DTM 2013

[MadMatt]

There is no thread for DTM this season and despite it being well under way (and boring as usual unfortunately), I wanted to share this picture that I saw the other day and shows the standard platform shared by the 3 german manufacturers:

[iotar__]

What do you mean 'boring'? They have DRS and different tyres tyres just like F1 . I've watched a few races casually and have some random thoughts:

- I still can't figure out who is good and who's not, probably because of 3 cars system - everyone and no one, plus tyres

- DTM is F1 big teams' wet dream, only they call it customer cars, kill small teams financially and have only RB, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes = Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Marketing success, high chance of brand winning or on podium in every race, multiplies brand presence by five, racing being kind of weird not a problem,

- tyre changes are deceptively quick

- time penalties applied on the fly - 1s for leaving the track or sth like that - what's that about?

- Can Wickens do DiResta and go to F1 after single seaters banishment? [I doubt it, Canadian doesn't fit whisky marketing in FI]

[krisfx]

I thought it was good to watch.

As said I don't get the penalty system it's a bit daft and I genuinely don't understand the teams thing, is it Audi Vs BMW Vs Merc but with small customer teams that aid them in the constructors?

[Just_a_fan]

- time penalties applied on the fly - 1s for leaving the track or sth like that - what's that about?

Presumably it's their way of stopping drivers getting an advantage by going off track. Makes sense in some ways but in a close battle it could result in the guy ahead on track actually being behind on time. Confusing for fans if they're not fully up to speed with what is going on.

[MadMatt]

The problem is all the tarmac run-off areas. Put grass and you can get rid of these penalties. I remember few years ago at the LeMans Bugatti circuit they were cutting the "S" near the end of the track so much that it was no longer a corner. Same could apply in all other racing series.

[Huntresa]

They also have weird blue flag rules, cause its rules from when it was just Audi and Merc, so if a car has pitted and is fast or slow it can get blue flags or make other cars get blue flags just because you arent allowed to hold another car up even if its not a lapped car and its for actual position on track, this was very weird at Norisring, very weird.

[FoxHound]

They also have weird blue flag rules, cause its rules from when it was just Audi and Merc, so if a car has pitted and is fast or slow it can get blue flags or make other cars get blue flags just because you arent allowed to hold another car up even if its not a lapped car and its for actual position on track, this was very weird at Norisring, very weird.

That was due to some smaller teams tactically helping the works teams by holding back the second placed car.
It's not ideal, but at least it stops that sort of thing happening.

[Huntresa]

They also have weird blue flag rules, cause its rules from when it was just Audi and Merc, so if a car has pitted and is fast or slow it can get blue flags or make other cars get blue flags just because you arent allowed to hold another car up even if its not a lapped car and its for actual position on track, this was very weird at Norisring, very weird.

That was due to some smaller teams tactically helping the works teams by holding back the second placed car.
It's not ideal, but at least it stops that sort of thing happening.

Yes i know i did write when it was 2 teams, but its retarded now. And it was especially retarded at Norisring.

[SectorOne]

- DTM is F1 big teams' wet dream, only they call it customer cars, kill small teams financially and have only RB, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes = Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Marketing success, high chance of brand winning or on podium in every race, multiplies brand presence by five, racing being kind of weird not a problem,

Not really though. Merc, Audi and BMW decided to go this route and create new regs when BMW arrived.

I think for all teams, other manufacturers actually build the cars, and they are all run by customer teams as far as i know.
Then you have the japanese coming into the picture now.



It´s really a german championship that´s been renamed and now want to create an international class.

[SectorOne]

As said I don't get the penalty system it's a bit daft and I genuinely don't understand the teams thing, is it Audi Vs BMW Vs Merc but with small customer teams that aid them in the constructors?

Driver´s championship
Team´s champioship (i.e. Team MTEK)
Manufacturer´s championship

So you have three championships in DTM.
The teams are customer teams but some have strong affiliations with the manufacturer like Schnitzer or ABT sportline etc.

No team is running a works team in that sense but are still visually running some as if they were.
Then on top of that you have every head of Audi, Mercedes and BMW overwatching everything.

So the manufacturers are very much competing but it´s through customer teams.