Hockenheim ARCOR 22/04/2001   Series Preview   The DTM season kick offs this weekend at Hockenheim, for the second year in its new format. Last year’s series proved to be a success, with excellent and exciting races and a lot of German touring car fans filling the grandstands. This year might be even more spectacular. Latest news is that there will be one obligatory pit stop in every race. Totally new to the German touring car scene, this stop will feature the change of all four wheels, not really necessary from the technical point of view, as Dunlop chief Manfred Theisen has explained, but definitely adding to the excitement to the proceedings. Dunlop have also responded to the drivers’ calls for more grip; softer compound control tyres will be used this year. Correction (see race report for more details): the same compound is being used, but with a different construction. 22 drivers will hit the track at Hockenheim; all the teams have announced their final line-up for the season. 1 Bernd Schneider AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 2 Peter Dumbreck AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 3 Joachim Winkelhock Holzer Team Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupe 4 Timo Scheider Holzer Team Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupe 5 Uwe Alzen AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 6 Marcel Fässler AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK 7 Manuel Reuter Phoenix Team Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupe 8 Yves Olivier Phoenix Team Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupe 9 Bernd Mayländer Eschmann Mercedes-Benz CLK 10 Patrick Huisman Eschmann Mercedes-Benz CLK 11 Michael Bartels Holzer Team Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupe 14 Thomas Jäger Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK 15 Christijan Albers Persson Mercedes-Benz CLK 16 Alain Menu Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupe 17 Hubert Haupt Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupe 18 Laurent Aiello Abt-Sportsline Audi TT-R 19 Christian Abt Abt-Sportsline Audi TT-R 20 Peter Mamerow Mamerow Racing Opel Astra V8 Coupe 22 Mathias Ekstroem Abt-Sportsline Junior Audi TT-R 23 Martin Tomczyk Abt-Sportsline Junior Audi TT-R 24 Pedro Lamy Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK 42 Darren Turner Rosberg Mercedes-Benz CLK The first test session at Hockenheim underlined Mercedes as the favourites for this year. Bernd Schneider, last year’s champion, was easily quickest from Marcel Faessler and Pedro Lamy (left). Timo Scheider and Manuel Reuter set the fastest Opel times. A week later, Mercedes again topped the list, this time new recruit Uwe Alzen took his Mercedes round Hockenheim fastest from Faessler and Darren Turner, who surprised everyone in the Rosberg-Mercedes. The other British driver in the series, Peter Dumbreck, finished up fourth still ahead of all the Opels, quickest of them being Jo Winkelhock in his Holzer Astra. Reigning BTCC champion Alain Menu managed tenth quickest in the Euroteam Opel, where he took the place of Stefano Modena. Second driver in this smaller team will be Hubert Haupt, returning from GT racing. Other notable changes in the drivers line up include Yves Olivier taking the second seat in the Phoenix Team and fellow Belgian Christijan Albers joining the Persson Mercedes outfit. Both drivers are switching from Formula 3000 into tin-top racing and returning to the tracks they know so very well from their German Formula 3 days. The new Eschmann Mercedes Team recruited F1 pace car driver Bernd Mayländer, as well as Dutchman Patrick Huisman, who might be pleased to drive a race car other than a Porsche this year. Finally the Abt brothers field a second "junior" team this year consisting of F3 youngster Martin Tomczyk and Swedish touring car champion Mathias Ekstroem, who even moved to Abt’s homebase in Kempten (Bavaria) to learn the language and, of course, help in the development of his race car. There will be some changes in the race format of the series this year. As mentioned above, there will be one obligatory pit stop in the main race. Saturday’s qualifying is reduced to just 45 minutes allowing every driver to do just 12 laps. There will be a 35 km qualification race on Sunday, followed by the main race - with only 25 minutes in between. Points will only be awarded for this 100 km race. The DTM organisation ITR does everything to attract the fans to the races by moderate ticket prices, pit-walks, paddock tickets and video walls around the track. German TV will produce live coverage of all Sunday proceedings from the qualification race, the "repair break", the main race and the winners’ ceremony. Two German Formula 3 championship races, two Carrera Cup rounds, Formula ADAC and Lupo Cup races will complete each race weekend’s format. Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport