2009 DTM Season

Mehmet Arikan · Feb 11, 2009

Bram Hengeveld said:
What a joke I wish my last name was Schumacher, then i could drive DTM too without having to perform

lol

me too :music2:

Nick Deeley · Feb 12, 2009

Saw this news today. Instantly thought its the name that did it. If any other driver did as badly as Ralf, then they wouldnt sitting in a 2009 car this year.

Johannes van Luijk · Feb 12, 2009

Wido Rossen said:
Motorsport-Total.com estimates that Schumacher will earn approximately 3.5 million euro from Mercedes and other sponsorship deals in DTM 2009. If the figure is correct, it would mean that Schumacher earns more than all other Mercedes-drivers together.

This is the part that amazed me the most. He does the same job, and he doesn't it just as good, yet he earns more money .. :quiet:

Wido Rossen · Feb 17, 2009

Albers out ?

Audi starts the 2009 DTM season at the Hockenheimring on 17 May with something new: For the first time there is not a single change to the driving squad compared to the previous year.

"2008 was the most successful year in the motorsport history of AUDI AG," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "The drivers were also a major factor in this, which is why we saw no reason to change anything on our proven driver squad."

As in 2007 and 2008, Mattias Ekström (Sweden), Tom Kristensen (Denmark), Timo Scheider (Germany) and Martin Tomczyk (Germany) will drive the four latest generation Audi A4 DTM cars, which are once again fielded by Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline.

The two Germans Mike Rockenfeller and Markus Winkelhock compete with year old cars again for Audi Sport Team Rosberg, plus Oliver Jarvis (Great Britain) and Alexandre Prémat (France) for Audi Sport Team Phoenix.

Katherine Legge moves across to championship teamThe only change to the team line-up concerns Katherine Legge: The Briton, who contested her first DTM season in 2008 with a two-year old A4, moves from customer team Futurecom TME to Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline where she will drive a year-old car for the first time.

"We decided to concentrate on our three factory teams Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg," explains Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "It’s a great opportunity for Katherine to start for the defending DTM championship winning team."

Audi’s goal for the 2009 DTM season is ambitious: The brand with the four rings aims to become the first automobile manufacturer in the history of the "new" DTM to win the championship title three times in succession. "With our proven driving squad I believe that we are well placed to achieve this," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "However, it’s perfectly clear to us that the challenge is even greater than last year and that the field could well be even closer. Our competitor Mercedes-Benz will do everything to win the title in 2009."

For the 2009 season Audi has further developed last year’s championship winning car and made detail improvements. The Audi A4 DTM, known as the "R14 plus" internally, meets the competition for the first time at the official DTM test at Dijon (France) between 14 and 16 April. The presentation of the 2009 DTM is held in Düsseldorf on April 19, before the new season opens at Hockenheim four weeks later.

Bram Hengeveld · Feb 17, 2009

Don't they have a 2002 Audi for Albers then?

Johannes van Luijk · Feb 23, 2009

I was surprised that they didn't mention Albers, yet said the team would be the same. The Audi site still lists him, but that's for 2008.

But wasn't he going to drive LMS/ALMS as suggested here?

Wido Rossen · Feb 23, 2009

Johannes van Luijk said:
I was surprised that they didn't mention Albers, yet said the team would be the same. The Audi site still lists him, but that's for 2008.

But wasn't he going to drive LMS/ALMS as suggested here?

Yes they did.
But i heard that Audi ( read Kolles ) pulled out of the LMS serie`s.
Financing whas to be the problem.
And therefore Kolles enterd DTM 2009 with old cars again.

I got an Audi 80 sitting here in the backyard waiting for Albers to apear again..:sinister:

Johannes van Luijk · Feb 25, 2009

The Danish driver Christian Bakkerud will make his Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters debut this year for the Audi team Futurecom TME. Christijan Albers and Katherine Legge drove for the team last year but will not be back in 2009.
"Markus, Katherine and Alexandre are the best proof, that it definitely makes sense to line up in an older car and use this learning year with us as steppingstone to recommend yourself for a newer generation car," said Dr. Colin Kolles of team Futurecom TME.

Bakkerud will drive a 2007 specification Audi A4 in DTM and a Audi R10 in the Le Mans Series. The previous experience of the Dane is mostly concentrated to single seaters.

Last year he drove GP2, Formula 3 in 2006 and Formula BMW in 2004.

The identity of his team mate in the Futurecome TME team has not yet been revealed. Stay tuned for more news on the subject!

Source: TCT

This kind of confirms that Albers won't be back. It also suggests that Legge won't be back, but I guess they meant that she's now driving as a factory driver?

Wido Rossen · Feb 25, 2009

Johannes van Luijk said:
Source: TCT

This kind of confirms that Albers won't be back. It also suggests that Legge won't be back, but I guess they meant that she's now driving as a factory driver?

Legge wont be back.
She got a ride at Abt motorsport and drive`s a 1 year old car.
Si there is still one place left to take after Christian Bakkerud .
But a doubt that it wil go to Albers.

Akos Veres · Mar 4, 2009

This season will be also exciting I guess.

Bram Hengeveld · Mar 6, 2009

Senna to team up with Mercedes?

According to touring car times Bruno Senna is in talks with Mercedes:

Rumor has it that Bruno Senna could be headed for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2009 with Mercedes, instead of Formula One. Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has confirmed that they are negotiating.
"We are in contact. But what it could lead to it too early to say," said Haug to SpeedWeek.
Rumors have pointed Senna towards the old Honda-team, Brackley F1, that most likely is going to be on the F1 2009-grid in a new form.

According to Motorsport-Total there could be a link between the new F1-team and Mercedes as the German manufacturer are looking for the engine deal for the team.

Senna could be positioned as test driver for the "new" F1-team while Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello are reported to get the main drive.

The plan for Senna could be F1-test driver and full time driver for Mercedes in DTM. Reports say that one of the 2008 specification Mercedes C-Class would be appointed for Senna.

Johannes van Luijk · Mar 9, 2009

Here (on page 9) they even suggest that Albers might drive for Mercedes in 2009, like he did before he went to F1, doesn't seem very likely though. The news/rumour that he is to test an R10 next week
is more plausible.

Kyle Evers · Mar 12, 2009

That's... interesting O.o

I don't know much about DTM, but that sounds like a big jump.

Bram Hengeveld · Apr 10, 2009

DTM 2009 - Round 1: Hockenheim

Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg

Wido Rossen · May 12, 2009

Start of the season is coming up this weekend.......finaly...

Wido Rossen · May 16, 2009

Startgrid for opening race 2009

2009 season opener start grid

Johannes van Luijk · May 17, 2009

Finally, after waiting over 200 days, DTM

There was quite a lot of trouble today: Mercedes had a lot of bad luck, Di Resta was very slow, a lot of outs and Ekstrom got a flat tire in lap 38 (after leading the entire race).

I really enjoyed the race, and I think this will be an interesting/competitive season. The new liveries take some time to get used to, especially Premat, Legge, Jarvis and most Mercedes Drivers.

Trebor901 · May 17, 2009

Is this on tv in UK anymore? last time i looked it was on Setanta and if it still is then im not gonna be able to see it as Setanta tend to not let you cancel your subscription.