The German touring car series finally gets going at the beginning of May. Much like its European and World counterparts, it is a fiercely contested championship. Spearheaded by a mix of former F1 drivers, young up and coming racers as well as seasoned professionals with sports car racing backgrounds. It is the ultimate contest between some of Germany’s most luxury car brands: BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. And this year, the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) expands it’s number of races with two occurring at each of the nine tracks the series visits, making an already tight championship, even tighter as the 2015 season gets underway.
BMW
TEAM RMG:
1 Marco Wittman (GER)
36 Maxime Martin (BEL)
The reigning Team champions start the year with the number 1 on the reigning drivers champion, Marco Wittman’s BMW M4. He lines up once again next to Belgium driver Maxime Martin who will be hoping to get more on level terms with his younger teammate this year.
TEAM MTEK:
7 Bruno Spengler (CAN)
16. Timo Glock (GER)
Canadian Spengler moves over from Team Schnitzer and partner’s former F1 driver Timo Glock. While Spengler has been in the DTM since 2005 and Glock 2013, both are experienced racers and after both failing to finish in the top 10 of the drivers’ championship last year, will be hungry to achieve more this year.
TEAM SCHNITZER:
13 António Félix da Costa (PRT)
77 Martin Tomczyk (GER)
BMW have made a few changes amongst their outfits with da Costa coming into Schitzer to replace Bruno Spengler. The young Portuguese racer lines up alongside Martin Tomczyk. Da Costa has a lot to prove to BMW and his backers Red Bull this season after only finishing 21st last year with a best result of 8th.
TEAM RBM:
18 Augusto Farfus (BRA)
31 Tom Blomqvist (GBR)
While Farfus remains, F3 runner up Tom Blomqvist comes in to RBM to replace the outgoing Joey Hand. While Bomqvist hopes to make a solid start to his rookie year, Farfus will be hoping to regain momentum after a poor 2014 in comparison to 2013 where he finished runner up. In 2014, he finished 14th.
Audi
AUDI SPORT TEAM ABT SPORTSLINE:
5 Mattias Ekström (SWE)
17 Miguel Molina (ESP)
27 Adrien Tambay (FRA)
48 Edoardo Mortara (ITA)
An unchanged line up for ABT Sportsline sees them trying to reach top spot in the Teams’ championship this year after just missing out last season. Audi won the manufacturers’ championship last year and will want to continue that trend this year. However, especially for top team ABT, it will be up to Tambay and Molina to make up ground after being at the lower end of the championship standings last year.
AUDI SPORT TEAM PHOENIX:
10 Timo Scheider (GER)
99 Mike Rockenfeller (GER)
A solid year for the Phoenix squad last year saw them third in the Teams’ championship but Scheider will want to move up the order to be on more equal terms with Rockenfeller this year.
AUDI SPORT TEAM ROSBERG:
51 Nico Müller (CHE)
53 Jamie Green (GBR)
Team Rosberg were the lowest Audi team in the championship last year with Nico Müller scoring just one fifth place all year. Pressure to improve will be heavy this season.
Mercedes-Benz
ART GRAND PRIX:
2 Gary Paffett (GBR)
22 Lucas Auer (AUT)
ART join forces with Mercedes this year as they embark on their first season in the DTM. Moving over from HWA, experienced former champion Paffett will lead the teams campaign with new boy Lucas Auer hoping to lap up every second of Paffett’s leadership as he steps up from the ranks of F3.
HWA AG:
3 Paul di Resta (GBR)
6 Robert Wickens (CAN)
8 Christian Vietoris (GER)
94 Pascal Wehrlein (GER)
Although the highest of the Mercedes teams’ last year, the Stuttgart squad suffered it’s worst season for years. Vietoris finished highest of the Merc drivers after a lucky win in treacherous conditions last year. However, damage was successfully limited with Wehrlein also getting one win while di Resta, after three years away got back into the swing of things, notching up some solid points and finishing in 15th. Paffett leaves for ART after scoring just 5 points, leaving him in 22nd position.
MÜCKE MOTORSPORT:
12 Daniel Juncadella (ESP)
84 Maximillian Götz (GER)
Mücke scored just two points finishes last year courtesy of Juncadella, and finished stone cold last. The Spaniard however once again takes the leading role as Mercedes decided to oust Vitaly Petrov after just one pointless season. The regining Blancplain Sprint Series champion Max Götz replaces him.
Race One begins on the 2nd May at Hockenheim with race two on the 3rd and so sees the DTM series go back to a two races per weekend format for the first time since 2002.
One things for sure, with all three manufacturers seemingly more on equal terms this year, as well as every driver line-up featuring exciting racers, we’re sure to be in store for a dramatic 2015 DTM season.
