Record crowd for DTM season presentation in Düsseldorf
Record crowd for DTM season presentation in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf. In pleasant summer weather, the DTM presented
itself in front of a record crowd in the city centre of Düsseldorf.
One week before the season opener at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg,
the sports city played host for the official season presentation
of the most popular international touring car championship
for the second time running. Not only the weather, but also
the crowd meant a new record: according to the police, 180,000
visitors came to the temporary race track at the Königsallee.
“A great weekend for the city. Düsseldorf was the
main attraction in Nordrhine-Westfalia“, said mayor
Joachim Erwin, delighted with the successful DTM-presentation.
Next to the mayor, German actresses Alexandra Kamp and Alexandra
Klim, actor Frank te Neues, anchorwoman Collien Fernandes,
German Idols-star Mike-Leon Grosch and multiple luge champion
Sylke Otto were among the guests.
A diverse and comprehensive action-programme prepared the
spectators for the upcoming DTM-season. The extension of the
track compared to last year ensured that there was plenty
of room for all the spectators, who had a good view of the
action. Demonstration laps with the DTM-cars from Audi and
Mercedes-Benz were part of the programme, just like pit stop
competitions, interviews and autograph sessions with the DTM-drivers,
who visibly enjoyed their first public appearance after the
long winter break. “Nice weather and thousands of enthusiastic
fans are making me look forward to Hockenheim even more“,
said Audi works-driver, Mattias Ekström. Mercedes-Benz-star
Mika Häkkinen commented: “When you have the paddock
crowded with 35,000 people like at Hockenheim, it is already
something special, but the echo among the fans here in Düsseldorf
is topping everything I have experienced so far. In the best
possible way, that is.“
An incident, in which nobody got injured, occurred during
the demonstration runs of the DTM-cars. The rear of a former
DTM race car (Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM from the year 2002), driven
by Bruno Spengler, caught fire due to an overheated brake.
The car was a five year old race car, that had been fitted
with the bodywork of the new C-Class for demonstration runs.
The fire brigade extinguished the fire within three minutes.
“First of all the important thing: nothing happened
to anyone”, said Bruno Spengler. “I noticed smoke
coming into the cockpit, I stopped immediately, I got out
and discovered that the rear of the car had caught fire due
to the untypical overheating of the rear brake while doing
some doughnuts.” After an initial inspection, the team
found that the car can be repaired. Gerhard Ungar, HWA’s
technical director: “Because of the so-called doughnuts
(spectacular spinning of the car on the spot), there is untypical
pressure on the brakes because of a lack of cooling driving
wind. Today, the brakes were overheated on Bruno’s car
and caught fire because of that. The exact reason of the fire
is still being investigated.” The exact amount of damage
can not yet be assessed.
The quick reaction by the fire brigade has shown that the
safety concept made up beforehand by the fire brigade, the
police and the ITR was effective. After a brief interruption,
the event continued as planned. The quick intervention by
the fire brigade has shown that the safety concept made up
beforehand by the fire brigade, the police and the ITR was
effective. After a brief interruption, the event continued
as planned.
The support categories Formula 3 Euro Series, Formula BMW
Germany, ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup, SEAT Leon Supercopa and
Porsche Carrera Cup presented themselves in front of the impressive
backdrop of Düsseldorf’s noble shopping boulevard.
The fact that motor sport and music get together very well
was once again demonstrated on the show stage. The closing
highlight of the day was the 30 minutes’ live act by
British band “All Saints”. The “ARD Sportschau”,
the sports TV show, in which the focus was on the DTM, was
broadcast live from the Königsallee.
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