Afrigather Branding rights and the promotion of DTM have been bought by Gerhard Berger’s ITR operation to prolific German motorsport promoter ADAC earlier this month.
After a interval of uncertainty for groups, it has moved shortly to determine a calendar and to announce new companions together with a swap to Pirelli rubber that brings DTM according to the ADAC’s beforehand rivalling GT3 class, GT Masters.
Newly renamed DTM Endurance, platinum drivers might be banned from the previous GT Masters which has come as a second-tier collection following a reshuffle by the ADAC to prioritise DTM. It is going to additionally share grids with the LMP3-based Prototype Cup Germany and platinum-graded drivers equivalent to 2022 champion Raffaele Marciello have been barred from getting into.
Nonetheless, whereas DTM groups in concept now have the chance to enter each championships on the identical weekend and with the identical tyres, many are unlikely to take action.
This is because of needing for differing automobile set-ups to swimsuit skilled single drivers in DTM and a pair in DTM Endurance possible comprising kids and gentleman drivers, the constraints posed by parc ferme restrictions, and dangers of accident injury compromising one collection or the opposite.
DTM groups championship winner Schubert Motorsport was the one crew to compete in each collection in 2022, however it has but to speak its plans for subsequent season.
Sheldon van der Linde, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Picture by: Andreas Beil
“In actuality it is going to be troublesome to have one automobile working in each collection within the DTM Endurance and within the DTM,” mentioned Stefan Mucke, whose household Mucke Motorsport ran a single Mercedes-AMG GT3 in DTM in 2022.
“There might be parc ferme, automobile preparation and so forth, which makes it in all probability not potential to run one automobile in each collection.
“After all, that may be a really perfect resolution to avoid wasting cash if you happen to can enter with drivers, sponsors, companions for each collection and if you happen to do this with one automobile.
“However in case you have a problem, in case you have a begin crash or one thing like that, parc ferme state of affairs I believe from the timescale, that is in all probability not potential.”
“Operating, for instance, an LMP3 automobile [in DTM Endurance] would in fact be potential and sharing crew personnel. Our GT4 folks, mechanics, they helped us on the DTM pitstops for instance [in 2022].”
Timo Bernhard, boss at Group Bernhard, echoed Mucke’s ideas, telling Motorsport.com: “I would not do it, to be trustworthy, as a result of DTM is so aggressive.
“I do not see an opportunity that you could possibly fill one automobile respectively with three drivers since you want one driver in DTM and two drivers for this Endurance championship.”
HRT principal Ulrich Fritz added that any groups contemplating getting into each collection can be unlikely to save cash in doing so.
“It isn’t like that could be a huge cost-saving from my perspective for the time being,” he instructed Motorsport.com. “In the event you would do the DTM Endurance then it’s a must to construct up a tent once more and you can not use the identical pits, so this isn’t the best factor.
“There’s in fact synergies that you’re racing on one weekend, you possibly solely want one crew supervisor, and just one press man or no matter.
“However on the technical facet I’d say there’s not some huge cash to avoid wasting.”
Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG Group HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
A number of GT Masters loyalists have criticised ADAC’s plans for the revamped championship, stating that their collection has been devalued.
In the meantime, the AF Corse-run Pink Bull crew is not going to return to the DTM with Berger now not concerned within the collection’ promotion.
