A look at the DTM rule changes

While the designs of the DTM machines have been frozen since last season, a number of minor changes have taken place, not least to the rulebook. The minimum weights have changed and results based handicapping done away with, while the qualifying system has also undergone a minor refinement, which sees the drivers now have less time to get their fastest lap in.

Development of the 2009 Audi and Mercedes DTM models was virtually frozen on 17th August last year, with the engines sealed from much earlier in the season. A few minor tweaks were allowed over the winter, with the manufacturers not having to specify their choice of shock absorber until 1st March.

From now on, only ride height, track and camber may be changed on the cars. Designed as a move to save money, the frozen regulations are aimed at ensuring development costs are slashed, while teams also don’t have the expense of building 2010 spec machines in what should be the last season of the current regulations.

With handicapping done away with, the DTM commission have specified the following minimum weights for the 2010 season. 2009-spec cars will be the heaviest at 1,050kg while 2008-spec machines will run at a minimum of 1,025kg.

Audi and Mercedes have committed to using solely ’09 and ’08 cars, but should any ‘07 machines appear (for example in the hands of Colin Kolles Futurecom team), then these will run at 1,000kg.

As in 2009 qualifying will run over four sessions, with cars being eliminated at the conclusion of each segment. For 2010 though each session is slightly shorter, making it, in theory, a slightly harder task to find clear air to record a flying lap.

With such small amounts of time under discussion, it remains to be seen whether this change will have any noticeable affect on the action. Though if it does, expect to hear quite quickly from the mouths of any disadvantaged drivers!