20.9.2004
Fourth place for Marcel Fässler at DTM race in Brno, Czech Republic

Yesterday, Opel missed a podium finish at the DTM race in Brno, Czech Republic. Marcel Fässler finished fourth, Heinz-Harald Frentzen came in sixth and Timo Scheider finished seventh.

Scheider was involved in a collision with Christian Abt in a very chaotic opening lap. His car got slightly damaged. At the same time, Aiello was pushed by Schneider and spun. Following a collision with Frank Biela, Audi, Manuel Reuter also spun in the first turn. Fässler was able to end the opening lap in fifth position. Dumbreck kept on fighting with Gary Paffett, Mercedes, in seventh place.

During the race, Fässler worked his way up to third place, as frontrunners Christijan Albers, Mercedes, and Martin Tomczyk, Audi, clashed, but then Fässler lost a place to Paffett.

Frentzen drove a strong race up to sixth place. He was followed closely by Scheider. Dumbreck just missed out on a point, but enjoyed a great battle with ex-F1 star Jean Alesi, Mercedes, and outgoing champion Schneider to finish ninth. Reuter recovered to finish 12th, with Aiello and the Euroteam-run Astra V8 Coupé of Jeroen Bleekemolen 16th and 17th respectively.

DTM, Race:
1. M.Ekström/Audi 30 laps/59m26.498s, 2. T.Kristensen +2.313s, 3. G.Paffett/Mercedes +5.407, 4. M.Fässler/Opel +9.804, 5. E.Pirro/Audi +33.220, 6. H.-H. Frentzen/Opel +38.270, 7. T.Scheider/Opel +38.774, 8. J.Alesi/Mercedes +39.421, 9. P.Dumbreck/Opel +40.283, 10. B.Schneider/Mercedes +41.239, ... 12. M.Reuter/Opel +45.451, ...  15. L.Aiello/Opel +1m01.660s, ... 17. J.Bleekemolen/Opel +1m10.863s.

DTM, Standings after nine of ten races:
1. Ekström 71 points, 2. Paffett 51, 3. Albers 48, 4. Kristensen 38, 5. Tomczyk 31, 6. Schneider 26, 7. Alesi 15, 8. Scheider 15, 9. Fässler 13, 10. Aiello 12, ... 12. Reuter 9, 13. Dumbreck 6, 14. Frentzen 3.

DTM, next round:
01 to 03 October 2004, Hockenheim