| The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters recently | | | | Green attacked his lead, Ekstrom cleverly |
| concluded its season and Swedish Mattias | | | | allowed him to pass. The Swede also had the |
| Ekstrom captured his fifth title in the final | | | | support of his pit crew and when he entered |
| race of the season. The Swede has won the | | | | the pit lane, the team did an efficient job |
| DTM championship for Audi AG in 1990, 1991, | | | | giving him more time to catch up with the |
| 2002, and 2004. Audi Sport Team Abt | | | | field. In contrast, Spengler pitted in early |
| Sportsline also clinched the title for the | | | | thus making it tough for him to catch up with |
| team class. | | | | the rest of the field. |
| | | | |
| This year, Audi has been very successful in | | | | The Swede finished third in the end beating |
| motorsports. The marque's diesel racecar has | | | | Spengler who finished fourth. Ekstrom |
| won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second | | | | admitted that the race was not an easy one |
| consecutive year. At the American Le Mans, | | | | for him. "My race was very difficult from the |
| the R10 TDI dominated the LM P1 class winning | | | | beginning," said Ekstrom. |
| all the races so far. And the recent | | | | |
| coronation at the DTM gave Audi the | | | | "When the situation had calmed down a little |
| reputation of being a heavyweight in | | | | bit I was able to drive very fast and the car |
| motorsports. | | | | was good. But after six, seven laps it |
| | | | started oversteering. It got worse and worse. |
| Rupert Stadler, the Chairman of the Board of | | | | I fought and fought - and, still, the |
| Audi AG, commented: "All Audi employees and | | | | situation got really close in the end. That I |
| Audi customers can be proud of this triumph, | | | | managed to see the chequered flag in front of |
| which is the crowning of our successful 2007 | | | | Bruno (Spengler) was simply nice. So far I |
| motorsport season. Winning the 24 Hours of | | | | haven't even really relished the feeling |
| Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series and the | | | | because the race was so exciting. I'll only |
| DTM in the same year is a fantastic team | | | | be able to truly fathom this exploit a few |
| achievement." | | | | hours from now," commented the champion after |
| | | | the race. |
| Going into the final race of the season, the | | | | |
| Swede needed only to place third to clinch | | | | Dr. Wolfgang Ulrich, the head of Audi |
| the title. His nearest rival is | | | | motorsport, said: "It was a great finale for |
| Mercedes-Benz' Bruno Spengler. With that in | | | | the spectators with thrilling touring car |
| mind, the team went into the race with a | | | | racing at its best from the beginning to the |
| strategy focused on the Mercedes-Benz driver. | | | | end. Mattias (Ekström) took the decision |
| Ekstrom only need to finish ahead of | | | | into his own hands and managed to bring home |
| Spengler to clinch the championship which he | | | | the title. I think we deserve the |
| eventually did. | | | | championship and are a worthy champion. We |
| | | | did a great job. I want to thank all the |
| The Swede took the lead on the first lap of | | | | members of the teams who had a part in this." |
| the race starting from the second row. The | | | | |
| driver knowing that he does not need to win | | | | Audi is a part of Volkswagen AG, the largest |
| to clinch the championship drove | | | | European automaker, and the manufacturer of |
| conservatively. When Mercedes-Benz' Jamie | | | | reliable VW headlight covers. |