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9th
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Less than four weeks prior to the DTM season opener, ITR, the DTM promoter and the three manufacturers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz presented their new drivers, technical innovations and new regulations for the 2013 season.
The most important changes to the regulations for 2013 are the followings.
DRS
The Drag Reduction System (DRS) is a system that allows the drivers to adjust the rear wing from the cockpit during the race and thus increase their top speed. When a DTM driver is within two seconds from another driver in front of him on the main straight, his car will get a signal from the marshalling system from race control. The ECU of DTM partner Bosch informs the driver about the possibility to use DRS by means of a display and allows for the system to be enabled at the same time. Within the next lap, DRS can be activated once.
By means of a pneumatic device, the angle of the control rear wing will be decreased by 15 degrees, meaning that the speed of the car on the straight will increase by five to seven km/h. In the first three and the final three laps of the race, as well as the first three laps after a safety car intervention, the system may not be used. The fan can clearly identify for which driver DRS has been enabled: the lateral endplates of the wing are moving, clearly visible, together with the rear wing.
Option Hankook tire
The option tire stands out from the regular DTM tire[/link] for a softer rubber compound and allows for lap times that are 1 to 1.5 seconds faster for a certain period of time. After this time, lap times considerably slow down. Every driver will get one set of these tires for the race only, which he has to use once. Within the first three and the final three laps of the race, no mandatory tire changes are allowed. Spectators can identify the option tire by means of a yellow marking on the sidewall.
Pit stop window
Like last year, two pit stops are mandatory during the race. Apart from the ruling that no tire changes can be made during the first three and the final three laps of the race, there is no longer a fixed pit stop window.
Qualifying format
As usual, qualifying consists of four heats, the only change referring to Q4 of the four fastest drivers. In the single-lap showdown for pole position, they now are allowed to use a fresh set of tires.
Tire choice
During the race, drivers can decide freely with which tires they want to start, the option tire or the standard tire. However, this decision has to be made and adhered to already after qualifying on Saturday.
Parc fermé
This season, work on the cars between qualifying and the race is strictly regulated. Warm-up on Sunday has been abandoned. After qualifying, cars are subject to parc fermé rules. Under surveillance of the DMSB, only limited maintenance work, determined before, can be carried out. In case additional work is required, this has to be applied for, but results into penalties, e.g. a start from the pit lane.
Four drivers are making their DTM debut this season. Ex-Formula 1 driver Timo Glock and Marco Wittmann are racing for BMW, Daniel Juncadella and Pascal Wehrlein for Mercedes-Benz.
The most important changes to the regulations for 2013 are the followings.
DRS
The Drag Reduction System (DRS) is a system that allows the drivers to adjust the rear wing from the cockpit during the race and thus increase their top speed. When a DTM driver is within two seconds from another driver in front of him on the main straight, his car will get a signal from the marshalling system from race control. The ECU of DTM partner Bosch informs the driver about the possibility to use DRS by means of a display and allows for the system to be enabled at the same time. Within the next lap, DRS can be activated once.
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| Photo: Audi Motorsport |
By means of a pneumatic device, the angle of the control rear wing will be decreased by 15 degrees, meaning that the speed of the car on the straight will increase by five to seven km/h. In the first three and the final three laps of the race, as well as the first three laps after a safety car intervention, the system may not be used. The fan can clearly identify for which driver DRS has been enabled: the lateral endplates of the wing are moving, clearly visible, together with the rear wing.
Option Hankook tire
The option tire stands out from the regular DTM tire[/link] for a softer rubber compound and allows for lap times that are 1 to 1.5 seconds faster for a certain period of time. After this time, lap times considerably slow down. Every driver will get one set of these tires for the race only, which he has to use once. Within the first three and the final three laps of the race, no mandatory tire changes are allowed. Spectators can identify the option tire by means of a yellow marking on the sidewall.
Pit stop window
Like last year, two pit stops are mandatory during the race. Apart from the ruling that no tire changes can be made during the first three and the final three laps of the race, there is no longer a fixed pit stop window.
Qualifying format
As usual, qualifying consists of four heats, the only change referring to Q4 of the four fastest drivers. In the single-lap showdown for pole position, they now are allowed to use a fresh set of tires.
Tire choice
During the race, drivers can decide freely with which tires they want to start, the option tire or the standard tire. However, this decision has to be made and adhered to already after qualifying on Saturday.
Parc fermé
This season, work on the cars between qualifying and the race is strictly regulated. Warm-up on Sunday has been abandoned. After qualifying, cars are subject to parc fermé rules. Under surveillance of the DMSB, only limited maintenance work, determined before, can be carried out. In case additional work is required, this has to be applied for, but results into penalties, e.g. a start from the pit lane.
Four drivers are making their DTM debut this season. Ex-Formula 1 driver Timo Glock and Marco Wittmann are racing for BMW, Daniel Juncadella and Pascal Wehrlein for Mercedes-Benz.