Photo: DTM Media

Zandvoort preview: The DTM starts the European leg of the season

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This weekend the Dutch circuit of Zandvoort hosts the fourth round of the 2015 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Season. The expectation grows as the drivers and teams arrive to an ‘old school’ track that presents challenges for everyone involved.

Two weeks ago Norisring saw the rise of Mercedes Benz, winning both races and taking a significant step forward in the championship. The Stuttgart manufacturer closed the gap to Audi Sport in the standings, becoming a real contender. Aware that Zandvoort isn’t favourable to them due to tyre wear and the increase in performance weights, the three-point star manufacturer targets podium finishes.

The four-ring manufacturer still leads the points’ tables, and maintains the performance weights from Norisring. However, as the Mercedes got heavier due to their results in Norisring, Jamie Green feels that the ballast is not a big hinderance anymore. Audi has 283 points in their quiver, with Mercedes now only 48 behind, an advantage that could easily disappear.

BMW arrives to Zandvoort having visited the podium for the first time in 2015 in Norisring, which has become a confidence boost for teams and drivers. The Bavarian manufacturer still has a long path ahead in terms of closing the gap, but they are confident they can achieve a good result. In fact, the M4 DTM is over 20 kilos lighter than its rivals, an important factor in terms of lap times.

Circuit Park Zandvoort is located near to the sea, west of the Dutch town of Haarlem, and is 4.703 kilometres long. It presents several ups and downs that thrill drivers and fans. The surface presents a good grip but is naturally abrasive which, together with the sand blown over from the near beaches, causes a high level of tyre wear. This will become one of the main issues this weekend, as the 2015 Sporting Regulations only allow four sets of tyres for both qualifying sessions and races per driver each weekend.

Action starts on Friday, with the DTM celebrating an already iconic twilight race on Saturday. All times are CEST (GMT + 2):

Friday 10th July

11:45: Roll Out.
15:45: Free Practice 1.

Saturday 11th July

11:30: Free Practice 2.
14:55: Qualifying for Race 1 (20 minutes).
18:03: Race 1 (40 minutes plus 1 lap).

Sunday 12th July

9:45: Warm Up.
11:35: Qualifying for Race 2 (20 minutes).
14:13: Race 2 (60 minutes plus 1 lap, with a compulsory pit stop).