Why the Phoenix has to rise again

The big message coming out of the DTM this year is that of change. A major revision of the championship's technical rules to a set of more cost- and safety-conscious regulations featuring 57 spec parts, an increase in the number of cars from 18 to 22 thanks to BMW returning to the series after 20 years away, and even a change to the points system to reward those who win races far more than in 2011.

The situation at Phoenix Racing is almost a microcosm of the championship. The Audi outfit has itself undergone a pretty major change since last October. Ernst Moser's squad surprised many by taking Martin Tomczyk to the title last year with a remarkably consistent run that included three wins for the series veteran and scoring points (finishing in the top eight) in every one of the 10 races.

But after more than a decade with Audi squads, Tomczyk has packed his bags and taken his title to pastures new at BMW. Phoenix, if you'll pardon the pun, has to rise from the ashes to meet the challenge of defending the title its former driver did so well to win last year.

Coming in to link up with Tomczyk's title-winning engineer Jurgen Jungklaus is Mike Rockenfeller, while Miguel Molina will be his team-mate in what is a line-up oozing potential for the coming season.

Both drivers arrive from Audi's A-team, Abt Sportsline, Rockenfeller having taken his maiden series victory at Zandvoort last year and Molina becoming the first Spaniard to take a pole position and a podium finish in the DTM late in the season.

After a long wait, Moser got to celebrate last season © XPB

For Rockenfeller, 2012 marks a return to the team with which he spent the 2010 season, albeit with limited success. Moser though, is expecting big things from a man who has a Le Mans 24 Hours victory to his name.

"When we found out that Martin was leaving - and obviously I didn't want the guy that had just won the championship with us to leave - I knew the drivers I wanted," Moser says. "I knew I wanted Mike Rockenfeller in one car and I wanted either [Edoardo] Mortara or Molina in the other car.

"Rockenfeller made a very good impression here when he raced with us before; he enjoyed himself and we enjoyed having him here, so getting him back is a bonus, because it makes it easier when you're with a new car to have a driver that already knows the working of the team.

"Molina was very fast over the past two years and having the podium and the poles last year will have helped his confidence. He's made a very good impression on the whole team and I know he's capable of being at the front."

Moser believes that his drivers have all the skills necessary to continue where his outfit left off last year, although it should be remembered that it was HWA Mercedes, and not Phoenix, that collected the teams' title, largely down to Tomczyk being paired with series rookie Rahel Frey, who held the unwanted tag of being the only Audi driver not to score a point last year.

Rockenfeller and Molina can count over 60 DTM starts between them, and both are proven at this level and ready to step up to the challenge.

"Of course it's our aim [to win the title]," says Moser. "It's our aim every year, but I think now we've actually done it, it gives everybody a boost because they've experienced it and they know that they can do it. And our drivers are good enough. I have no doubts about that too. We just have to stay focused."

That's a pretty bold statement from the team boss, especially considering that prior to Tomczyk's victory at Spielberg last June, he had waited a few months short of 11 years since his team's last DTM success.

Tomczyk clinched the 2011 title with Phoenix at Valencia © LAT

But then, Moser has never lacked confidence. If he had, then the former motorcycle racer, who had dreams of emulating his hero Johnny Cecotto but was stopped in his tracks by that all too familiar tale of a lack of budget, may never have joined Mercedes' DTM powerhouse AMG as a mechanic - on Cecotto's car - in 1988. Nor would he probably have quit the relative safety of a job with Zakspeed a decade later in protest at the sacking of a number of mechanics, before deciding to launch his own team - Phoenix - along with his former Zakspeed colleague Dirk Thiemann less than a year later.

Setting up shop close to the Nurburgring - where else - Phoenix fielded a pair of Audi A4s in the German Super Touring Championship for Michael Bartels and Arnd Meier, each driver finishing in the top 10 of the championship, and arrived in the DTM a year later as a factory Opel squad.

While it might have gone winless for over a decade in the DTM, Phoenix achieved notable success in other categories, twice winning the Nurburgring 24 Hours with Opel, guiding Andrea Piccini and Jean-Denis Deletraz to the runner-up spot in FIA GTs in 2006 and then adding a Spa 24 Hours victory the following year. There were even wins in the short-lived Speedcar Series in the Middle East and a privateer Volkswagen effort on the Dakar Rally with a Volkswagen Touareg - a clear indication that Moser has never been afraid to take a risk during Phoenix's lifespan.

Of course, taking on Rockenfeller is no such risk. The 28-year-old German is as good as they come at this level and has a superb record with both Audi and Porsche in both sprint and endurance racing.

Molina is part of Phoenix's line-up for 2012

Of slightly more concern is the switch to the new A5 machine this year. On the plus side, Phoenix no longer has older-spec machinery than Abt (although the weight break afforded to 2008 cars last year actually helped tyre life and improved performance at most tracks), and so begins the year on a level playing field.

However, with Abt having undertaken the lion's share of the test and development work, there is ground to make up.

Rockenfeller says: "There's a big question mark now in terms of where we stand compared with the competition, but personally I've been doing fine with the new car and I'm pleased with testing, so I'm eager to see where we stand. I see no reason why I can't win the first race though."

Such optimism will be news to Moser's ears, and after 24 years in the business, he's singing from a similar hymnsheet.

"It's a new car, the A5, and we've had some good testing, but obviously not as much as the main team [Abt], but we're quite confident that we've done a good job. The proof of where we are will come at the first race."

It will indeed. And despite the best efforts of Mercedes and BMW, don't be surprised to see a Phoenix car flying at the front.