Auto Express – August 07, 2019

80 7August2019 http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

SPORT

All the action from the world of motorsport

DTMstars head to Brands Hatch

Ogier to retireafter 2020 season

Hybrid power for

IndyCar from 2022

Stephen Errity

[email protected]

●Audi leads pointsstandings

●RedBull F1 demo Sunday

AMERICA’SIndyCarsingle-seaterserieshas

announceditwillincorporatehybridpower

initsnextgenerationofengineregulations,

whichwilldebutinthe2022season.

Amotorandbrakeenergyrecuperation

systemwillbeincorporatedintointernal-

combustionenginesfromcurrentsuppliers

ChevroletandHonda.A‘push-to-pass’

powerboostwillbeincluded,andatotal

outputofover900bhpisexpected.

SIX-timeWorldRallychampionSebastien

Ogierhasconfirmedthathewillnotrenew

hiscurrenttwo-yearCitroencontractwhen

itconcludesin2020,andwillstepaway

fromtheseriesafterthatseason.

Ogierhadlongmaintainedthathe

wouldfinishhisWRCcareerwiththe

Frenchmanufacturer,buttherewasa

possibilitythathewouldextendhis

contractbeyondthecurrentterm.

TheFrenchmancontemplatedretiring

whenhisformeremployerVolkswagen

pulledoutofrallyingattheendof2016,

butsubsequentlyspenttwoyearsinaRed

Bull-backedM-SportFordFiestabefore

switchingtoCitroenatthestartof2019.

Ogierhasalreadylinedupanewrolefor

hispost-WRCcareer,havingsignedonasan

ambassadorandadvisortotheExtremeE

electricoff-roadracingchampionship.

GERMANY’SDTMtouringcarseries

makesitsannualvisittoUKshores

thisweekend,headingtotheBrandsHatch

circuitinKentonSaturdayandSunday.

With10oftheseries’18racescomplete,

Audiisleadingallthreechampionships.In

thedrivers’classification,RenéRasthasan

advantageof22pointsoverhisfellowAudi

driverNicoMüllerand40overthebest-

placedBMWdriver,MarcoWittmann.

Intheteams’standings,Audientrants

TeamRosbergandTeamABTSportsline

holdthefirsttwopositions,whilein

themanufacturerstandings,Audiis

outfrontwith576pointstoBMW’s

406andAstonMartin’s37.

Talkingabouthisseasontothispoint,Rast

said:“We’vebeencompetitiveonevery

tracksofar.SinceZolderI’vebeenonthe

frontorsecondrowofthegridineveryrace

–thatshowsthatwe’reconsistentlyfast.

“Tyremanagementhasbecomemore

importantthisyearduetothehigherengine

power.Thatdependsonthetrackandair

temperature.We needtogetabetter

understandingofthatinthenextraces.”

Audi’sDTMprojectleaderAndreasRoos

added:“Sofar,we’veseenBMWonceand

Audionceasthewinneroneach weekend.

We’dliketowinon[both]Saturdayand

Sunday.ButintheDTM,simplyanything

canhappen.Thatmakesitsoexciting.”

OveratBMW, MarcoWittmannwillbe

lookingtobuildonhismomentumfrom

thesecondraceatAssenintheNetherlands

lasttimeout,whenheclimbedfrom18th

onthegridtofinishsecondattheflag.

“Afterqualifying,Istartedtheraceinabit

ofarage,”hesaid.“Mypacequicklymoved

meupintothetop10.We decidedtomake

anearlypitstop,butIneverexpectedto

makeittotheendonthosetyres.This

weekendshowedthatyoucannevergive

upinDTMandthatanythingispossible.”

TicketsfortheBrandsHatch DTMround

areavailableonthegate,withweekend

admissionfor£45andSundayfor£30.

NEW PASTURE

Ogier will hang

up his helmet to

be an adviser

fornew electric

off-road series

“We’ve been competitive on everytrack so far. SinceZolder I’ve been on

the front or second rowofthe grid in everyrace” RENE RASTAudi Sport

CHARGER

BMW man Marco

Wittmann is looking

to build on agood

result lasttime out