Since this year’s Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) campaign began in May, we’ve had four different winners in as many races after travelling to Hockenheim and Spielberg over the past month, which has also seen all three brands pick up a win.
The series now heads to Euro Speedway Lausitzring this coming weekend, as the headline attraction for the “Motorsport Festival,” which also showcases other popular German racing series.
The driver leading the standings at this point is Mercedes-AMG’s Paul Di Resta, who is currently on 43 points, even after a disastrous weekend at Spielberg for the Stuttgart outfit, with the Scot being the only driver to score points in the first race.
Audi’s Edoardo Mortara is the Scot’s closest rival, just three points behind, as the Team Abt Sportsline driver drew first blood in the first race of the year, as well as taking a third place at the Red Bull Ring.
Five BMW drivers are in hot pursuit of the leading pair, with Timo Glock, Maxime Martin, Marco Wittmann, Tom Blomqvist and Augusto Farfus separated by just five points.
The Team standings has both Team RMG and Team RBM within a point of each other, as Stefan Reinhold’s Niederzessen-based outfit has 72 points to their credit, whilst Team Abt Sportsline rounds out the top three with 60 points so far.
BMW Motorsport showed complete dominance at the Red Bull Ring, thanks to the victories secured by both Glock and Wittmann, with six of their cars taking points in each of the races.
Jens Marquardt’s outfit, who were given special dispensation for the M4 DTM this year, have extended their lead in the manufacturer’s championship to 208 points, with Ingolstadt 95 behind as Mercedes-AMG languish at the bottom of the table.
The Lausitzring has multiple different variations, ten in total, which sees the DTM race on the 12-turn, 3.478-km configuration. With a combination of high kerbs, banked fast straights and a challenging and technical infield section, drivers will have to take every possible opportunity to get the set-up right, as well as take any potential opening to overtake.
Mercedes has won here 11 times over the past 15 seasons, but it was Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s Jamie Green that did the double last season, so the Brit could again be one to watch. BMW also has set milestones at the Brandenburg-based track, as Bruno Spengler took the Munich brand’s first win since their return in 2012, as well as Wittmann securing his maiden title there in 2014.
TouringCars.Net will be reporting live and direct over the weekend, as the DTM continues to provide the fans in attendance with high-speed action and drama.
DTM Lausitzring Timetable ( All times are BST + 1)
Friday 03.06.2016
Free Practice 1 – 16.30 CET (30 Minutes)
Saturday 04.06.2016
Free Practice 2 – 08.50 CET (30 minutes)
Race 1 Qualifying – 10.30 CET (20 minutes)
Race 1 – 15.28 CET (40 minutes plus 1 lap)
Sunday 05.06.2016
Free Practice 3 – 09.00 CET (30 minutes)
Race 2 Qualifying – 11.30 CET (20 minutes)
Race 2 – 15.13 CET (60 minutes plus 1 lap)