2021 DTM Season

Well, we have a... single car already! Hong Kong-based GruppeM plans to field an AMG GT3 in DTM next year.

https://www.motorspo...am-gt3/4915512/ 

The planned calendar:

01 - Igora Drive, Russia - 29-30 May

02 - Monza, Italy - 12-13 or 19-20 June

03 - Norisring, Germany - 3-4 July

04 - Lausitzring, Germany - 24-25 July

05 - Zolder, Belgium - 7-8 August

06 - Nürburgring, Germany - 21-22 August (potentially using the Nordschleife)

07 - Red Bull Ring, Austria - 4-5 September

08 - Assen, Netherlands - 18-19 September

10 - Hockenheim, Germany - 2-3 October

DTM still exists?

Well, we have a... single car already! Hong Kong-based GruppeM plans to field an AMG GT3 in DTM next year.

https://www.motorspo...am-gt3/4915512/

 

The planned calendar:

 

02 - Monza, Italy - 12-13 or 19-20 June

 

12-13 June would not be the smartest idea, unless the plan is to draw the leasta mount of attention possible (Le Mans + Canadian Grand Prix on schedule as of now).

So Rast, Frijns, Muller, all gone to Formula E.

Who will stay of top payed drivers?

Frijns and Muler were doing both this year, and Rast also, partially

Frijns and Muler were doing both this year, and Rast also, partially

That was this year. But next? Did you see calendar if some races match?

Edited by Branislav, 27 November 2020 - 11:10.

Difficult to call calendar clashes right now as everything past February in FE's calandar is unconfirmed. Depending how the pandemic evolves we might see the calendar as planned or a series of contingency events. There's a couple of clashes on the provisional calndars though for Berlin/Monza and London/Lausitzring.

We might know more in a couple of months, but that's a situation which makes it inherantly difficult for Rast, Müller or Frijns to make any full DTM commitment on top of their existing one to FE (now an FIA World Championship no less). I suppose the GT3 switch is an added complication as well.

Difficult to call calendar clashes right now as everything past February in FE's calandar is unconfirmed. Depending how the pandemic evolves we might see the calendar as planned or a series of contingency events. There's a couple of clashes on the provisional calndars though for Berlin/Monza and London/Lausitzring.

 

We might know more in a couple of months, but that's a situation which makes it inherantly difficult for Rast, Müller or Frijns to make any full DTM commitment on top of their existing one to FE (now an FIA World Championship no less). I suppose the GT3 switch is an added complication as well.

Only one team confirmed so far for DTM 2021, GruppeM Racing, a team from Hong Kong that ran Raffaele Marcielo (who won) and Maro Engel in the GT World Cup at Macao in 2019.

https://sportscar365...es-amg-gt3-evo/

In 2018 they ran drivers like Raffaele Marciello, Patrick Niederhauser, Nico Bastian and Markus Pommer in the (Blancpain) Asian GT Series. Tim Sugden, Jules Simkowiak and Maximilian Buhk (who also ran in 2018 sporadically) ran full time for them in '18 with also a guest race for Marciello & Maximilian Götz. 

In the International GT Challgenge (by Pirelli) they entered at Bathurst this year with Maximilian Buhk, Felipe Fraga & Raffaele Marciello in the car (they finished 5th). In 2019 they ran Maximimilian Buhk full time and Raffaele Marciello almost full time with Maximilian Götz, Lucas Auer & Maro Engel featuring as 3rd driver in that car. At Monterey the entered a second car for Maro Engel, Yelmer Buurman & Luca Stolz. In 2018 they entered Tristan Vautier, Maro Engel & Raffaele Marciello at Suzuka. 
They have been very competitive in this series winning at Suzuka in 2018 and winning at Bathurst in 2019. Each time Marciello was behind the wheel. 

They always entered Mercedes GT3 cars and will also enter those in DTM. 

They are a very good addition for DTM, very good team and I think it's highly likely that their drivers will be chosen amongst the drivers who already drove for them in the past. Marciello seems their preferred driver and I assume that people like Götz, Buhk, Buurman or Engel are also in a great position to get signed for DTM. And Lucas Auer, who also did one race for them, has DTM experience.  I don't know if they will run 1, 2 or 3 cars but if I would guess on their line-up I would say that Marciello & Engel are highly likely in case of a 2 car line-up.

DOn't know why but i always thought GruppeM was an Italian team. 

They did'nt always entered Mercedes cars, i remember a time when they were the official Porsche team in FIA GT some fifteen years ago, after Freisinger left.

Edited by Stephane, 28 November 2020 - 13:55.

DOn't know why but i always thought GruppeM was an Italian team. 

GruppeM is based in Germany (with their administration probably in Hong Kong, probably for tax evasion reasons) as far as I know. It's a German team imho and just look at the number of German drivers they ran.

Edited by William Hunt, 28 November 2020 - 14:10.

McLaren joins DTM as British squad 2 Seas Motorsport will take part with a two car entry:

https://www.motorspo...21-gt3/4924450/

That's intriguing.  Maybe the DTM will appeal more to GT3 teams than was thought.

Edited by TennisUK, 10 December 2020 - 21:44.

I'm intrigued by this but it's only an interim, two season thing with the GT3 cars isn't it?

So it'll probably be ****. 

As I understand it there's no particular set date for how long this GT3 thing will continue on, but I think it is essentially still a borrowed ruleset to provide an interim solution whilst the DTM works out what to do next. The DTM Electric project is set to start in 2023 but will initially be alongside the GT3 'main' DTM rather than replacing it at that point, sort of a similar strategy to MotoGP and MotoE I guess. 

Hopefully the GT3 version of DTM is a strong display of privateer customer racing which informs how the DTM builds up their future rules and structure, electric or otherwise.

I think it’s just a high profile series for paying drivers.

So... a bit like Formula One, you mean?

Like BTCC but with cooler, faster cars.

There a lot to be said for a proper TV deal even in this era of streaming.

I struggle to understand the short-term mindset of series that sell their rights to PPV and then wonder were all their fans have gone.

Like BTCC but with cooler, faster cars.

And likely worse racing, if the previous iteration of the DTM is anything to go by.

Abt are staying in the DTM and will be a customer Audi team... which is not all that surprising but good news nonetheless. 

https://www.autospor...-commit-to-2021

Also on a relevant enough tangent; Audi will extend the R8 LMS through the next GT3 homologation from 2022 with a new Evo kit. Also have in interest in the FIA's (very stealthy) plans for an electric GT series. 

https://sportscar365...t3-car-in-2022/

The more I think about it the more I'm on board with a GT3-based championship where there's short races, one driver per car, bam simple. 

I like the Blancpain GT series a lot but never quite understand why all GT3 series have to have an element of crews of 2 or 3 sharing one car. 

Edited by messy, 17 December 2020 - 14:27.

I like the Blancpain GT series a lot but never quite understand why all GT3 series have to have an element of crews of 2 or 3 sharing one car. 

Because GT3 was originally meant for amateur/semi-professional racing and Pro-Am classes. But with the death of GT1 and GT2, all the professionals ended up in GT3, so traditions I guess. And to be honest I think it's quite the contrary, I think it's far from the optimal category for this type of sprint racing and also it will make the DTM "just another GT3 series".

Single driver sprint racing will be a twist on the GT3 formula, going to be interesting to see how much interest emerges over the next 2 months or so.

Edited by Silberpfeil, 17 December 2020 - 22:22.

Jenson's bringing in his team to the show, although the number of cars is not yet clear:  https://www.motorspo...mpaign=widget-1

This DTM reboot seems to be stealing a lot of thunder from ADAC's series, although it's very early days yet.  Definitely more promising than I expected, regardless.

Breaking: Red Bull to bring Formula 1 driver Alexander Albon into the DTM

 

 

“The DTM with a high-class field and GT3 sports cars is an interesting platform and a real challenge, both for successful race drivers like Alex Albon as for our Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson,” says Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport consultant.

Huh, very interesting. A pretty high-profile addition to the series.

But to mention of the team he will be running with.  Hmm...

I will only be happy about this if Lawson will do the F2 season as well (no calendar clashes afaik), great addition to the series otherwise!

You know, I was wondering just the other day how many NSX GT3s Honda had ever sold… that being said, it would make a lot more sense in terms of competitiveness to go with a slightly more ”mainstream“ brand, ideally one that‘s not a direct competitor in F1, such as Audi or Lamborghini.

It's been quite popular and competitive in the US, and in Asia, although use in Europe and the headline Blancpain series has been very limited.

It's been quite popular and competitive in the US, and in Asia, although use in Europe and the headline Blancpain series has been very limited.

You know, I was wondering just the other day how many NSX GT3s Honda had ever sold… that being said, it would make a lot more sense in terms of competitiveness to go with a slightly more ”mainstream“ brand, ideally one that‘s not a direct competitor in F1, such as Audi or Lamborghini.

Lawson did an endurance GT3 race back at home in November with an Audi R8. ( Crashed the car in qualy, but finished P3 from the pitlane according to him. ) I was wondering what was that about. Everyone concentrates on Albon, but Lawson is the one announced for a full campaign, I hope it's not the first sign of him being overlooked as a future RB prospect...

Edited by onewingedangel, 04 January 2021 - 16:42.

This looks like Albon and Lawson parked up in a dead-end street.   Not a surprise for Albon, but for Lawson it means he is being sidelined in favour of  Tsunoda and Vips as far as getting into F1 is concerned.

10 cars now

I think quite the reverse.

Given the compact nature of the F2 calendar this year, it allows a broadening of experience in terms of types of car and number of races, assuming he is doing both series 

Given the compact nature of the F2 calendar this year, it allows a broadening of experience in terms of types of car and number of races, assuming he is doing both series 

But it's very hard to see GT3 as a feeder category/development series for single seaters, it's quite the opposite in reality. It seems much more like a 'plan B' thing.

I don't know what to say about this.

Is this a deathkneel to Albon's career ?

Will he race hard ?

And renew his spirit and impress RBR management ?

Is this a boon for Lawson ?

Will he do F2 too ?

How many races, which team, why even ?

Will we even get to see this as you literally CANNOT WATCH this series anywhere after they took it off Youtube ?

Is this even a thing anymore ?

I haven't seen a weirder career trajectory as Albon's in a long time, if ever.

That can be said about the DTM recently too. Very fitting.

RJN ran one in 2019 before switching to McLaren's, but that was when JB was still contracted with Honda - wonder if they still have it or if it was just leased from Honda?

IIRC The Hondas are quite a bit more expensive that the more mainstream GT3's.

I don't know what to say about this.

 

Is this a deathkneel to Albon's career ?

Will he race hard ?

And renew his spirit and impress RBR management ?

Is this a boon for Lawson ?

Will he do F2 too ?

How many races, which team, why even ?

Will we even get to see this as you literally CANNOT WATCH this series anywhere after they took it off Youtube ?

Is this even a thing anymore ?

 

I haven't seen a weirder career trajectory as Albon's in a long time, if ever.

That can be said about the DTM recently too. Very fitting.

 Yeah, could be his openwheelers career over, or his ticket to F1. Remember going to DTM worked for Ocon and Wehrlein. Even di Resta made a comeback from the dead from there, although it took him many years.

Beats standing in the back of the garage for a year. 

Beats standing in the back of the garage for a year. 

That's kinda what he did in the car too.

 

 Yeah, could be his openwheelers career over, or his ticket to F1. Remember going to DTM worked for Ocon and Wehrlein. Even di Resta made a comeback from the dead from there, although it took him many years.

 

The fact that it's on GT3 cars may be a negative. The previous spaceships-prototypes-touring-cars had heaps of downforce which translated better to F1.

 

Then again, Nicola Larini (94, 95, 96), Jan Magnussen (95, 96), Dario Franchitti (95, 96), Giancarlo Fisichella (95, 96) and Alexander Wurz (96) had major and/or full seasons in the DTM/ITC before going to/back to F1 or top-level open wheelers. Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ricardo Zonta also raced there in that era. A bit cheeky addition is Gabriele Tarquini who did that one race for Tyrrell in 95 as well.

To be honest, I would love to see more "crossovers" like this. But I feel it would be more viable with more cars in F1, and a loosening of the SL-rules.

Yeah I know about some of those, I was just mentioning some more recent/modern examples.