• Three races and two wins for the A4 DTM at Lausitz so far
• Impressive series by former Champion Ekström
• Frentzen and Kristensen have positive memories as well

Audi is targeting a win at Sunday's DTM race at the EuroSpeedway in Lausitz.

After clinching a second and a third place in the season opener at Hockenheim, the Audi squad has now set a clear goal for the second DTM round at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz on 30th April. To win.

One man, in particular, is familiar with the view from the podium at the track. Swedish driver, Mattias Ekström, from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline won two of the last three DTM races on the circuit located 130 kilometres south of Berlin - last September after a thrilling duel with Gary Paffett, which had spectators watching with bated breath over the entire 48-lap distance.

Ekström's track record at the EuroSpeedway is impressive, with five out of six podium places, including two wins. The former DTM Champion's first podium result - in 2001 - was claimed at the "Lausitz" circuit as well.

Ekström and Mercedes driver, Jamie Green, are considered hot candidates for the title in the most popular international touring car racing series this year, but neither of them finished the Hockenheim season-opener in the points.

This time both drivers are under pressure to score to stay in the race for the title. As a result, competition promises to be fierce. Within the Audi squad Tom Kristensen and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, in particular, will give everything to repeat their performance at Hockenheim and to defend their positions. Both have good chances because the circuit suits them well.

Frentzen started the race from the front row at the EuroSpeedway last September, Kristensen last May finished as the runner-up to claim the new Audi A4 DTM's first podium result - having started from seventh place on the grid.

Kristensen is eager to clinch his second victory in the DTM after Oschersleben in 2004.

After Hockenheim, there is no doubt left in Frentzen's mind that as an Audi driver he finally has the chance to manage his first victory in a DTM race.

This is what Martin Tomczyk is striving for as well. At 24, Tomczyk is the youngest Audi driver. He showed a qualifying performance at Hockenheim which proved that he is a contender to be reckoned with again this season.

What is more, the season opener demonstrated the fact that the cars from last year have genuine chances for victory in the 2006 DTM season, too.

Consequently, Christian Abt, Pierre Kaffer (both with Audi Sport Team Phoenix), Timo Scheider and Frank Stippler (both with Audi Sport Team Rosberg) are going to the EuroSpeedway with a high level of motivation - all four have scored points in the past.

Last but not least, Vanina Ickx wants to improve at the wheel of the 2004-spec A4 in her second DTM race. This will certainly be no mean feat because for the Belgian, who at Hockenheim had to handle as much interview stress as Heinz-Harald Frentzen, the EuroSpeedway is new territory again.

Quotes before the race at the EuroSpeedway
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "We have good memories of the EuroSpeedway from last year and, since our DTM comeback as a manufacturer, have won two of three races there. The circuit should be suiting our Audi A4 DTM even a bit better yet than the Hockenheim track, that is why we have set our sights on victory of course. If our new teams continue to make progress, a strong team performance should be possible."

Facts on the DTM race at the EuroSpeedway
All winners since 2001;
2001 Peter Dumbreck (Mercedes)
2002 Bernd Schneider (Mercedes)
2003 Bernd Schneider (Mercedes)
2004 Mattias Ekström (Audi)
2005 Gary Paffett (Mercedes) & Mattias Ekström (Audi)

Pole position 2005
Gary Paffett (Mercedes C-Class), 1m 15.808s (May)
Jamie Green (Mercedes C-Class), 1m 17.489s (September)

DTM track record
Mika Häkkinen (Mercedes C-Class), 1m 17.583s (2005)

Track length
3.442 km

Race distance
48 laps = 165.216 km

2006 DTM points standings;

Drivers
1 Schneider 10
2 Kristensen 8
3 Frentzen 6
4 Häkkinen 5
5 Margaritis 4
6 Alesi 3
7 Tomczyk 2
8 Scheider 1

Teams
1 Audi Sport Team Abt 14
2 Vodafone/Salzgitter AMG-Mercedes 10
3 stern/Easy Rent AMG-Mercedes 7
4 DaimlerChrysler Bank AMG-Mercedes 5
5 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline 2
6 Audi Sport Team Rosberg 1