The impressive collection of DTM trophies at Johann-Abt-Strasse in Kempten has been enriched by two precious trophies: René Rast took third place in the drivers’ championship for ABT Sportsline at the DTM 2022 finale in Hockenheim. Kelvin van der Linde and Ricardo Feller also secured third place in the team championship for Team ABT Sportsline.
ABT Sportsline has been competing in the DTM for 23 years and this is the 16th time that the team from the Allgäu region has finished the drivers’ championship in the top three. Once again, ABT Sportsline was the best Audi team and also had the biggest share in terms of points in securing the DTM manufacturers’ championship for Audi. ABT Sportsline recorded two victories and seven podium finishes in the 2022 season, with the three additional points for pole position going to an ABT driver six times.
In the end, René Rast was only 15 points short of winning his fourth DTM title. In his last race for ABT Sportsline for the time being, the German, who lives in Austria, once again showed an impressive performance. On Saturday, Rast preserved his title chance with a hard-fought fifth place, although the Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II was inferior to the competition in terms of performance and had no chance on the straights of the Hockenheimring. After a correction to the Balance of Performance (BoP), Rast took pole position in qualifying on Sunday and second place in the race. However, the train towards the championship had already left.
On the day his younger brother Sheldon became DTM Champion, Kelvin van der Linde managed a remarkable recovery from 19th on the grid to fifth. In the first race on Saturday, a puncture had cost him a possible podium. Van der Linde finished the season in ninth place in the drivers’ standings.
Ricardo Feller experienced a pitch-black weekend. On Saturday, the Swiss was involved in the multi-car pile-up that led to the race being red flagged. The repair of his damaged R8 took until late at night. On Sunday, a puncture deprived the Swiss of a conciliatory end to his first DTM season, which Feller finished in 15th place.