This weekend, DTM is going to kick off its 2017 season at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. From 05th to 07th May, the popular touring-car series starts into its new season with a lot of changes and innovations. Therefore, the 2017 season promises to be something very special – in many respects: faster racing cars, new aerodynamics, new tyres, two races and more closeness to the fans than ever. DTM limbers up for the future.
The increased horsepower output is delighting Mattias Ekström, the senior on the DTM grid. First of all, the 2004 and 2007 DTM Champion is greedy – but has to cope with extremely tough competition: « All the 18 drivers are absolute professionals and very good racing drivers. There are five or six championship contenders – inter alia Edoardo Mortara, Jamie Green and Marco Wittmann. The driver who will be the best when it comes to combining fast and clever driving will win the title, » thinks the Audi driver who will have to cope with a double burden, this weekend. In addition to the DTM races, the Swede also contests the World Rallycross Championship round that will be contested in the support programme of the DTM season kick.-off at the Hockenheimring. Reigning champion Marco Wittmann also just can’t wait for the first race of the new season. « It will be thrilling and very interesting, » says the BMW driver. « The higher tyre wear and the pit stops represent a challenge for both teams and drivers. I think it’s positive that good qualifying performances are rewarded with points. As I see it, all the 18 drivers are potential race winners. »
The spectators and fans may look forward to even more excitement and enthralling motor sport as the races on Saturday and Sunday have got the same distance, this year: 55 minutes plus a lap. The number of pit stops hasn’t been limited, the driver may come in whenever he feels the need to do so – but the pit crew has been limited to eight mechanics and two wheel guns. The goal: to keep on increasing the importance of the human factor. A development that also is welcomed by Mercedes-AMG repat Maro Engel who expects the competition to be even closer and tougher, this year. « I look forward to the fantastic atmosphere. Hockenheim always turns out to be a true motor-racing festival. We are going to witness the fastest DTM of all times. In the past years, precision and attention to detail even was increased. When it comes to the competitiveness of the entire field, DTM is the possibly toughest championship worldwide. »
The technical-regulations changes already made significant impact on the last tests. The drivers clearly feel the increased power of the DTM vehicles. The Audi RS 5 DTM, BMW M4 DTM and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM now all produce more than 500bhp and this increased horsepower output is reflected by the lap times. With a lap time of 1:30.201 minutes, BMW driver Timo Glock was the quickest in the tests. For comparison: the fastest time set in the 2016 DTM season finale was a 1:32.344-minute lap.
DTM: A weekend with many highlights
The DTM season kick-off features far more highlights for the fans than just the race action of the 18 DTM drivers. The DTM weekend also features a lot of entertaining aloof from the track. The paddock ticket, for instance, allows the visitor to see far more than in the past: in the Pit-View, the fans can take a look at the teams’ sanctum, the garages, and in the fan village, the visitors are entertained by the programme on the show stage while being catered for by the food trucks. Furthermore, a special area on the pit roof will be opened for the fans, thus allowing them to watch the action in the garages from above. The fans also get close to the action during the special pit walk that offers them the chance of watching the mechanics during the pit-stop practice. The fan activities will be completed by autographing sessions with all the DTM drivers and further attractions.
Alvaro Soler at the ‘ARD Chartshow’
The ‘ARD Chartshow’ concerts already are a DTM tradition. And the ‘Chartshow’ of the season kick-off also features a top-class artist: Alvaro Soler. On Sunday afternoon, the 25-year old with Spanish roots will perform hits from his current album, ‘Eterno Agosto’.
Press release DTM
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