DTM 2011

[eaurouge94]

At Hockenheim this weekend, The DTM season gets underway. It doesn't get much coverage in the UK, but is one of the, if not the best, touring car series in the world, along with V8 supercars and the WTCC. As Paul Di Resta has proved, the series does have drivers with plenty of talent, and an influx of new drivers, including reigning F3 euroseries champion and Macau winner Edoardo Mortara, and Christian Vietoris, a GP2 race winner, has given this year's field a high quality feel.

Series returnees Gary Paffett and Bruno Spengler who fought for the championsship last year, along with double champion Timo Scheider are the favourites heading into the season. However, the new drivers and other returnees such as Jamie Green and Mathias Ekstrom are expected to run them close and provide a competitive season.

The season begins and ends at Hockenheim with races in 5 countries including a return to the newly refurbished Red Bull Ring (Previously the A1 ring and Osterreichring) and Brands Hatch. Furthermore, there's a show Race of Champions-esque non points event in Munich for the first time. You can catch it on Motors TV.

 

[gethinceri]

Love it, thanks for the heads up on yet another series to cram into the weekend! MotorsTV showing every race?

 

[eaurouge94]

Sorry, my mistake, just heard that its shown on ESPN not Motors TV

 

[Brogan]

Arrghh!
I didn't realise it was ESPN this year.

Oh well, another series I'll just have to follow at a distance, even though I make a point of trying to watch DTM

 

[gethinceri]

Dash it.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

As Paul Di Resta has proved, the series does have drivers with plenty of talent

And David coulthard

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Shame, I don't have either ESPN or Motors TV. I could get both through my Virginmedia package, but not cheap.

Anyway, the good news is that there is a British round at Brands Hatch on 4th September.

 

[Matthew Little]

Arrghh!
I didn't realise it was ESPN this year.

Oh well, another series I'll just have to follow at a distance, even though I make a point of trying to watch DTM

Speed Channel here in the 'States usually carries DTM during the week and in the off-season...........

 

[KekeTheKing]

Just watched the Hockenheim race. Pretty good run from Paffett (slightly SC-aided) after his qualifying disaster and we saw a Schumacher climb onto the podium again.

After di Resta's early success this year in F1, I imagine people will be watching Bruno Spengler closely to see if he can be the next one to make the somewhat unusual transition.

 

[Galahad]

Unlike Paul, Bruno didn't do anything special in his F3 career, so I'd be surprised if even a DTM title put him into a sniff of an F1 drive. Still, you never know.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Unlike Paul, Bruno didn't do anything special in his F3 career, so I'd be surprised if even a DTM title put him into a sniff of an F1 drive. Still, you never know.

You're probably right G. Seems many of those guys become career DTM drivers.

 

[Galahad]

You're probably right G. Seems many of those guys become career DTM drivers.

It's a handy place for Mercedes and Audi to 'park' their favoured drivers while they decide what to do with them. There's been a fair bit of cross-pollination between Audi's DTM and sportscar programmes, for example, and I think Oliver Jarvis has stated that that's his ultimate aim - to get onto the Le Mans driver roster. BMW's two star drivers from the WTCC, Priaulx and Farfus, are spending a year doing GTs before their DTM campaign begins next year.

From the drivers' point of view, they've generally spent enormous sums through the junior series trying to get into F1, so if it doesn't look like happening (or the money runs out) getting a paid DTM drive is a very good position to end up in.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Started watching DTM a couple of seasons ago on Motor's TV when Timo Scheider won his first championship and ever since i've been hooked.

When ESPN took over the coverage last season i was fairly upset but found out from someone that Sky show highlights of it a week or so after the race itself.

But gotta admit the racings been pretty good this season Bruno Spengler winning one race for Mercedes and the other 3 won by Audi drivers Martin Tomczyk (twice) and Mike Rockenfeller. Ralf Schumacher has also started making an impact on DTM after two years of struggling to get on to the podium he's scored two in the last two races and looks like the Ralf of old in his BMW Williams days.

Brits Jamie Green and Oliver Jarvis are the leading pair for Britian both seat 6th and 7th in the championship. But Gary Paffett has endured a horrible start to the season with car problems and drive through penalities. David Coulthard is still struggling to make an impact on the sport but TBH i think he's in it more for the fun than anything else. Which leads me too our very own Suzie Stoddart for a female racing driver she does well to mix it up with the men in the sport and is currently doing better than fellow female driver Rahel Frey from Switzerland.

Looking forward to the next race at Norisring in Nuremberg on the 3rd July. I'll let you know how all the drivers get on during that race if you want to be kept up to date. Also DTM heads to Brands Hatch on the 4th September, those of you that live down south should really go and check it out. I'd go but it's an awful long way from up here in North Yorkshire!

Have any of you guys been watching DTM this season if so whose been your stand out performer this season?

Mine has to be Martin Tomczyk demoted from the top team at Audi and he's proving that their made the wrong decision.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Been watching DTM since Dario Franchitti was in the Merc 190 in the mid 90's - those were real cars by the way, active suspension, active aero and in my opinion much nicer looking than the current models, except perhaps for the coupes of a few years ago (Astra, Merc and Audi TT). It has to be said though that the standard of driving this year has been appauling, mainly from the middle of the grid backwards, appauling even for tin-top racing standards.
Good news is BMW returning in 2012 with the M3, fingers crossed Andy Priaulx will get one of the seats, probably with Augusto Farfus as his team-mate given that he drove the M3 at Le Mans.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Yeah i'm happy that BMW are joining DTM for 2012 it'll be great to have three different German manufactures in the sport again.

Would love Andy Priaulx to be in it.

 

[Slyboogy]

I always miss the highights, mind giving me a reminder when it's on?

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

Tonight at 11, so in about 45 minutes! Sky always repeat it though.

 

[landogeorgelewis1]

Today's top 8 results from Norisring

1. Bruno Spengler
2. Jamie Green
3. Martin Tomcyzk
4. Timo Schneider
5. Eduardo Mortara
6. Ralf Schumacher
7. Mattias Ekstrom
8. David Coulthard - Claiming his first point in DTM.

Other Brits:
Suzie Stoddart 13th
Oliver Jarvis 15th
Gary Paffett - retired

Top 6 standings after 5 rounds:

1. Bruno Spengler 39
2. Martin Tomcyzk 36
3. Timo Schneider 24
4. Jamie Green 21
5. Ralf Schumacher 17
6. Mike Rockenfeller 14