The German Touring Car Championship or DTM is gearing up for the 2011 season opener at the Hockenheim track, as is custom. Mercedes and Audi are once again pitted against each other before BMW joins the fray in 2012, when new technical regulations will also come into effect.
So 2011 will be the last transition year for the series. Car development has been frozen since 2009 while waiting for the new machines in 2012.
Mercedes C-Classes will face off against Audi A4s, official drivers behind the wheel of 2009 models and 2008-spec model for the semi-privateers. Clearly superior last year, the Mercedes cars are the logical going in as the favourites, even though the new tire supplier could shuffle the cards around, with Hankook replacing Dunlop as of this year.
In the Mercedes camp, champion Paul Di Resta has made the jump to Formula 1 with Force India, where he’s having a great season thus far, which speaks volumes for the level of the DTM drivers.
Bruno Spengler, his unlucky rival last year (he lead the series from the beginning before losing everything in the final round at Shanghai, where he hit the wall during qualifying), will be hankering after the title that has eluded him for so many seasons.
But the Canadian will have to prove his mettle against his teammates, especially the ever-solid Gary Paffett, number two last year, and Jamie Green who, after two seasons of being “demoted” to the private Persson team (with whom he still managed to clinch two wins), has regained his factory driver stripes by replacing Di Resta.
The fourth factory driver is former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, continuing his career in a class where he hasn’t truly shone since his arrival.
Audi is seeking revenge after a difficult 2010 season. Two-time 2008-2009 champion and best Audi representative last year (4th), Timo Scheider is looking for the title again this year and has big hopes for the new tire supplier.
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| Will be this the year of the title for Bruno Spengler? (Photo: dtm.com) |
So 2011 will be the last transition year for the series. Car development has been frozen since 2009 while waiting for the new machines in 2012.
Mercedes C-Classes will face off against Audi A4s, official drivers behind the wheel of 2009 models and 2008-spec model for the semi-privateers. Clearly superior last year, the Mercedes cars are the logical going in as the favourites, even though the new tire supplier could shuffle the cards around, with Hankook replacing Dunlop as of this year.
In the Mercedes camp, champion Paul Di Resta has made the jump to Formula 1 with Force India, where he’s having a great season thus far, which speaks volumes for the level of the DTM drivers.
Bruno Spengler, his unlucky rival last year (he lead the series from the beginning before losing everything in the final round at Shanghai, where he hit the wall during qualifying), will be hankering after the title that has eluded him for so many seasons.
But the Canadian will have to prove his mettle against his teammates, especially the ever-solid Gary Paffett, number two last year, and Jamie Green who, after two seasons of being “demoted” to the private Persson team (with whom he still managed to clinch two wins), has regained his factory driver stripes by replacing Di Resta.
The fourth factory driver is former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, continuing his career in a class where he hasn’t truly shone since his arrival.
Audi is seeking revenge after a difficult 2010 season. Two-time 2008-2009 champion and best Audi representative last year (4th), Timo Scheider is looking for the title again this year and has big hopes for the new tire supplier.
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| Family photo in Wiesbaden. (Photo: dtm.com) |