2009 DTM Season

David Mansfield · Nov 8, 2008

I've enjoyed the Brands Hatch race since it moved there, always been a good weekend tho they should use the GP track.

Shame they might not be keeping it in 2009. If they do tho i will make a effort to go and take some photos.

Maurice Hurkmans · Nov 8, 2008

Bram Hengeveld said:
I dont find those tracks very challenging compared to what they used to be driving in the past on those old german airstrip tracks Although Mugello should be a nice one!

Ah, i remember when they raced the streets of Siegen and Helsinki, on the airstrip of Diepholz and also on the Motorway at Berlin (Avus): those where the days :chuck:

DTM nowadays is less interesting with only 2 brands and really standard tracks...

Derek Tatters · Nov 9, 2008

I'm puzzled by that calendar, Brands Hatch was confirmed by the circuit themselves back in September
http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/news/article.asp?NewsID=4148

Chris Noble · Nov 10, 2008

Yeah?? 3 year contract was signed eariler this year! after record crowds for the race this year. think it was 26,000 or so? compared to 17,000 in 2007.

Karl Dubois · Nov 10, 2008

nice championship, but only two constructors
I saw dtm races already in the early 90', alfa , bmw, audi, mercedes, opel

Favourite car, the A. Nannini's Alfa Romeo and the Kéké Rosberg's Opel Vectra

Bram Hengeveld · Nov 10, 2008

Yes it is a shame that only Audi and Mercedes are in this championship. Can't imagine the status DTM would get if Opel and BMW would join in.

Tony Franklin · Nov 23, 2008

Bram Hengeveld said:
Yes it is a shame that only Audi and Mercedes are in this championship. Can't imagine the status DTM would get if Opel and BMW would join in.

Agree, it's a shame there aren't more constructors in this series. Managed to get to the Brands Hatch & the Hockenhiem races this year. Fantastic cars and a great atmosphere, abit like a more relaxed F1 race environment.

Wido Rossen · Nov 26, 2008

Karl Dubois said:
nice championship, but only two constructors
I saw dtm races already in the early 90', alfa , bmw, audi, mercedes, opel

Favourite car, the A. Nannini's Alfa Romeo and the Kéké Rosberg's Opel Vectra

The sound of the Alfa......most beautyfull ever for a touringcar.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIh0--axBFI&feature=related[/media]

Wido Rossen · Jan 4, 2009

Schumacher out?

2008 might have been Ralf Schumacher's only year in DTM. The former Formula 1 driver is still without a new contract for 2009. His contract with Mercedes ended on December 31st. Although talks with Mercedes are still ongoing, the 33-year-old driver stated that he only wants to continue in DTM if he can drive a car of 2009-specification.

Schumacher has said that he wants to continue in DTM, as he had fun in his first year in the German Touring Car series. However, he only wants to do this if the conditions are right.

If Schumacher won't continue driving in DTM, he won't be bored. To the German newspaper "Bild" Schumacher said: "Apart from motor racing I have still plenty of other project that keep me very busy". One of those projects is with his friend Albert Drettmann, who is in the boat industry

( source touringcar times )

Nick Deeley · Jan 16, 2009

Schumacher didnt impress me in the DTM last year. He doesnt deserve a 2009 car.

The series has the potential to be so great, the cars look and sound fantastic. I'll be at Brands Hatch this year again.

I agree the circuits need to be better, and the Brands GP circuit would suit the cars alot better, give them a chance to stretch their legs.

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 18, 2009

Agreed, he didn't impress in F1 and he surely didnt in the DTM last season. Still it is very interesting to have him on board of your team only because of the name and all the publicity that team gets. Ralf is imo a nice marketing tool

Alex Guehennec · Jan 20, 2009

I never saw him doing exceptionnaly things, on every car he drove

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 20, 2009

He had some nice crashes i remember. Also very good in crashing into others

Johannes van Luijk · Jan 20, 2009

Bram Hengeveld said:
He had some nice crashes i remember. Also very good in crashing into others

I don't see why Audi'd keep Albers then. I think it was in Zandvoort that he crashed in 2nd round. And in the end he was 17th, leaving only Stoddart and Legge on lower positions.

Kevin Ascher · Jan 20, 2009

Bram Hengeveld said:
He had some nice crashes i remember. Also very good in crashing into others

Yep, he just came so far because of his brother..

Wido Rossen · Jan 20, 2009

According to Mercedes sportchef Norbert Haug talks between the Stuttgart manufacturer and Ralf Schumacher are still going. Earlier Schumacher told the press his hopes on launching a seat weren't high anymore. The former F1-driver only wants to drive in DTM if he gets a 2009 car. :messed:

"At the moment we are talking and we want to continue with Ralf. He has also already tested for us", Haug said. "We're working on his demand for a new car."

Meanwhile, Christijan Albers is not likely to get back to DTM next year. Rumours link him to a seat in LMS with a team run by Dr. Colin Kolles. The team boss of Albers last year is planning to enter the Le Mans Series with two Audi R10's.

Wido Rossen · Jan 23, 2009

DTM: Bamber, Niemelä &van der Zande test for Mercedes

Mercedes is going to test a number of young drivers ahead of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2009. Renger van der Zande, Markus Niemelä and Earl Bamber are going to take part in a test at Estoril in Portugal. Regular Mercedes-drivers Bruno Spengler and Gary Paffett will also take part in the test.

Niemelä and Bamber have tested for Mercedes before, both took part in a test held by Mercedes at Mugello late last year.

Van der Zande comes from the Formula 3 Euro Series where he finished fourth. Bamber has driven A1GP and the Toyota Racing Series. The Finn Niemelä has driven GP2 and the Formula Renault Eurocup.

( source Touringcar Times )

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 29, 2009

Audi: Paffett will be a threat

Audi expect former DTM champion Gary Paffett to be a serious threat to their chances of taking a third consecutive DTM crown this year.

The Mercedes driver has driven a one-year-old car for the past two years since he returned to the series in 2007 following a year of Formula One testing with McLaren.

The 27-year-old is tipped for a place in the frontline HWA Mercedes team for this year, and Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich believes that Paffett will be a title threat again if he does get a brand new car for this season.

Read on

Wido Rossen · Feb 11, 2009

R Schumacher in 2009 specs DTM Mercedes

Previous Formula One-driver Ralf Schumacher will drive a 2009 specification Mercedes in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters this season. The news has been reported in several different newspapers in Germany this week. Schumacher said earlier that if he was to continue in the DTM, the condition was that he got a 2009 specification car.

Mercedes are yet to announce their exact drivers line up for 2009 and it is unclear which drivers will get to drive the remaining 2009 specification cars. An announcement on the subject is expected shortly.

Motorsport-Total.com estimates that Schumacher will earn approximately 3.5 million euro from Mercedes and other sponsorship deals in DTM 2009. If the figure is correct, it would mean that Schumacher earns more than all other Mercedes-drivers together.

Stay tuned for more news on the subject!

( source TCT )