1 Introduction:
The German Touring Car Masters (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters), abbreviated as DTM, was originally known as the German Production Championship (DPM). In 1986, the premier racing association in Germany renamed the DPM to GTCC (German Touring Car Championship). Afterward, German racing enthusiasts habitually referred to GTCC as DTM, and thus the name DTM gradually replaced GTCC and became renowned worldwide. In the hierarchy of international racing, DTM falls under Class-I competition, making it the only Class-I touring car event in the world. With the highest permissible technical standards and the most extensive modifications, it's known as "F1 in touring car disguise."
2 Origin:
In 1983, the mainstream non-open-wheel race, Group C, had become both prohibitively expensive and mundane. This led the German premier racing association, ONS, to revitalize the touring car race scene. After discussions among major racing figures in Germany, they decided to establish a category called the Production Car Championship, later known as Group A.
This category's main feature was fair competition. Cars with higher horsepower or larger sizes were required to carry additional weight, while vehicles with smaller engines could use wider tires, among other advantages. Weight adjustments were based on the vehicle's power-to-weight ratio to ensure race fairness. To prevent one car or driver from dominating an entire season, the top three finishers in a race had to carry additional weight in the next race. If they didn't finish in the top three subsequently, they could remove the weight in the following race, establishing the framework for the new generation of touring car races.
3 Racing:
With technological advancements, DTM racing technology continuously evolved (such as carbon fiber bodies, titanium engine pistons and connecting rods, electronic suspension systems, and engine speeds exceeding 10,000 rpm). This increased the costs of running a DTM team, excluding many private teams from participation due to the high costs. Also, the FIA took over the DTM series in 1995 and integrated it into the International Touringcar Championship (ITC) in 1996. Both factors led to DTM's suspension in 1997.
In 2000, thanks to the efforts of the Mercedes racing department in Germany, DTM returned to the track. To reduce costs and ensure fair competition, strict specifications were set for the cars.
Racing vehicles must be modified based on production cars, using naturally aspirated 4.0L V8 engines, with power output restricted to 331 kW (450 hp). Each car could only use one engine for an entire season, necessitating more durable and robust engines and reducing team costs. All cars used a unified electronic control unit and were forbidden from using electronic anti-lock braking and traction control systems to minimize electronic discrepancies in vehicle performance.
There are ten races each year, with six held in Germany and the other four overseas in the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, and France. The driver with the highest points becomes the annual champion.
4 Further Reading:
Among numerous global touring car events, the DTM race attracts the most top-tier professional racers. Some former Formula One drivers have switched to DTM, while some DTM racers have progressed to Formula One. The world-famous Formula One champion, Schumacher, is a prime example of a racer moving from DTM to Formula One.
