Audi gets performance leg-up

The DTM's organisers, the ITR, have allowed Abt to fit the larger rear wing in an attempt to cure the major handling problems the cars have suffered all season. The trio of TT-Rs have consistently been the slowest cars in the field, but the modification will allow them to run increased downforce.

As with NASCAR racing's rear spoiler rules, the DTM rules define the shape, size and position of each model's rear wing and changes can only be made with the blessing of the ITR.

The airbox, which is one of the few things that may be modified on the sealed engines run by each manufacturer, has been made bigger. Sources say that at the start of the season, the team's V8s were over 50bhp short of Mercedes and Opel's power outputs.

"With these changes, we are eighty per cent of the way to where we want to be," said team boss hans-Jurgen Abt. "The rest is fine-tuning."