26.5.2003
Dumbreck and Menu take points after impressive performances

Opel maintained its positive start to its 2003 DTM campaign with a brace of points scoring finishes in the third round of the championship at the famous Nurburgring circuit in the Eifel region of Germany. Peter Dumbreck and Alain Menu finished fifth and sixth.

Following the last round at the new Adria circuit, Opel remained in Italy to test further developments on its Astra V8 Coupe at the Vallelunga track. After recording positive results, Opel arrived at the Nurburgring, the scene of many Opel DTM triumphs in the past, with hopes of adding to its points tally.

Three of Opel's six-car team were quick enough to enter the Top 10 Super Pole qualifying session - including its impressive Dutch rookie Jeroen Bleekemolen (OPC Euroteam). Menu produced the best effort in his OPC Holzer car to place fifth on the grid, although the Swiss driver believed it should have been even better. "The lap was very good until the last corner," said Menu, who was second fastest overall in Saturday's free practice session. "I got on the power and just lost the rear end, so it could have been even better. I think we could have been third today, at least on the second row, but it shows we have made progress."

Menu was the focus of attention in the early stages of the race, holding third position after an excellent first mandatory pit stop, despite the attention of multiple DTM champion Bernd Schneider of Mercedes. Schneider had already affected Opel's race by colliding with Dumbreck (OPC Team Phoenix) on the approach to the NGK chicane on the first lap that sent Peter's car spinning off the track.

Another amazingly fast pit stop looked to have assured Menu of third, but the double British Touring Car Champion crossed the white line at the end of the pit lane, and was given a drive-through pit penalty which dropped him down to eighth.

The star of the show was now Dumbreck, who made a brilliant recovery from his early setback to 18th position. The Scottish driver's lap times were often quicker than race winner Christijan Albers (Mercedes) and he tigered his way through the pack to finish in a well earned fifth position - just 3.8s behind his opening lap assailant Schneider. Menu also fought back from his penalty to finish sixth.

Of the other Opel drivers, Manuel Reuter just lost out on a points finish in the closing stages to finish ninth, ahead of OPC Euroteam pairing Joachim Winkelhock and Bleekemolen. Timo Scheider (OPC Team Phoenix) finished in 13th position.

Opel will now turn its attention to next weekend's Nurburgring 24 Hours, in which it will enter two Astras built and run by OPC Team Phoenix. It will face works opposition from Audi and BMW, plus strong privateer teams with Chrysler Viper and Porsche machinery around the daunting Nordschleife layout.

DTM standings after three of ten races:
1. Albers 24 points, 2. Fässler 21, 3. Schneider 19, 4. Aiello 18, 5. Ekström 11, 6. Dumbreck 10, 7. Alesi 7, 8. Menu 4, 9. Scheider 2, 10. Abt 1.

The next round of the DTM will be June 6-8 at EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Germany.