Photo: DTM Media

US manufacturer needed for DTM America

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DTM manufacturers, Audi and BMW, believe the proposed DTM America series needs a US manufacturer to go ahead.

BMW’s motorsport boss, Jens Marquardt, feels the inclusion of a US manufacturer will be key to whether the series which is proposed by 2017 happens.

“The main task is to see if we can get an American manufacturer to buy into the idea,” Marquardt told Autosport. “To come and race in America for one or two races is one thing, but if you want a series that runs to 10 or so races and you want it to be appreciated by the fans, you need a US manufacturer to be involved.”

Audi’s head of DTM, Dieter Gass, added that whilst having the Japanese Super GT series build cars adhering to the DTM regulations would be beneficial to DTM America, not having a US manufacturer involved “would be very difficult” for the series.

“We, at very least need the Japanese manufacturers, but it would be better to have a domestic manufacturer,” said Gass. “A series with only German manufacturers would be very difficult to imagine.”

None of the main US manufacturers – Chrysler, Ford and General Motors – have yet come out in support for DTM America.

The head of General Motors Racing, Mark Kent, said he is currently happy with his company’s involvement in the United SportsCar Championship, but added he is keeping an eye on how the DTM America idea develops.

“We keep watching it to see how it develops, but right now we are quite happy with our Corvette Racing programme and our Corvette Daytona Prototypes,” said Kent. “We have a great marketing platform in the USC, so there would have to be compelling reasons to add some kind of DTM programme to that.”

However, DTM boss, Hans-Werner Aufrecht, is confident that the uniform rules across the DTM, Super GT and proposed DTM America platforms to build DTM-style cars will eventually persuade US manufacturers to get involved.

“There’s no doubt that the concept behind the technical regulations and the option to use a car built according to these regulations in Europe, Japan and the USA against other globally-renowned car manufacturers will be attractive for American companies,” said Aufrecht. “The product must convince the manufacturers that getting involved pays off, and I’m confident that this is going to happen.”