2003 Hockenheim Finale Race

2003 Hockenheim Finale Race
The Hockenheimring hosted the 2003 season finale.
Race Information
Date	5 October 2003
No.	66 (10 of 2003)
Event	DTM Hockenheim Finale 2003
Location	Hockenheimring Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Format	165 km / 70 min (Championship Race)
Lap length	4.574 km (2.842 mi)
Distance	37 laps / 169.238 km (105.159 mi)
Qualifying Result
Pole Sitter	Mattias Ekström
Team	PlayStation 2 Red Bull Abt-Audi
Time	1:48.389
Fastest Lap
Driver	Alain Menu
Team	OPC Team Holzer
Time	1:35.777 on lap 27
Race Result
First	Second	Third
Jean Alesi	Mattias Ekström	Marcel Fässler
Winner Team	AMG-Mercedes
Time	1:00:46.013
Race Guide
Previous		Next
2003 Zandvoort Race		2004 Hockenheim Opening Race

The 2003 Hockenheim Finale Race, formally known as the DTM Hockenheim Finale 2003, was the tenth and final race of the 2003 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship, staged at the Hockenheimring in Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on 5 October 2003. The race would see the fight for the 2003 DTM Championship settled, as Bernd Schneider led teammate Christijan Albers by just a single point at the start of the weekend.

Rain would cause a shuffle to the order during qualifying, with rising Swedish start Mattias Ekström barrelling to pole position in Super Pole ahead of Peter Dumbreck. Jean Alesi was the best of the Mercedes pilots in third, while Schneider had the initiative in the Championship fight, qualifying fifth and Albers claimed ninth.

Background

For the final round of the 2003 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship the series returned to where it had begun in April, with the Hockenheimring hosting the finale. The circuit itself was unchanged for the finale, with the Series again using the full, new, Grand Prix layout at the German venue. Likewise, the entry list was unchanged ahead of the final round of the season, with the fight for the title taking centre stage.

Finale Fighting

Bernd Schneider would head the Championship hunt with one race to go in 2003, with the German racer having scored 65 points across the opening nine races. That left him just a point ahead of Christijan Albers, meaning that whoever finished highest in the finale in Hockenheim of the two would win the title, although if Albers failed to score then Schneider would win regardless. Behind, Marcel Fässler was confirmed in third ahead of Mattias Ekström, with the Swedish ace instead set to duel Laurent Aïello for best of the rest status behind the lead trio.

The Teams' Championship had, unsurprisingly, been settled at the penultimate round of the season, with Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes having secured the title with 129 points. That left them 46 points clear of sister squad AMG-Mercedes in second, with the secondary HWA entry safely ahead of third placed Hasseröder Abt-Audi. In the Manufacturers' Championship pre-declared Champions AMG-Mercedes had moved onto 218 points, while Abt-Audi were set to claim second ahead of Opel, although the latter marque did have a mathematical chance of overhauling the Ingolstadt based marque.

Entry List

The full entry list for the 2003 Hockenheim Finale Race is displayed below:

2003 Hockenheim Finale Race Entry List
No.	Name	Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Livery
1	Laurent Aïello	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2003
2	Christian Abt	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2003
3	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone/Express Service AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2003
4	Christijan Albers	Vodafone/Express Service AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2003
5	Mattias Ekström	PlayStation 2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2003
6	Karl Wendlinger	PlayStation 2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2003
7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Holzer	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
8	Alain Menu	OPC Team Holzer	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
9	Marcel Fässler	AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2003
10	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2003
11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
12	Bernd Mayländer	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
14	Martin Tomczyk	S Line Audi Junior Team	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
15	Peter Terting	S Line Audi Junior Team	Abt-Audi	TT-R 2002
16	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Euroteam	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
17	Jeroen Bleekemolen	OPC Euroteam	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
18	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Phoenix	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
19	Peter Dumbreck	OPC Team Phoenix	Opel	Astra V8 Coupé DTM
20	Katsutomo Kaneishi	ARTA AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2002
24	Gary Paffett	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
42	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	AMG-Mercedes	CLK-DTM 2001
Source:

Qualifying

Results

The final qualifying result for the 2003 Hockenheim Finale Race are outlined below:

2003 Hockenheim Finale Race Qualifying Result
Super Pole Results
Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Time	Gap	Ave. Speed	Grid
1st	5	Mattias Ekström	PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	1:48.389	—	151.919 km/h	1
2nd	19	Peter Dumbreck	OPC Team Phoenix	1:48.523	+0.134s	151.731 km/h	2
3rd	10	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	1:48.597	+0.208s	151.628 km/h	3
4th	14	Martin Tomczyk	S-Line Audi Junior Team	1:48.613	+0.224s	151.606 km/h	4
5th	3	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	1:48.914	+0.525s	151.187 km/h	5
6th	8	Alain Menu	OPC Team Holzer	1:49.187	+0.798s	150.809 km/h	6
7th	18	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Phoenix	1:49.192	+0.803s	150.802 km/h	7
8th	9	Marcel Fässler	AMG-Mercedes	1:49.850	+1.461s	149.898 km/h	8
9th	4	Christijan Albers	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	1:50.613	+2.224s	148.864 km/h	9
NC	7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Holzer	—			10
Qualifying Results
Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Time	Gap	Ave. Speed	Grid
1st	3	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	1:48.777	—	151.377 km/h	SP
2nd	10	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	1:49.200	+0.423s	150.791 km/h	SP
3rd	19	Peter Dumbreck	OPC Team Phoenix	1:49.446	+0.669s	150.452 km/h	SP
4th	14	Martin Tomczyk	S-Line Audi Junior Team	1:49.528	+0.751s	150.339 km/h	SP
5th	8	Alain Menu	OPC Team Holzer	1:49.542	+0.765s	150.320 km/h	SP
6th	4	Christijan Albers	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	1:49.739	+0.962s	150.050 km/h	SP
7th	7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Holzer	1:49.756	+0.979s	150.027 km/h	SP
8th	5	Mattias Ekström	PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	1:49.788	+1.011s	149.983 km/h	SP
9th	18	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Phoenix	1:49.851	+1.074s	149.897 km/h	SP
10th	9	Marcel Fässler	AMG-Mercedes	1:49.899	+1.122s	149.832 km/h	SP
11th	15	Peter Terting	S-Line Audi Junior Team	1:50.601	+1.824s	148.881 km/h	11
12th	2	Christian Abt	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	1:50.648	+1.871s	148.817 km/h	12
13th	17	Jeroen Bleekemolen	OPC Euroteam	1:50.863	+2.086s	148.529 km/h	13
14th	24	Gary Paffett	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	1:50.868	+2.091s	148.522 km/h	14
15th	1	Laurent Aïello	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	1:51.618	+2.841s	147.524 km/h	15
16th	6	Karl Wendlinger	PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	1:51.742	+2.965s	147.360 km/h	16
17th	42	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	1:51.920	+3.143s	147.126 km/h	17
18th	11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	1:52.841	+4.064s	145.925 km/h	18
19th	12	Bernd Mayländer	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	1:52.864	+4.087s	145.895 km/h	19
20th	16	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Euroteam	1:53.040	+4.263s	145.668 km/h	20
21st	20	Katsutomo Kaneishi	ARTA AMG-Mercedes	1:53.073	+4.296s	145.626 km/h	21
107% Time: 1:56.391
Source:

• Bold indicates a driver's best/qualifying time.

Grid

The starting grid for the 2003 Hockenheim Finale Race in shown below:

		20	Katsutomo Kaneishi	1:53.073			12	Bernd Mayländer	1:52.864			42	Stefan Mücke	1:51.920			1	Laurent Aïello	1:51.618			17	Jeroen Bleekemolen	1:50.863			15	Peter Terting	1:50.601			4	Christijan Albers	1:50.613			18	Timo Scheider	1:49.192			3	Bernd Schneider	1:48.914			10	Jean Alesi	1:48.597			5	Mattias Ekström	1:48.389
						16	Joachim Winkelhock		1:53.040		11	Thomas Jäger		1:52.841		6	Karl Wendlinger		1:51.742		24	Gary Paffett		1:50.868		2	Christian Abt		1:50.648		7	Manuel Reuter		—		9	Marcel Fässler		1:49.850		8	Alain Menu		1:49.187		14	Martin Tomczyk		1:48.613		19	Peter Dumbreck		1:48.523

Race

Results

The final classification of the 2003 Hockenheim Finale Race is displayed below:

2003 Hockenheim Finale Race Result
Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Laps	Race Time	Fastest lap	Pts.
1st	10	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	37	1:00:46.013		10
2nd	5	Mattias Ekström	PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	37	+0.213s		8
3rd	9	Marcel Fässler	AMG-Mercedes	37	+4.295s		6
4th	19	Peter Dumbreck	OPC Team Phoenix	37	+5.350s		5
5th	1	Laurent Aïello	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	37	+7.303s		4
6th	3	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	37	+14.566s		3
7th	18	Timo Scheider	OPC Team Phoenix	37	+26.709		2
8th	15	Peter Terting	S-Line Audi Junior Team	37	+32.935s		1
9th	2	Christian Abt	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	37	+34.340s
10th	8	Alain Menu	OPC Team Holzer	37	+35.510s	1:35.777
11th	11	Thomas Jäger	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	37	+43.072s
12th	4	Christijan Albers	Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes	37	+50.491s
13th	14	Martin Tomczyk	S-Line Audi Junior Team	37	+53.505s
14th	6	Karl Wendlinger	PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	37	+54.829s
15th	42	Stefan Mücke	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	37	+1:00.019
16th	17	Jeroen Bleekemolen	OPC Euroteam	37	+1:06.164
17th	20	Katsutomo Kaneishi	ARTA AMG-Mercedes	37	+1:15.423
18th	24	Gary Paffett	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	35	+2 Laps
19th	7	Manuel Reuter	OPC Team Holzer	33	+4 Laps
20th	12	Bernd Mayländer	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	29	+8 Laps
Ret	16	Joachim Winkelhock	OPC Euroteam	9	Retired
Source:

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

Milestones

• Bernd Schneider declared as the 2003 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship for Drivers' Champion.
  • This was Schneider's third DTM Championship since the Series' revival.
• Thomas Jäger started his 63rd and final DTM race.
• 62nd and final race for Joachim Winkelhock.
• Alain Menu made his 40th and final appearance in the DTM.
• Karl Wendlinger made his 30th and final DTM start.
• Tenth and final race for Katsutomo Kaneishi,
• Fourth victory for Jean Alesi.
• 37th win for HWA Team as an entrant.
  • Mercedes secured their 39th victory as a manufacturer.
• Third and final fastest lap recorded by Menu.

Standings

Bernd Schneider was declared as the DTM Champion for 2003 at the final round of the season, the German ace having scored 68 points out of a maximum 100. That left him four ahead of Christijan Albers in second, while Marcel Fässler was third on 57, his strongest DTM campaign. Mattias Ekström and Jean Alesi then completed the top five, as eighteen of the twenty-two drivers to have entered a DTM race in 2003 having scored.

In the Teams' Championship Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes were declared as the Champions with 132 points from the 2003 season, the German squad having claimed six wins out of ten across the season. AMG-Mercedes finished as runners-up with 99 points and three wins, while PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi claimed third with 47. In the first running of the Manufacturers' Championship, meanwhile, it had been a dominant campaign for Mercedes, with the Stuttgart based manufacturer claiming 237 points to Abt-Audi's 93, and Opel's 60.

 

2003 Drivers' Championship Pos. Name Pts. +/- 1st Bernd Schneider 68 ◄0 2nd Christijan Albers 64 ◄0 3rd Marcel Fässler 57 ◄0 4th Mattias Ekström 46 ◄0 5th Jean Alesi 42 ▲1 6th Laurent Aïello 41 ▼1 7th Peter Dumbreck 31 ◄0 8th Timo Scheider 12 ◄0 9th Alain Menu 9 ◄0 10th Manuel Reuter 5 ◄0 11th Gary Paffett 4 ◄0 12th Christian Abt 3 ◄0 13th Thomas Jäger 2 ◄0 14th Jeroen Bleekemolen 2 ◄0 15th Joachim Winkelhock 1 ◄0 16th Karl Wendlinger 1 ◄0 17th Peter Terting 1 ▲3 18th Martin Tomczyk 1 ▼1 19th Bernd Mayländer 0 ▼1 20th Stefan Mücke 0 ▼1 21st Patrick Huisman 0 ◄0 22nd Katsutomo Kaneishi 0 ◄0

2003 Teams' Championship Pos. Name Pts. +/- 1st Vodafone/ES AMG-Mercedes 132 ◄0 2nd AMG-Mercedes 99 ◄0 3rd PS2 Red Bull Abt-Audi 47 ▲1 4th Hasseröder Abt-Audi 44 ▼1 5th OPC Team Phoenix 43 ◄0 6th OPC Team Holzer 14 ◄0 7th Service 24h AMG-Mercedes 4 ◄0 8th OPC Euroteam 3 ◄0 9th Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes 2 ◄0 10th S-Line Audi Junior Team 2 ◄0 11th ARTA AMG-Mercedes 0 ◄0 2003 Manufacturers' Championship Pos. Name Pts. +/- 1st AMG-Mercedes 237 ◄0 2nd Abt-Audi 93 ◄0 3rd Opel 60 ◄0

References

Images and Videos:

• Liveries: byggxx, 'Rennwagen (2003)', dtm.fandom.com/de, (DTM Wiki/de, 2021), https://dtm.fandom.com/de/wiki/Kategorie:Rennwagen_(2003), (Accessed 03/07/2021)

References: