DTM 2012: “Bruno, come in this lap!” Drive first, discuss later

Die-hard DTM fans, particularly BMW supporters, have fond memories of the 2012 season finale at Hockenheim. There, the two title contenders put on a magnificent tandem display over the final ten of the 42 race laps, even though they were by no means on the same page. Gary Paffett in the AMG Mercedes was hot on the heels of Bruno Spengler in the BMW M3. Spengler drove every single metre flawlessly, crossed the finish line first – and was thus crowned champion. But that’s a story for another time.

Today’s focus is this: what the audience couldn’t have known was that Spengler had actually already won the championship one race earlier, at the penultimate round in Valencia on 30 September 2012. And this is how it happened: the qualifying session in Valencia was barely 20 minutes old when it looked as though everything was going smoothly for Bruno Spengler. When Gary Paffett was eliminated as early as the first qualifying session and ended up with only 16th on the grid, and when the same fate befell Jamie Green in 18th place, it seemed all but certain that the third member of the trio of theoretical title contenders would come out on top. Whilst the two Mercedes drivers were still grappling with their misfortune and lack of grip, a top position, well ahead of his rivals, was practically a foregone conclusion for him. Spengler, meanwhile, missed out on a place in the top ten by a laughable six thousandths of a second and, in a bid to limit the damage, ended up just four places ahead of Paffett.

True to form, Bruno exuded quiet optimism, adopting a ‘let’s see what happens’ attitude. And after the usual turbulent start, things didn’t look too bad at first. The black BMW soon emerged unscathed in seventh place. His two Mercedes pursuers were unable to make their mark in the melee and, in particular, couldn’t pull away at the front.

Then came the moment of shock: on lap five, a drive-through penalty was imposed on Spengler for a jump start! The Franco-Canadian wouldn’t have it. “I didn’t do a jump start,” he tried to explain to his race engineer over the radio. When the engineer repeatedly urged him to serve the drive-through penalty, the combative driver resisted. “I’m not stopping, forget it,” he shouts, audibly agitated, over the radio. Back in the pits, however, they know full well that if our man refuses, we’re out of the race.

Charly Lamm came on the radio himself

It was only when Charly Lamm personally came on the radio and ordered in a voice that brooked no contradiction: “BRUNO COME IN THIS LAP, COME IN THIS LAP” – that Spengler swiftly pulled into the pit lane. The motto ‘drive first, discuss later’ had by now convinced him too. That was his stroke of luck. Because once he’d served his penalty, things clearly turned in his favour. In an absolutely flawless drive, setting one fastest lap after another, he fought his way up the field, place by place, towards the points-scoring positions. Following a perfect pit stop, he slipped past Green (Paffett was languishing in the lower midfield). With a tactically astute late second pit stop, the Schnitzer strategists gave their driver a slight tyre advantage for the closing stages.

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: MotoGP’s new schedule proved highly controversial

In 2027, MotoGP will also enter the 850cc era with a new schedule. It was not so much the changes themselves as the way the decisions were reached that caused a stir. A prime example of: ‘Talking helps’.

Thomas Kuttruf

Read More

Spengler’s Schnitzer team-mate Dirk Werner, running in eighth place, was well aware (I wonder how?) of his team-mate’s chance to score vital points. He therefore, driving rather wide and showing little urgency, didn’t even bother to shake off Audi driver Rahel Frey, who was attacking him boldly. Following a driving error by Werner, Frey was able to leave his yellow M3 behind. Spengler then also overtook Werner. When Frey caught up with Spengler’s team-mate Andy Priaulx, the latter, for obvious reasons, saw no reason whatsoever to let himself be overtaken quickly. By then, Spengler had loomed large in both their rear-view mirrors. Eventually, Spengler overtook them both on the inside.

When Edoardo Mortara, who had been in second place, also pulled over with a broken Audi, the almost unbelievable had happened: Spengler finished a race that had seemed hopeless on several occasions in sixth place and, with his honestly earned eight points, significantly reduced the gap to Paffett. There was no longer any reason to argue. Had Bruno not played along, he would have been disqualified – the points salvaged at Valencia were what made his title possible in the first place. For without the eight points he fought for at Valencia, he would have been four points short of his British rival – and thus of the championship – in the end.