Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz prior to DTM season start

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 05:48 AM PDT

DTM, ITR-Test Hockenheim, Bruno Spengler (BMW M3 DTM) Miguel Molina (Audi A5 DTM), Gary Paffett (AMG Mercedes C-Coupe)

Four weeks prior to the first season round of the 2012 DTM, the three manufacturers Audi, new entrant BMW and Mercedes-Benz presented themselves to the media at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. In a press conference at the occasion of the final test session before the season opener, Audi’s head of motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt and Mercedes-Benz’s head of motorsport Norbert Haug reported about the new era in the DTM.

Oneighturbo DTM Hockenheim Audi Rahel Frey 040212 16

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich

“This surely has been one of the most exciting winter seasons I have ever experienced in motorsport. All three manufacturers went to the limits of their performance potential. But it was certainly worth the effort, because with the new regulations, we have created a great basis for the 2012 DTM together. In spite of the control parts, there was sufficient room left for every one of the partners to realize its ambitions. From over 4,000 parts on a DTM car, only 50 are identical for all manufacturers.”

ITR-Test Hockenheim: Bruno Spengler (BMW M3 DTM)

Jens Marquardt

“For us as a newcomer in the series, the past 16 to 18 months were very exciting. Time has shown that three manufacturers standing together while considering their own interests, together with the DMSB, have been able to establish common regulations. Safety has been improved, costs have been reduced, that was our goal.”

ITR-Test Hockenheim: Roberto Merhi (AMG Mercedes C-Coupe)

Norbert Haug

“With the third manufacturer and the new regulations, we have achieved a good basis for the DTM. The cars in the DTM have always been spectacular, but the coupés just that little bit more dynamic. We are looking forward to the first race of the season, because that is when it counts. Fans can expect a thrilling season. Pre-sales for the Hockenheim season opener is going really well, as usual. Here, we have already had 35,000 fans in the paddock only. Somehow, Hockenheim is the gamete of the DTM.”

Additional quotes:

Michael Kramp (press spokesman DMSB)

“The new safety cell in the DTM cars certainly is unique. In this area of development, the aim was to optimize safety and to reduce costs. That has been achieved. The safety cell withstands a force of 36 tons. Just to compare this: the FIA requires a resilience of three tons in case of T-bone crashes for sports cars.”

Michael Eckert (Senior Race Tires Engineer, Hankook)

“Contrarily to last year, we had the task of developing an entirely new tyre. This is a ‘real competition tyre’, that combines safety, performance and consistency in an ideal way. After the experience gained last year, the grip of the rain tires was considerably enhanced thanks to a modified profile and a new rubber compound.”

On the first of four test days at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, the official starting numbers for the 2012 season were allocated. The first DTM race weekend of the season takes place at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg from April 27th till 29th. One week before that, on April 22nd, the DTM presents itself to the fans in Wiesbaden.

Starting number – Team – Driver:

  1 - BMW - Martin Tomczyk  2 - BMW - Joey Hand  3 - Audi - Mattias Ekstrom  4 - Audi - Timo Scheider  5 - Mercedes-Benz - Jamie Green  6 - Mercedes-Benz - Ralf Schumacher  7 - BMW - Bruno Spengler  8 - BMW - Dirk Werner  9 - Audi - Mike Rockenfeller 10 - Audi - Miguel Molina 11 - Mercedes-Benz - Gary Paffett 12 - Mercedes-Benz - Christian Vietoris 15 - BMW - Andy Priaulx 16 - BMW - Augusto Farfus 17 - Audi - Rahel Frey 18 - Audi - Adrien Tambay 19 - Mercedes-Benz - David Coulthard 20 - Mercedes-Benz - Robert Wickens 21 - Audi - Edoardo Mortara 22 - Audi - Filipe Albuquerque 23 - Mercedes-Benz - Roberto Merhi 24 - Mercedes-Benz - Susie Wolff

Audi, BMW, Mercedes set new safety standard for DTM 2012

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Audi A5 DTM lead Tuesday’s test at Hockenheim

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 09:51 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

TV Movie Audi A5 DTM (Audi Sport Team Rosberg), Filipe Albuquerque

The quickest on Tuesday was Filipe Albuquerque in the Audi A5 DTM. The Portuguese set the fastest lap time of the day (1:33.318 min) in the morning session. His fellow Audi driver Miguel Molina secured the second position on the time sheets, 0.132 seconds behind Albuquerque.

Mercedes-Benz ace Gary Paffett who had been the quickest on Monday, with his new AMG Mercedes C-Coupe, came third. In addition, the Briton also covered the highest mileage on the 4.567-kilometre track by completing a total of 101 laps. Behind Paffett, the two DTM rookies Robert Wickens and Roberto Merhi (both Mercedes-Benz) finished fourth and fifth respectively. Meanwhile, Dirk Werner took the new BMW M3 DTM to sixth position, on the second day of testing at Hockenheim.

While BMW and Mercedes-Benz contested day two with the same driver line-up as day one, the Audi camp was represented by four additional drivers: the aforementioned Albuquerque and Molina as well as two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekstrom (2004 and 2007) and Switzerland’s Rahel Frey.

The tests will be continued on Wednesday and Thursday with morning sessions from 09:00 to 12:00hrs and afternoon sessions from 14:00 to 18:00hrs.

DTM enthusiasts can witness all the Hockenheim test action as the grandstand ‘Sud H’ is opened throughout the tests. Tickets are available for €6 and include a ticket for the ‘Motor-Sport-Museum’ at the Hockenheimring. The DTM season kick-off on 29th April also will be held at the Hockenheimring. Tickets are available here.