How the DTM redeemed itself in Russia

If you’re a regular reader on TouringCarTimes, you’ll have noticed that there was no preview for the DTM’s Moscow debut, and the answer as to why is pretty simple; there hadn’t been a Russian DTM race before, and it didn’t seem appropriate to fill 500 or so words with cliches about Iron Curtains and vodka drinking bears.

Okay, the track is 2.5 kilometers long, it’s the DTM’s first time there, nobody knows who’s going to win, etc. etc., but most of it would have been hot air, as there has been no track record around the Moscow Raceway. It had all been said before.

Instead, it seemed a better idea to assess whether the race had been a success after it had finished.

One way of looking at things is that the event was a mere marketing exercise by manufacturers who want to sell more cars in a rapidly growing economy… For example, the roads which lead you to the circuit stop and become gravel tracks, so I’ve been told, and it’s 90 minutes from the centre of  the Russian capital; it’s closer to a town called Fedyukovo… Then there was the incident when Vladimir Putin interrupted Q4…

But as a confused looking Hans-Jurgen Abt said after qualifying Russia is a “special” country, and these things happen. Look at the visa requirements, for example, but also remember that Russia as we know it today, is still a relatively new country finding its way after 70 years of communist rule.

So, instead of focussing on Soviet-era visa restrictions, and the Hand of Putin playing its role on Saturday, the race in Moscow should actually be viewed as a job well done for a country that doesn’t really have a motorsport culture, as it allowed the DTM to redeem itself, which in the light of the Ekström/waterbottle saga, it really needed to do.

If I’m honest, the track didn’t do much for me on paper. It has a lap-time of around one minute and don’t forget that we’ve had Brands Hatch and we’ve had the Norisring, and in a season which is just 10 races long, 30% of them being comprised of sprint circuits is just a little too much.

Anyway, not for the first time this season, I was wrong as the Moscow Raceway put on a great show from start to finish and provided many subtexts over the 75 lap distance.

There was the battle of the Audis, which saw Mike Rockefeller and Ekström – who, judging by his pace, is over his Norisring disappointment – trade fastest laps on different strategies, until the Swede decided to concede the lead due to his stablemate’s position at the head of the championship.

Then there was Bruno Spengler’s shock 19th place finish, after he was spearheaded early in the race by Miguel Molina going into the first turn…

Away from the title fight, there was the wheel rubbing, close racing, which we all love courtesy of Dani Juncadella, Edoardo Mortara and Marco Wittmann, despite P17 being far away from any points. Brits Jamie Green and Gary Paffett were also others who didn’t shy away from trading paint schemes down the start/finish straight for sixth position.

In short, the Moscow Raceway did everything the DTM should do; it provided excitement, showed good sportsmanship and gave us an unexpected twist in the championship battle…

… The Ekström disqualification, whilst still farcical, seems a bit more of a distant memory now, doesn’t it?