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2012 DTM 2012 - a case for three

This weekend, the DTM gets underway at has Hockenheim looking forward to a new era. For the first time since 1992, the three German brands Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz will be competing against each other again in the touring car series. Hans Werner Aufrecht, chairman of the board of the ITR, said: “I am really looking forward to the new season. Everybody knows about BMW’s heritage in motorsport, and therefore, I am sure that we will have great and entertaining battles between the three premium manufacturers on the track. It was great to see how close the three manufacturers worked together in the development of the new technical regulations. Surely a unique thing to date.”  

Next to BMW’s comeback, the introduction of the new technical regulations is one of the most important new elements in the DTM. The regulations were developed by the three manufacturers in close collaboration with ITR rights-holder and promoter ITR e.V. and the Deutscher Motor Sport Bund (DMSB). The new cars have been built to regulations aimed at improving the racing, with semi-automatic gearboxes, bigger fuel tanks that will last the full race, and reprofiled wings.

Another change in the 2012 season concerns the points system. For the first time, the DTM is also using the system known from Formula 1 that awards points to the top ten. With 25 points the winner and from second to tenth, 18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.. Traditionally, Hockenheim is the season opener and finale with rounds at the Lausitzring, the Norisring in Nuremberg, the Nürburgring and the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. The calendar is complemented by four rounds in other European countries. The venues are Brands Hatch, Zandvoort in The Netherlands, the Red Bull Ring in Austria, as well as the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near the Spanish city of Valencia.

Twenty two drivers will be in eigth Audi and Mercedes-Benz cars while BMW field six.  The Audi A5 DTM will be raced by the two two-time DTM champions Mattias Ekström (S) and Timo Scheider (D), Swiss lady racer Rahel Frey, Adrien Tambay from France, Mike Rockenfeller (D), Spaniard Miguel Molina, Edoardo Mortara from Italy and Portuguese Filipe Albuquerque. Audi’s head of motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich is looking forward to the upcoming season: “Creating something together, that is the spirit of the DTM. With the development of the technical regulations, we have succeeded in doing so and this will continue throughout the season.” Moreover, Dr. Ullrich added with a smile: “However, it is also clear that friendship is over when the first race comes, at least during the weekend.”

DTM returnee BMW has signed up Canadian Bruno Spengler, German Dirk Werner, three times’ world touring car champion Andy Priaulx (GB), Augusto Farfus from Brazil, defending DTM champion Martin Tomczyk (D) and American Joey Hand to drive its BMW M3 DTM cars. BMW’s motorsport director Jens Marquardt: “At last, we are on the finish straight after the many tests. 2012 will be a learning year, because we haven’t been in the DTM for 20 years. But we are ambitious and motivated to make up for the advantage of the others quickly. Our driver line-up is well-balanced and I am very confident.”

With Spaniard Roberto Merhi and Canadian Robert Wickens, Mercedes-Benz is bringing two new drivers to the 2012 DTM. Together with Christian Vietoris (D), they are the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team for the DTM, under the patronage of seven times’ Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher. The other drivers to race the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé are Brits Gary Paffett and Jamie Green, Ralf Schumacher (D) and Susie Wolff and David Coulthard, both from Scotland. Mercedes-Benz’s head of motorsport Norbert Haug: “The new era of the DTM is the third generation of the series. Together with Audi, we have staged great races for six years and created a stable platform for a new start with a third manufacturer. From now on, the world’s three best car manufacturers are battling for victory in the DTM.”

With the Formula 3 Euro Series, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland and the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, three DTM partner series are also presenting themselves to the fans during the DTM race meetings. Like in previous years, spectators are not only being treated to great motor racing action, but also to a varied show and entertainment programme including live performances by popular artists.