄0 13th Joachim Winkelhock 3 ◄0 14th Karl Wendlinger 3 ◄0 15th Michael Bartels 1 ◄0

2002 Teams' Championship Pos. Name Pts. +/- 1st Team Abt Sportsline 80 ◄0 2nd Vodafone AMG-Mercedes 70 ◄0 3rd Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes 44 ◄0 4th Team Abt 36 ◄0 5th Team Abt Sportsline Junior 7 ◄0 6th OPC Team Phoenix 7 ◄0 7th OPC Euroteam 7 ◄0 8th OPC Team Holzer 6 ◄0 9th Service 24h AMG-Mercedes 5 ◄0 10th Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes 0 ◄0 11th OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes 0 ◄0

Only point scoring drivers are shown.

References

Images and Videos:

• Liveries: byggxx, 'Rennwagen (2002)', dtm.fandom.com/de, (DTM Wiki/de, 2015), https://dtm.fandom.com/de/wiki/Kategorie:Rennwagen_(2002), (Accessed 29/05/2020)

References: