2010 DTM Season Preview
The 2010 installment of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters sees the series enter it’s second decade since the reformation in 2000, and by using previous seasons as a benchmark, this year will be full of top class racing action, with some of the world’s finest drivers on show.
To help you find your way around the new DTM season, here is the TouringCarTimes preview of the 2010 DTM season.
Rules & Regulations
One of the most significant features of the 2010 season is the regulation freeze.
Given the uncertain financial climate around the world, the German Motorsport Federation (DMSB) and the ITR moved to safeguard the future of the series and drive down costs.
Together with Audi and Mercedes-Benz, a decision was made to freeze the regulations, resulting in the decision that the same specification of car will be seen on the grid in 2010 and in ’09.
Minor alterations will be allowed, but all will be strictly within the regulations laid out in the agreement made between all parties during last season.
In the close season Dunlop have confirmed their continued support to the DTM. The British tyre manufacturer has provided tyres to the series since the new DTM was launched in 2000, and the continued partnership will be seen as perfect news for teams and drivers alike, given the regulation freeze.
Calendar
Dijon-Prenois featured on the DTM calendar for 2009, but it’s place was short lived. Initially a three year deal was in place, but given the levels of investment required by Dijon to host the events, an agreement was made between the circuit and the ITR to end the agreement after only one year.
The Dijon event will, subject to contract, be replaced with a trip to Shanghai. The last time the DTM visited Shanghai was in 2004, where Gary Paffett won the non-championship race.
If the Chinese event is confirmed, then it will play host the season finale at the end of October.
In terms of the Spanish race, the Circuit de Catalunya makes way as the DTM moves to Valencia, and the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
The season opener will be held at Hockenheim next weekend.
Who’s Who
In terms of drivers for the new season, both marques have now announced their line-ups, with some drivers leaving, some joining, and others moving around within the series.
Here is a run-down of those drivers who have been confirmed so far for 2010.
Timo Scheider
Number: 1
Nationality: German (Lahnstein)
Age: 31
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: 2 (2008, 2009)
Scheider claimed his first DTM race victory in 2008, and went on to claim the title in the same season. He followed up with back-to-back titles with victory in 2009, and will be looking to claim the hat-trick in 2010, something which has never been achieved in the new DTM.
Oliver Jarvis
Number: 2
Nationality: British (Burwell)
Age: 26
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Jarvis joined the Audi team in 2008, and in 2009 became the first driver in a year-old specification car to claim outright pole position in the DTM. He could only manage second in that race at Zandvoort, but that combined with an impressive third place in the season opener at Hockenheim caught the eye of the powers that be, and as a result, he will drive a current specification car in 2010.
Gary Paffett
Number: 3
Nationality: British (Bromley)
Age:
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: 1 (2005)
Paffett enjoyed a strong season in 2009, and will be looking to history repeating itself in 2010. In the season prior to his championship winning season, Paffett finished second overall, and after ending last season in that same position, will be looking to go one better in 2010.
Bruno Spengler
Number: 4
Nationality: Canadian (Schiltigheim, France)
Age: 26
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Spengler has competed in the DTM since 2005, and his closest chances of success came with two second place finishes in the championship in 2006 and ’07. In the latter of the two seasons, an agonisingly small margin of 3 points separated him from eventual champion Mattias Ekström.
Mattias Ekström
Number: 5
Nationality: Swedish (Falun)
Age: 31
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: 2 (2004, 2007)
Ekström has competed in the DTM since 2001, driving for Audi throughout. He claimed two championships, but endured a poor 2009, where he failed to win a single race. In 2010 he will be looking to bounce back, and statistics are in his favour. A two year gap between his first and second titles is now repeated with 2010 looming as a potential statistical victory for the Swede.
Martin Tomczyk
Number: 6
Nationality: German (Rosenheim)
Age: 28
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Tomczyk enjoyed a poor start to 2009, but his form picked up through the latter stages, with victory at the Nürburgring being the pinnacle. His best finish in the championship was third place in 2007, and he will be looking to repay the faith shown in him by the Audi team during 2010.
Paul di Resta
Number: 7
Nationality: British (Uphall)
Age: 23
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
In his three years in the DTM, di Resta has shown evidence of great skill and consistency. Fifth place overall in 2007, was followed up with a fine second place in 2008, and an eventual third place at the end of 2009. A test driver for the Force India Formula 1 team, di Resta will be looking to become the first Mercedes driver since Bernd Schneider in 2006 to secure a drivers title for the marque in the DTM.
Ralf Schumacher
Number: 8
Nationality: German (Hürth-Hermülheim)
Age: 34
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Schumacher moved to the DTM in 2008, after spending the previous eleven years competing in Formula 1. Despite only achieving four more points in 2009 than his haul in 2008, Schumacher showed great improvement during last season. Speculation during the season, which increased during the close season, that he would not continue in 2010 were quashed when he announced his continuation with Mercedes-Benz.
Alexandre Prémat
Number: 9
Nationality: French (Juvisy-sur-Orge)
Age:
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Prémat’s career highlights include victory in the Macau Grand Prix, as well as claiming the Le Mans Series trophy in 2008. His best DTM finish came in the same year, with 10th overall after scoring a fine third place in the his home round of the series, at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit. A disappointing 2009 campaign will surely be on his mind as he looks to make the next step in the DTM.
Mike Rockenfeller
Number: 10
Nationality: German (Neuwied)
Age: 31
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Rockenfeller has provided a consistent set of results throughout his three years in the DTM, but endured his worts season in 2009. He claimed only 4 points, and suffered a string of finishes outside of the top ten. He has enjoyed success in other forms of motorsport, with victory in the GT2 class in the FIA GT Championship in 2005, and he partnered Prémat to the Le Mans Series title in 2008.
Jamie Green
Number: 11
Nationality: British (Leicester)
Age: 27
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Green has been a consistent performer in the series since his debut in 2005. Five victories and a string of solid top ten finishes have made Green one to watch at every race. For 2009 he made the move to a year old car, but still managed to claim victory at the Norisring round.
Susie Stoddart
Number: 12
Nationality: British (Oban)
Age: 27
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Stoddart enters 2010 with four DTM seasons behind her. Her best finish to-date is ninth in her debut season, but 2009 saw Stoddart claim a number of good finishes in a consistent manner.
Markus Winkelhock
Number: 14
Nationality: German (Stuttgart)
Age: 29
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Winkelhock began life in the DTM with Mercedes-Benz in 2004, before leaving to compete in the World Series by Renault in 2005, with two seasons of Formula 1 in 2006 and ’07. He returned to the DTM, but switched allegiances, and competed for Audi. He scored two fourth place finishes in 2009, on his way to his best championship position of 10th.
Katherine Legge
Number: 15
Nationality: British (Guildford)
Age: 29
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Legge is entering her third year as an Audi driver in the DTM. She has yet to break into the top ten in terms of results, but continued support from Audi will be a driving factor in 2010.
Maro Engel
Number: 16
Nationality: German (Munich)
Age: 27
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Engel moved from open wheel racing to make his DTM debut in 2008, and a string of positive results followed. He was retained for 2009, and proceeded to deliver even more impressive results in the year-old car. He finished both seasons a very creditable 8th overall.
David Coulthard
Number: 17
Nationality: British (Dumfries)
Age: 39
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
Another ex-Formula 1 driver joins the grid, having retired from the series at the end 2008, and taking something of a sabbatical in 2009, he enjoyed a strong pre-season testing schedule with Mercedes prior to announcing his participation in the 2010 DTM season.
Miguel Molina
Number: 18
Nationality: Spanish (Girona)
Age: 21
Car: Audi A4 DTM
Championship Titles: None
Molina was announced in the Audi team at the start of 2010. He is making the move to tin-top racing from a career in open wheels. The rookie will be looking to impress in his rookie season.
Franky Cheng (Cheng Congfu)
Number: 21
Nationality: Chinese (Beijing)
Age: 25
Car: AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse
Championship Titles: None
A relatively unknown entity compared to the other drivers moving to the series for 2010, Cheng has an impressive record in karting, from which he progressed to open wheel racing, where he spent the majority of his career to-date. He joins the DTM with some knowledge of the circuits, having competed in a number of rounds of the the supporting Formula Three Euroseries in 2009.
The 2010 DTM season promises to be an exciting year of motorsport, given the rules, the driver changes and some of the best circuits around.
You can keep up-to-date with all the happenings throughout season at the TouringCarTimes.
