Mathias Ekström, celebrating 10 years in DTM with Audi, is also among the favourites. The Swede had a difficult year in 2010 (5th overall) and is also out for revenge. Brit Oliver Jarvis is starting his second season with the factory team, despite a rather disappointing year in 2010.
The fourth man is a newcomer to Abt-Audi, Mike Rockenfeller. The young German is known for his tenaciousness (read aggressiveness) on the track and has constantly emerged as the best privateer these past few seasons. He’s going into this highly motivated, behind the wheel of a car that can allow him to be a serious contender.
Behind these eight factory drivers, 10 semi-privateers will, if not fight for a title, at least interfere at the front of the field and maybe occasionally clinch a win. That’s the case of Martin Tomczyck at Audi-Phoenix, deposed as a factory driver by Rockenfeller and looking to get some of his prestige back.
The Spaniard Miguel Molina, who completed an encouraging first season last year, will be driving for Audi-Abt Junior. The last private Audis have been entrusted to three recruits: Edoardo Mortara (reigning F3 Euroseries champion), Filipe Albuquerque and young Swiss woman Rahel Frey, the last two coming from the GT series last year.
Five semi-private Mercedes cars will also take the start, with some newcomers as well. Scottish veteran David Coulthard is in for another season as well as his young fellow countrywoman Susie Stoddard, whose starting her sixth year in DTM.
The young German Maro Engel will be hunting points once again, and as for the other two semi-private C-Classes, the reins have been given over to newcomers Christian Vietoris (ex GP2 driver) and Renger Van der Zander (GP3).
According to new sporting rules, the various qualifying rounds are now longer (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4). Shanghai is no longer on the calendar, officially because it coincided with the Chinese round of the WTCC.
The reality, though, is that the season closer in China wasn’t a success. The track was dangerous, the spectators were few and uninitiated and the German fans were unhappy that the ultimate event wasn’t held at Hockenheim like it usually is. That’s one thing that’s taken care of, to the delight of everyone, spectators, teams and drivers alike.
Adria has also been wiped, but another track is back on the roster: Austria’s Spielberg. Finally, be an out-of-series Race of Champions will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Munich in July.
Entries DTM 2011:
#2 – Gary Paffett (Great Britain) – Mercedes HWA - C Class 2009
#3 – Bruno Spengler (Canada) – Mercedes HWA - C Class 2009
#4 – Timo Scheider (Germany) – Audi Sport Team Abt – A4 2009
#5 – Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) – Audi Sport Team Abt – A4 2009
#6 – Ralf Schumacher (Germany) – Mercedes HWA – C Class 2009
#7 – Jamie Green (Great Britain) – Mercedes HWA – C Class 2009
#8 – Mattias Ekström (Sweden) – Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline - A4 2009
#9 – Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) – Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline – A4 2009
#10 – Susie Stoddart (Great Britain) – Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#11 – Christian Vietoris (Germany) - Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#14 – Martin Tomczyck (Germany) – Audi Team Phoenix – A4 2008
#15 – Rahel Frey (Switzerland) – Audi Team Phoenix – A4 2008
#16 – Maro Engel (Germany) – Mercedes Mücke Motorsport – C Class 2008
#17 – David Coulthard (Great Britain) – Mercedes Mücke Motorsport – C Class 2008
#18 – Filipe Albuquerque (Portogal) – Audi Team Rosberg – A4 2008
#19 – Edoardo Mortara (Italy) – Audi Team Rosberg – A4 2008
#20 – Renger van der Zande (Netherlands) – Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#22 – Miguel Molina (Esp) - Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline Junior – A4 2008
2001 Schedule:
May 1st : Hockenheim (Germany)
May 15 : Zandvoort (Netherlands)
June 5 : Spielberg (Austria)
June 19 : Lausitzring (Germany)
July 3 : Norisring (Germany)
July 17 : Stade olympique de Munich (non championship)
August 7 : Nürburgring (Germany)
September 4 : Brands Hatch (Great Britain)
September 18 : Oschersleben (Germany)
October 2 : Valencia (Spain)
Oc tober 23 : Hockenheim (Germany)
The fourth man is a newcomer to Abt-Audi, Mike Rockenfeller. The young German is known for his tenaciousness (read aggressiveness) on the track and has constantly emerged as the best privateer these past few seasons. He’s going into this highly motivated, behind the wheel of a car that can allow him to be a serious contender.
Behind these eight factory drivers, 10 semi-privateers will, if not fight for a title, at least interfere at the front of the field and maybe occasionally clinch a win. That’s the case of Martin Tomczyck at Audi-Phoenix, deposed as a factory driver by Rockenfeller and looking to get some of his prestige back.
The Spaniard Miguel Molina, who completed an encouraging first season last year, will be driving for Audi-Abt Junior. The last private Audis have been entrusted to three recruits: Edoardo Mortara (reigning F3 Euroseries champion), Filipe Albuquerque and young Swiss woman Rahel Frey, the last two coming from the GT series last year.
 |
| Audi vs Mercedes, again. (Photo: dtm.com) |
Five semi-private Mercedes cars will also take the start, with some newcomers as well. Scottish veteran David Coulthard is in for another season as well as his young fellow countrywoman Susie Stoddard, whose starting her sixth year in DTM.
The young German Maro Engel will be hunting points once again, and as for the other two semi-private C-Classes, the reins have been given over to newcomers Christian Vietoris (ex GP2 driver) and Renger Van der Zander (GP3).
According to new sporting rules, the various qualifying rounds are now longer (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4). Shanghai is no longer on the calendar, officially because it coincided with the Chinese round of the WTCC.
The reality, though, is that the season closer in China wasn’t a success. The track was dangerous, the spectators were few and uninitiated and the German fans were unhappy that the ultimate event wasn’t held at Hockenheim like it usually is. That’s one thing that’s taken care of, to the delight of everyone, spectators, teams and drivers alike.
Adria has also been wiped, but another track is back on the roster: Austria’s Spielberg. Finally, be an out-of-series Race of Champions will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Munich in July.
Entries DTM 2011:
#2 – Gary Paffett (Great Britain) – Mercedes HWA - C Class 2009
#3 – Bruno Spengler (Canada) – Mercedes HWA - C Class 2009
#4 – Timo Scheider (Germany) – Audi Sport Team Abt – A4 2009
#5 – Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) – Audi Sport Team Abt – A4 2009
#6 – Ralf Schumacher (Germany) – Mercedes HWA – C Class 2009
#7 – Jamie Green (Great Britain) – Mercedes HWA – C Class 2009
#8 – Mattias Ekström (Sweden) – Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline - A4 2009
#9 – Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) – Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline – A4 2009
#10 – Susie Stoddart (Great Britain) – Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#11 – Christian Vietoris (Germany) - Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#14 – Martin Tomczyck (Germany) – Audi Team Phoenix – A4 2008
#15 – Rahel Frey (Switzerland) – Audi Team Phoenix – A4 2008
#16 – Maro Engel (Germany) – Mercedes Mücke Motorsport – C Class 2008
#17 – David Coulthard (Great Britain) – Mercedes Mücke Motorsport – C Class 2008
#18 – Filipe Albuquerque (Portogal) – Audi Team Rosberg – A4 2008
#19 – Edoardo Mortara (Italy) – Audi Team Rosberg – A4 2008
#20 – Renger van der Zande (Netherlands) – Mercedes Team Persson – C Class 2008
#22 – Miguel Molina (Esp) - Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline Junior – A4 2008
2001 Schedule:
May 1st : Hockenheim (Germany)
May 15 : Zandvoort (Netherlands)
June 5 : Spielberg (Austria)
June 19 : Lausitzring (Germany)
July 3 : Norisring (Germany)
July 17 : Stade olympique de Munich (non championship)
August 7 : Nürburgring (Germany)
September 4 : Brands Hatch (Great Britain)
September 18 : Oschersleben (Germany)
October 2 : Valencia (Spain)
Oc tober 23 : Hockenheim (Germany)