Befitting its 100th anniversary, Audi has written another chapter of motorsport history. The brand is the first ever automobile manufacturer to achieve a title hat-trick in the prestigious international touring car racing series: After 2007 and 2008, Audi has clinched the coveted trophy for the third consecutive time in the history of the DTM that has been held since 1984.

The old DTM champion is the new one as well: After 2008, Timo Scheider was again determined as the winner of the DTM. By finishing in second place, the Audi “factory” driver won the title in the finale at Hockenheim on October 25 for the second time in a row.

“I’m incredibly happy that we did it again – and once more in front of a spectacular turnout on my home ground,” beamed Timo Scheider after the finale at the circuit in Germany’s “Baden” region. “I’m one-hundred-percent happy with my team and my Audi A4. That was the key to success throughout the season.”

The DTM field this year was even more competitive than it had been before. Whereas Scheider had been continually leading the standings from the second to the final, eleventh, round last year, the 2009 season was clearly filled with more suspense: Tom Kristensen, his teammate, was running in front after the season opener. In the second race Timo Scheider moved up to the top of the standings, but lost the lead again in the fourth round to Mercedes driver Gary Paffett. After the fifth race, the Briton shared the lead with Audi “factory” driver Mattias Ekström with an equal points score. Only in the sixth race at the Nürburgring Timo Scheider got the upper hand again by a narrow margin – with a one-point advantage over his team colleague Mattias Ekström. It was a tough fight to the top of the driver and manufacturers list, but in the end Timo Scheider made history for Audi.