The trifecta dream team of DTM Champion Mike Rockenfeller, Audi Sport and sponsor Schaeffler will once again go into battle, as “Rocky” will defend his title over the ten rounds of the 2014 DTM Championship.
The unmistakable yellow and green colours that have adorned the thirty-year-old’s car over the past two years, as well as that of the title-winning car of Martin Tomczyk in 2011, will remain in the championship until the end of the 2017 season, following the extension of the agreement between Ingolstadt and the Schaeffler Group.
Rockenfeller himself is more than happy with the fact that this association between all three parties shows a lot of passion and enthusiasm when it comes to motorsport: “Audi and Schaeffler are simply two fantastic partners. I can really feel the enthusiasm of the employees whenever I visit any of the locations. To represent these brands on the race track and to be so successful – that makes me proud.”
Head of DTM Dieter Gass said that the car itself in its brightly-coloured livery is a fan favourite, especially as it was Audi’s best performer over the past three years: “We’re delighted in more ways than one that we’ve been able to conclude a long-term extension of this partnership and that this dream team is retained for the DTM.”
Head of Motorsport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, underlined the fact of how valuable “Rocky” is to the team both now and for the future, both in his capacity as a man that has won the 2013 DTM title as well as the iconic 24 Heures du Mans, which he achieved in 2010: “Mike has been a valuable and indispensable member of the Audi family for many years. Not only because he’s an experienced and fast race driver but also because he’s a very special person. He’s a perfect fit for us.”
So the title will be hard fought again, as Rockenfeller will have to battle rivals both old and new, as we await just who will be at Audi for the 2014 championship, as BMW have shown their hand for next year, with Mercedes-Benz yet to decide on their line-up as well.
