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DTM bins Lausitzring oval race

The DTM has put on ice its plans to race on the Lausitzring tri-oval in east Germany. The race will still go ahead on September 3, but on the facility's road course

The ITR, organisers of the DTM, had planned to run its V8-powered machines with a modified aerodynamic package, but have cited a lack of potential testing time as the main stumbling block.

"There was simply no possibility to test our cars on an oval prior to the event," said ITR vice-president Michael Bernard. "We've tried everything, but it was a problem with too many unknown factors."

With the new breed of DTM cars built around a standard driver survival cell, the ITR has stressed that the ability of the cars to survive a high-speed impact with the oval's concrete retaining walls was not a factor in the decision.

DTM demi-god Klaus Ludwig agreed that binning the full oval race was the right decision, but said that the race should be run on a combined oval/road course.

"I'm against the full oval, simply because we need to know the cars are right and we are ready before we attampt something like that," said Ludwig. "But I think we should take one half of the oval, plus the infield course - just like they do for the Daytona 24 Hours. I'll be pressing for that, because that still gives us some of the spectacle. Using just the infield course will be s**t."

Mercedes rookie Peter Dumbreck agreed with Ludwig's sentiments: "Half the oval with a tight corner for overtaking at the end of it would be great, but the full oval? Maybe that's a bit too much going in at the deep end."

An oval race at the Lausitzring is still on the cards for 2001, with sources within the ITR refusing to rule out the possibility of a race at Rockingham, Northamptonshire, in 2002.

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