A night race in the DTM: an unlikely possibility

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters has been looking at different options to make the series more attractive to spectators in the recent years. After a successful return to the two-race weekend format in 2015, the latest rumours about future changes point to introducing night racing in German’s premier touring car category.

Last year, the new TCR International Series celebrated their first night race under the floodlights in Singapore, with the FIA World Touring Car Championship following suit later in the year, introducing night racing for the last event of the 2015 season in Qatar. Both events were welcomed by the drivers and teams, which highlighted the different demands of racing in reduced visibility, but also how the lower temperatures and grip affected the cars’ behaviour. From the spectators’ perspective, the artificially lit races produced exciting action right until the chequered flag.

DTM drivers are also keen on the idea of racing in a floodlit circuit. The majority of them already have experience driving under twilight or night conditions, from their secondary careers in sports car racing for their respective manufacturers. Audi driver and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Mike Rockenfeller said to Speedweek: “A night race would be great for the spectators and the television. The images would be fantastic.”

ITR, the series promoter, has just renewed their contract with German channel ARD for live coverage of the races in 2016 and 2017. A DTM night race would boost TV ratings, securing a slot in evening primetime slot, which the broadcaster would be willing to occasionally offer .

The next point to consider would be the location of such an event. None of the racetracks currently used by the DTM has the infrastructure to artificially light a whole circuit so the night race is visible on TV and to spectators. Therefore, the key issue is the resources needed to light up a racetrack. Lorenz Liechti, DTM Media Relations Officer, told TouringCarTimes: “The idea is fascinating and we discuss on a regular basis what could make our events more attractive. But the costs of a night race, regarding artificial illumination, are huge.”

2014 champion Marco Wittmann went further, even suggesting a venue: “A floodlit race in Abu Dhabi would be great”, said the BMW driver. The Yas Marina circuit, which pioneered the idea, will host its eighth night Formula 1 race this season.

Still, travelling to the Middle East in search of a track with the infrastructure to host a night race would take away the evening slot, resulting in an early afternoon timetable for spectators in Europe.

In any case, the series is unlikely to travel that far to organise an event. There were rumours during last year about the geographical expansion of the DTM, with Spain and Portugal in talks with ITR over organising events in Jarama and Porto, but the manufacturers were reluctant to increase travelling costs at present at a time when their budgets are already accommodating the development work for the new engine regulations, which are now delayed until 2019.

Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director, was very concise: “If we are going to move that far, it would have to be with the financial support of ITR for the logistics of crossing Europe for just one event. This is our position for the near future.”

The return to the two-race weekend format, with a single tyre compound produced an exciting DTM season in 2015, with 13 different race winners in 18 races and four drivers reaching the season finale with mathematical options to the title. There was plenty of action and, in that sense, the series already has an attractive package at the moment.

The timetable for Saturday races was, however, conditioned by other events shown on ARD and it can be argued that a night race in an evening slot could probably get better TV ratings than a mid-late afternoon one, making it a special and different event in the season.

On the other hand, decisions in the DTM are always taken with the manufacturers in mind, who already invest heavily in the series in order to make it attractive for spectators both on and off track. Audi, Mercedes and BMW have to justify their budgets to their respective boards and, in a time of rapid changes for the industry, with all three already committed to new engine and technical regulations in the next three years, it seems very unlikely they are going to be willing to make an extra investment in order to finance the infrastructure to lit up a circuit, or travel beyond their geographical scope in search of a track ready for a night race.

A DTM night race remains an attractive idea but it could be some time before the practical issues can be overcome to make it a reality.