Breaking news
DTM
Berger admits DTM may need to be ‘wound up’ after 2020
ITR chief Gerhard Berger has admitted for the first time that the DTM may have to be 'wound up' after 2020 if it doesn't receive the required support from German marques.
Rachit Thukral
Edited: Jul 16, 2020, 2:34 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The DTM received a major blow in April when Audi announced it would leave the championship at the end of the current season, months after R-Motorsport Aston Martin communicated its own exit from the series.
The manufacturer exodus, which began when Mercedes quit the DTM after 2018 to join Formula E, has put the future of the long-running category in question and signalled the end of the Class One tie-up it forged with Japan’s SUPER GT series.
Berger has previously been more optimistic about the DTM’s future, telling Motorsport.com last month that he was against the idea of taking a hiatus in 2021.
However, speaking just over two weeks before the start of the new season, the Austrian now admits the DTM may be compelled to shut its doors in the absence of support from Audi and BMW, both of which are also shareholders in parent company ITR Ltd.
"To put it in a nutshell, the time has come to think about winding-up the DTM," Berger told ServusTV. "If none of the German manufacturers are willing to support this platform and series anymore, things will get tight.
"As we all know, we have to cope with Audi's withdrawal. Coronavirus also means we're up against nothing but headwinds."
Read Also:
- What's the deal with the new rear wings in DTM?
- Glock renews calls for Supercars approach in DTM
- Audi reveals DTM has banned team orders in 2020
BMW was expected to remain in the category in 2021, but Audi's withdrawal and the coronavirus crisis may have thrown a spanner in the works.
With the very future of the championship now at stake, Berger has urged the German manufacturer to make its mind regarding its future in the DTM.
"No decision has been made yet at BMW,” Berger said. “This is dragging on and on. In the meantime, we are actually overdue to clarify this issue.
“Many jobs are attached to the DTM. I believe that we have to say clearly what we're going to do in the near future."
Motorsport.com revealed last month that a move to upgraded GT3 cars is DTM’s primary option for 2021, with the Class One ruleset set to be dumped after just two seasons.
Berger said the DTM is now most likely going to adopt the GT3 platform, which would also allow Audi to continue in the category as a privateer, possibly with its R8 LMS.
The Austrian, however, is saddened by the demise of the Class One tie-up that he forged with SUPER GT, which led to the development of cars that could rival LMP2 prototypes in terms of performance.
"If we continue as ITR we have to do GT3 because it is the only technical regulation in which many manufacturers are involved,” he said. “There are 13 brands [involved in GT3]. It stands to reason that you go into GT3.
"Audi was relatively quick to go along with the proposal. They said that despite the withdrawal they would like to see somebody continuing to maintain the ITR and the DTM platform so that history doesn't die."
He added: "Today's DTM cars are real race cars with lots of standard components. They are the most complex race cars after Formula 1.
"They are fast prototypes without any performance compensation [BoP]. This is really tough professional racing. Our scene needs that. It's the right way to drive it."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Newey secures WRT Audi DTM drive as Jones drops out
Next article Can Rast overhaul Ekstrom's Audi DTM wins record?
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Rachit Thukral
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
MotoGP
MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
WEC
WEC
Monza
3 h
Sebastien Bourdais hopes latest WEC success will remind teams of his value
Latest news
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Las Vegas GP
25 min
Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design
IndyCar 2026 season review: Juncos Hollinger Racing
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 28 min
IndyCar 2026 season review: Juncos Hollinger Racing
Indy NXT unveils 15-race 2027 schedule with four doubleheaders
Indy NXT
IndL Indy NXT 33 min
Indy NXT unveils 15-race 2027 schedule with four doubleheaders
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
1 h
Why aerodynamics will become "even more important" under 2027 MotoGP regulations
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe