The highs and and lows of DTM 2013

With Mike Rockenfeller taking the title, and seven (if we include Mattias Ekström as the on-track victor at the Norisring) winners from 10 races, the 2013 DTM season was one of the most varied in the series’ history.

However, despite the obvious highs, this DTM season was also characterised by one of the biggest lows in recent years, after Ekström was stripped of his Norisring victory for having a water-bottle in his overalls post-race.

Another significant downer was when the DTM’s first qualifying session in Russia was halted by Vladimir Putin during the series’ first outing.

In reflection of the 2013 season after a month since it wrapped up at Hockenheim with a Timo Glock/BMW victory, TouringCarTimes has come up with the best and worst of the DTM year, starting with the highs…

Highs:

1. Mike Rockenfeller taking the title: It’s not often that a driver manages to win Le Mans twice as well as the DTM title. What makes Rockenfeller’s title win more impressive, was that he also came back from a potentially life-threatening accident whilst driving for Audi at Le Mans in 2011. His title win, which he wrapped up with one round to go at Zandvoort, proved he has lost no speed or consistency; he showed it after managing to score in every round apart from the Hockenheim season finale. As well as his decision to not take part in any World Endurance Series events to focus on his DTM campaign, Rockenfeller’s two victories at Brands Hatch and the Moscow Raceway proved he’s one of the quickest out there. And one of the most intelligent. Combine all this together, and Rockenfeller is a fully deserving champion.

2. Christian Vietoris comes of age: Vietoris came into the DTM with Mercedes in 2011 when he competed in a Persson Motorsport run C-Class. He finished 14th in his rookie year. In 2012, when he stepped up to the HWA outfit, he ended the year 12th. Little surprise then, that when he managed to get his C-Coupe into Q4 at the Hockenheim season opener, the press room generally said “Vietoris? Q4? Okay.” Cue shocked faces. The consensus was that he wouldn’t be able to follow through in the race. However, the 24-year-old stepped up and delivered his first DTM career podium with third on Sunday. He then went and did the same at the Lausitzring, the Norisring and the Nürburgring. Despite not having the outright speed as Mercedes team-mates Gary Paffett and Robert Wickens who both took victories this season, Vietoris finished the year as the best placed of the Mercedes drivers with fourth in the standings thanks to his superb consistency after having scored in eight out of 10 races.

3. Mattias Ekström wins the Norisring: Despite being disqualified for having a water-bottle in his overalls post-race in Parc Ferme, most people in the paddock still regard Ekström as the winner as the Norisring race back in July. The Swede proved he has lost none of the searing speed which netted him DTM titles in 2004 and 2007 after he climbed from 10th on the grid to first to take Audi’s first win at its home circuit since 2002. The victory was also his first with Audi’s RS 5 DTM, and his first since Valencia 2011. Disqualification aside, it was a fully deserved win. Awesome.

4. Andy Priaulx gets into Q4: Andy Priaulx hasn’t been treated fairly in the DTM. Despite being the oldest driver on the grid at 40, a driver of Priaulx’s class doesn’t go from winning three World Touring Car Championships, as well as one European Touring Car title, to struggling to get off the back row in DTM 2013. Undoubtedly, Priaulx’s move from the RBM BMW team with whom he had his former successes would have been an underlying factor in his dip in form. It also appears that his move to the 2010-formed RMG outfit was also part of Priaulx’s disappointing 2013. His team-mate, Martin Tomczyk – a man who won the 2011 DTM title – also had a similarly tough season, and scored the same 10 points. Little wonder, then, that when Priaulx reverted to right-foot-braking at the Hockenheim season finale and put his M3 DTM third on the grid, the entire press room went up in shouts of “go on, Andy!”. These followed into Sunday’s race. Proof then, that Priaulx is still seen as a top-class driver. If he isn’t around in next season’s DTM, he’ll be missed. A lot.

5. Marco Wittmann: Despite team-mate Timo Glock taking the new-for-2013 MTEK BMW team’s victory at the Hockenheim season ender, it was DTM rookie, Marco Wittmann, who was the outfit’s star performer this season. Given Glock had only scored once, with third at the Red Bull Ring in June until his maiden DTM win, Wittmann took points in 60% of the races as well. His best result of 2013 was second and fastest lap at the Austrian circuit, and he also went on to take pole at Zandvoort. With a year’s worth of experience for MTEK and Wittmann in 2014, it would not be a surprise to see them become proper championship contenders.

And now the lows…

1. Mattias Ekström disqualified from the Norisring: Irrespective on your take on the rules, Ekström should not have been stripped of his win. Whilst the clarification of rules and whether his dad should have been in Parc Ferme are things to be discussed on the forum or down the pub, the over-riding feeling is that a quiet slap on the wrists should have been given to Ekström and the Abt Sportsline Audi team. Not a full-on disqualification. Maybe clearer rules should have been written. Either way, in a race which belonged to the Swede and Audi after an impressive drive, to be stripped of it on Audi’s home turf was harsh. Too harsh. Spare a thought too for Mercedes’ Robert Wickens. For a few hours after the race, the Canadian believed he had inherited his maiden DTM career win. He was then stripped of it due to the ensuing DMSB court-case around a fortnight later. The eventual ruling of the whole sort outcome? No winner. Not good for anyone involved and most of all, not good for the DTM’s credibility.

2. Putin interrupts Moscow qualifying: To be honest, the DTM’s first race in Russia was largely decent. The race was entertaining, the Moscow Raceway facilities were largely described as “superb” and come race day, 45,000 eager Russians had come to watch. Despite the positives, there were one or two problems. The Moscow Raceway, whilst in the Moskovskaya Oblast’ (region), is some 90-minutes from the centre of the Russian capital in a place called Sheludkovo Village. Great, but that’s like calling the British Grand Prix the ‘Grand Prix of London’ given Silverstone’s proximity to country’s capital. This, however, wasn’t the biggest issue. The biggest issue was that Russian President, Vladimir Putin, was scheduled to fly over the circuit during Q4. The announcement came immediately after Q3, and the airspace above was then shut down; the medical helicopter was unable to take off, and Q4 was cancelled. Russia is a market which BMW, Audi and Mercedes are trying to tap into and Russia is a country trying to nurture its own motorsport culture. Consider these factors, and the Putin fly-over simply isn’t a good enough message.

3. RMG BMW: Despite missing out on the drivers’ and teams’ titles in 2013, BMW won the most races out of any manufacturer. Augusto Farfus won the Hockenheim season opener, as well as Oschersleben and Zandvoort with the RBM team. The 2012 DTM champion, Bruno Spengler, won at the Red Bull Ring in his Schnitzer run M3, and Timo Glock, who jumped from F1 to make his DTM debut with the MTEK team in 2013, closed his debut DTM season off in style at the Hockenheim season finale. Despite successes with three of its four teams, the fourth outfit, RMG, got it drastically wrong and as a result, saw its drivers, Martin Tomczyk and Andy Priaulx finish the season down in 19th and 20th respectively. Throughout the season, both drivers were at a loss to explain to TouringCarTimes why they were unable to match the pace of their BMW stablemates. Mechanical problems, set-up issues, an lack of outright pace or racing incidents plagued both drivers and the general feeling was one of frustration. Tomczyk even went an entire calendar year from August 2012 to August 2013 without points. Don’t forget both of these drivers know how to win races. Both drivers deserved better.

4. The last of Zandvoort and Brands Hatch: This season was the last for Zandvoort and Brands Hatch. A shame, really given that both iconic circuits will be replaced by the Hungaroring and a yet undecided location in China; it’s all part of the ITR’s plan to tap into new markets by broadening the DTM’s international appeal. It’s totally understandable as in all honesty, the Brands Hatch Indy track is too small at 1.9 kilometres, Zandvoort’s facilities are questionable and both the UK and Dutch markets are well tapped-into by the manufacturers. However, the fact remains that both circuits are old-school and have proper corners. Drivers corners. The undulating, and really quite frightening Paddock Hill Bend at Brands, for example… or should that not do it for you, how about the banked Tarzanbocht after the start/finish line at Zandvoort? Sure, these tracks aren’t perfect, but they are ballsy and they’ll be missed by drivers, media and fans alike.

5. DRS: I know I complained about it after the Hockenheim season opener, and yes, I will admit that it increased overtaking. Anyway, irrespective of DRS’ benefits, I will complain again because it seems artificial. A driver shouldn’t have to press a button to assist a pass. He should use every bit of knowledge, talent and craft he has honed whilst passing through the junior ranks. Ekström proved DRS can really be done away after he charged from 11th to fourth at Zandvoort; a track which isn’t easy to pass on. The option Hankook tyres, however, I thought were a welcome addition to the DTM. Like DRS, the softer tyres were introduced to improve the on-track action ahead of this season, and their addition opened up different strategies as they lasted much longer than the originally anticipated six laps. The drivers liked them, they made the races interesting and it’s good they’re staying for next year…

… But please, do something about the DRS…