Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Breaking news

Cost of running DTM cars is "extremely attractive" - Audi

The cost of running cars in the DTM is "extremely attractive" despite Mercedes' decision to quit the series after 2018, according to Audi boss Dieter Gass.

Loic Duval, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS 5 DTM

Loic Duval, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS 5 DTM

Mario Bartkowiak

Augusto Farfus, BMW Team RMG, BMW M4 DTM
Tom Blomqvist, BMW Team RBM, BMW M4 DTM
René Rast, Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Audi RS 5 DTM
Dieter Gass, Head of Motorsport of AUDI AG
Mike Rockenfeller, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS 5 DTM
Bruno Spengler, BMW Team RBM, BMW M4 DTM
Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director
Timo Glock, BMW Team RMG, BMW M4 DTM
Marco Wittmann, BMW Team RMG, BMW M4 DTM, Mike Rockenfeller, Audi Sport Team Phoenix, Audi RS 5 DTM

Mercedes' impending exit has sparked debate over what the future of the DTM should look like, particularly if no new manufacturers can be convinced to join Audi and BMW from 2019 onwards.

All three manufacturers slimmed down their operations from eight to six cars over the winter, reducing the size of the grid to 18 cars, and Mercedes' withdrawal leaves Audi and BMW facing the prospect of having to field additional cars in future.

Further cost reductions were achieved for 2017 by the DTM with the introduction of extra standardised floor and suspension components, which Gass feels has made a major impact.

"If you look at the overall operation and the car costs, with the amount of common parts that we have, it’s fair to say the cost per car is already at an extremely attractive level," said Gass.

"If you want to move further along on this one, you need to look at components like the engine, which has always been a difficult item to talk about regarding common parts. So that’s a bit of a touchy item.

"I don’t think you can completely ignore the possibility, but it’s very well possible you wouldn’t find agreement on the subject [between the manufacturers]."

He added: "I don’t think there is a lot of margin [left] on the cost per car, because we have reduced costs a lot for 2017 with the introduction of the floor and suspension parts.

"In this area there is not so much margin left. Then you can look at the operational costs of running the cars, which is something we need to assess."

BMW motorsport boss Jens Marquardt agreed that the price of running cars over a season would have to be looked at in order for the series to make further headway on cost reduction.

"For sure [using more common components] has helped, and it has brought the cost down," he said. "But still running six cars… it’s not building the cars, it’s running them throughout the year that’s still on a high level.

"I think there is potential there [to lower costs], and we have to work on that."

Gass however believes that reducing staff headcount is not a realistic solution, as teams are already struggling to cope with a stricter limit that was introduced for the 2017 season.

"We have reduced it for this year, I don’t think there’s any further scope to reduce it because we already get complaints for the teams that we don’t have enough people for the weekend at the track," he explained.

"So you need to look at other possibilities [to reduce running costs]."

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Berger: DTM ready to change calendar for potential newcomers
Next article Le Mans, Supercars on Paffett's radar after Mercedes quits DTM

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA