6.10.2003
Opel's Peter Dumbreck on fourth in DTM – F3 title win for Briscoe and Opel
In front of a massive 105,000-strong crowd in Hockenheim in Germany, Opel ended its DTM season just one-second away from the podium.
Scotland's Peter Dumbreck (OPC Team Phoenix), who qualified in an excellent second position in his Astra V8 Coupe, unfortunately didn't manage to keep the Mercedes duo of Jean Alesi (who won the race) and Marcel Fassler behind him.
Opel was on the pace throughout testing, ending Friday with three cars in the top five. They suffered an unlucky blow ahead of the Super-Pole, however, when frontrunner Manuel Reuter (OPC Team Holzer) crashed at Turn 1 in the extremely wet conditions damaging his Astra too severely to take part in the one-lap shoot-out. He would start the race in 10th on the grid.
A stunning lap from Dumbreck almost ended in disaster too when his rear brakes locked-up at the Sachskurve, but he just managed to keep the car out of the gravel and complete his lap. That was still good enough for second position and a place on the front row.
Dumbreck made a great start to the race, but Alesi out braked him for second place at the hairpin on the opening lap. Peter now had series leader Bernd Schneider right on his tail in another Mercedes, but the Scot kept him at bay despite some contact. As Schneider dropped back with a puncture, Dumbreck was just 15 laps away from the podium when Fassler passed him, forcing him to settle for fourth.
"I got a great start but Jean picked up the tow and got past me," said Dumbreck. "My team gave me two fantastic pit stops, and I was right in the fight with the leaders throughout the race. I made a small mistake under braking which allowed Fassler to pass me, but we were all running such similar speeds it was difficult to gain any more places."
Making it two Opels to finish in the points was Zandvoort hero Timo Scheider, who suffered a spin at Spitzkehre while battling against title protagonists Schneider and Christijan Albers. Dumbreck´s team mate recovered to finish seventh.
Alain Menu (OPC Team Holzer) finished 10th after being penalized with a drive-through penalty for a collision with the Audi of Martin Tomczyk. Jeroen Bleekemolen (OPC Euroteam) finished 15th, but teammate Joachim Winkelhock (collision) and Reuter (first a puncture and then a misfire) were both forced to retire before the end.
DTM 2004: Opel will prepare Vectra GTS
Opel has outlined its 2004 DTM campaign, when it plans to run up to seven cars in the championship. It will develop a new racecar based on the Vectra GTS five-door model, although the current Astra Coupe will continue to race in the series as well.
After the successful driver evaluation process that brought Dumbreck, Bleekemolen and Marcel Tiemann into the squad this year, Opel will again test some fresh faces as it strives to enhance its driver line-up.
Formula 3 Euro Series: Ryan Briscoe takes title with Opel-Power
Opel scooped the ultimate prize in the Formula 3 Euro Series at Hockenheim, as victory in Sunday's race gave the championship title to Australia's Ryan Briscoe in his Opel-powered Prema Powerteam Dallara. In Saturday's race, Opel Junior driver Timo Glock scored an amazing victory from 17th on the grid in his Opel Team KMS Dallara, winning the race with a stunning overtaking maneuver at the very last corner of the race. While Briscoe achieved his eighth win this season and Glock his second, Opel – racing against Mercedes, Renault, Toyota and Mugen-Honda – has already 12 victories in 18 races so far in his books.