Farfus feeling refreshed and ready for Norisring

A three week break in the DTM calendar has allowed all the drivers to take a rest and certainly Augusto Farfus was very happy about this, as it gave him the chance to fly home to visit his family and friends in Brazil. 

However, this was no ordinary trip as Augusto and his wife Liri had a very special reason to want to be there – the first birthday of their daughter Victoria. On the 12th June 2011 Augusto was sitting in an airport in Paris when Victoria arrived into the world. He was travelling back from the Le Mans 24 Hour race and sadly didn’t make it in time to be present at the birth. However, this time there was nothing to prevent him attending what for him was a very special event. 

“After Brands Hatch Liri and Victoria flew back to our home in Curitiba, and so I had to race at the Red Bull Ring without them with me. As you can imagine, I was really keen to get on that plane after the race and there was a lovely welcome for me. Not only is the 12th June a special day for me as it is Victoria’s birthday, but it is also St Valentine’s Day in Brazil. I can’t think of anything more romantic Liri could have given me on that day than my wonderful daughter.” 

Now it is a return to Europe and back to business at a track that is completely new to the 28-year-old and his Castrol EDGE BMW M3 DTM. The Norisring is the only street track on the DTM calendar and, as the fifth race of the series, marks the halfway point in the calendar as far as points scoring events are concerned. There will be an added incentive as this is a ‘home’ race for BMW with its base in Munich just an hour and a half away. 

Unique is the way most people describe the 2.300 kilometre track, which has been on the DTM calendar since 1984. It is in the very centre of Nuremberg on streets that go round the Dutzendteich lake. As it is a street track the cars get closer to the barriers than at any other of the circuits the series visits. However, it is a place where overtaking is possible with two opportunities being the Grundig and Dutzendteich hairpins. 

“I was looking forward to switching off a bit before Norisring as it has been six very intense months for me. I now feel totally refreshed and can’t wait to see the track as I have heard so much about it, and all of it is good. I love street tracks and have to be optimistic about my chances there as so far I have won at every street circuit I have raced on. However, I know we also face an added challenge with different road surfaces offering little grip. 

“I am not the only member of the BMW Motorsport six-driver squad heading to a fresh challenge, as, apart from Bruno (Spengler) and Martin (Tomczyk), none of us have raced there before. I don’t see a reason we won’t be able to perform there. Even though I have never been there, I have watched some films of crazy races there. Certainly from these it looks like a beautiful environment and so I am looking forward to discovering this unique place.” 

For further information on Augusto Farfus, please visit his website at www.farfus.com. There you will find all news and background information on the racing driver from Curitiba.