about a month Ago, continued DTM Boss Gerhard Berger, BMW is under pressure to relate to the future of the tradition series at last position, after he had received from Audi signals to support a DTM to continue. Now the Munich-based position – however, in a way that cast doubt on a DTM future volumes.
Because while Berger DTM shows no interest in a pure customer sports, see Jens Marquardt, a factory-supported concept with GT3 cars as a danger. “GT3 is a customer sports,” says the BMW Motorsport Director. “We have no work programme with GT3 cars.”
And you don’t want to change too. “GT3 is, in our view, a healthy and sustainable customer sports program, which differs from work-based programmes, such as in the DTM and in the IMSA series, with the GTE cars. We must take care that we stand in the competition, and the customer sports to put pressure on you.”
Why the manufacturer your business model
would sabotage An “individual solution”, such as fear factory support GT3 Teams in the DTM would be the case, could cause “more problems than solve it,” Marquardt. “You’re either a manufacturer’s platform, or a customer makes sports platform. A mix for me.”
An understandable thought, because while such programs as the DTM by BMW, the manufacturer of millions of cost, you earn with the sale of GT3 cars to private teams for good money. Should be used in the future, but as a manufacturer, also the GT3 cars that would compete with the private teams and the business model of sabotage. “We have to protect the customers of racing,” emphasizes Marquardt.
Since BMW developed the M4, GT3, completed recently its first test drive and 2022 as a successor to the M6 GT3 to private racing teams, is to be delivered. “Other manufacturers have currently no successor for their GT3 cars, so this for us is, hopefully, a good opportunity to sell the car”, locates Marquardt, a source of income.
there is Hardly an Alternative to GT3
But what are the Alternatives to the BMW Director of motor sport looks to be a GT3 and a DTM? “If it were that easy, we would already have a solution,” says Marquardt. “We have a GTE factory program in the US, but GTE is enormous pressure, because even in these cars is very expensive,” he points out a possible end to the GTE-class, which makes for the DTM-the future unattractive.
Whether LMDh-weigh in Sports as they would probably be not until 2023 in Le Mans, in the WEC and in the IMSA series as a top of the line used to be, an Alternative, which should respond to the DTM umbrella organisation ITR. “I don’t know how successful prototypes in Europe and especially in Germany, could be, because so far you didn’t do it”, has Marquardt doubt. “This is true for many of US formats such as NASCAR.”
Generally speaking, he thinks, but the LMDh-concept “with many uniform Parts, and Differences in the powertrain apart from the GT customer sports as the only sustainable way for the future”.
“Will not go against us”
excludes A Class-1-the future in the DTM, Marquardt in accordance with the Audi-exit. “Class 1 is not a concept for a brand Cup, so we will not go against us,” he says. “And other manufacturers are not far and wide to see. According to the Audi-exit the Class-1 concept is no longer sustainable.”
the current cars, whose cost of use per year, more than two million euros, to private teams, to be sold, he is also unrealistic. “So far, there have been no requests,” says Marquardt. “And if you look at how difficult it was in the past few years, private teams and to recoup …”
Corona makes the situation even more difficult
so, What needs to happen is that BMW in the DTM holds the faith? “The question must rather be: What are the DTM in the year 2021 is?” the BMW motor sports responsive controller with a question and plays the Ball to Berger #AND# co.. Time is of the essence in any case, finally will be finalized by the manufacturers, and sponsors these days, the Budgets for 2021.
“We must find as soon as possible a solution, but it is difficult to plan in a Situation like this seasons”, refers to Marquardt on the Coronavirus-crisis. “We don’t even know how the current season will be lost and need to be in terms of next year, just as flexible.”
in Addition, you do not know how the crisis in the medium term, the automotive industry will have an impact. “We expect that the next two years will be extremely difficult – and who knows if there will be a second wave.” The DTM was it worth it to fight for you, “but we have to see everything in a much larger framework”.
Audi would GT3-solution to Customer base sees support
Like Audi in the DTM for the future? “We have made it clear that we will not continue our participation in the DTM Fort”, provides Audi sport chief Dieter Gass clear.
“We have fulfilled our commitment and will not renew it. Everything else – and how it will happen – is a question, the much more the ITR relates to us. We have given the Signal that we would support the starting field with cars, but a lot more we can’t do that because as an Audi,” he repeated his offer to support a GT3-solution to Customer base.
Also Gass calls for a rapid decision, but looks Resistances: “the devil is in The Detail. This is the biggest Problem. Because if you go with a Plan to the Public, then he must be really implemented.”
This article was written by Sven Haidinger
*The post “BMW warns of GT3-DTM: “not Allowed to set up the customer sport under pressure”” is published by Motorsport-Total.com. Contact with the executives here.
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