GERMANY’S Martin Tomczyk is the 2011 DTM champion, after the Audi driver wrapped up the season early in Round 9 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, in Valencia Spain, recently.

Placing third was plenty enough for the 29-year-old to seal the deal, joining a barnstorming Audi brigade that took the top six places in the race. Fellow Audi driver Mattias Ekström (Audi) was first. Having started from pole, the Swede crossed the finish line as the winner after 45 laps.

In second place, Portuguese Filipe Albuquerque (Audi) secured his best DTM result to date. In fourth place, Timo Scheider (Audi) cleanly completed the success for the brand from Ingolstadt. Subject to an appeal which two Mercedes-Benz teams have filed against the disqualification of their drivers, three other Audi racers finished in the subsequent places at Valencia.

Tomczyk’s win means the Bavarian managed a special feat: his first DTM trophy, the first time Audi Sport Team Phoenix achieved this with a year-old car, and it has been seven years since an Audi driver was named champion even before the finale.

Audi’s development of the new A5 for next year’s DTM event is currently underway.