Hockenheim preview: Get Schneider

Defending champion Bernd Schneider is determined to become the first man to score back-to-back titles - although you could argue his success last year defended his title from 1995, the last year of the 'old skool' DTM. Whatever, Schneider is the top dog of the AMG Mercedes squad and is most likely to come under pressure from Opel's equivalent, Manuel Reuter.

Reuter should benefit from the rules changes over the winter which have equalised the wheelbase of Merc's CLK and Opel's Astra. He has been an adversary of Schneider since their Porsche sportscar days and is determined to get one over on him, just as he did in the 1996 ITC.

Speaking of the Mercedes vs Opel battle, perhaps the most intriguing aspect is the sacking (by Opel) and hiring (by Mercedes) of Uwe Alzen over the winter. Always somewhat of a rebel figure, Alzen became the 'bad boy' of the DTM after punting off team mate Reuter in last year's Hockenheim finale.

Schneider and Alzen are backed up in the works AMG line up by Scotland's Peter Dumbreck and Switzerland's Marcel Fassler. They showed their speed last year, without managing to actually win a race, and will both be out to break their DTM ducks.

The third works AMG team is the Eschmann-Manthey squad, featuring F1 Safety Car driver Bernd Maylander, a veteran of the old DTM, and Porsche Supercup maestro Patrick Huisman. Both are proven race winners but may take time to find their feet in the rough-and-tumble of the pack.

Private teams Persson and Rosberg are forced to stick with their 2000 machinery, but Christijan Albers and Thomas Jager (Persson), and Pedro Lamy and Darren Turner (Rosberg) could shake up the form book, given the chance.

Opel also has strength in depth: Joachim Winkelhock, Timo Scheider and Michael Bartels have access to 2001 Astra Coupes in the Holzer squad, while reigning BTCC champ Alain Menu also has a new car at Euroteam. Yves Olivier (Phoenix) and Hubert Haupt (Euroteam) have to settle for 2000 cars, as does private entry Peter Mamerow.

The Ruesselsheim marque scored just as many wins as Mercedes last year and should be in even better shape to take on the Three Pointed Star this time around.

While Opel has a lot to gain with the new regulations that gives everyone the same wheelbase and overhangs (last year's Astra was difficult to drive in cold and greasy conditions), the Abt Sportsline squad has the most to gain with its quartet of Audi TT-Rs. The yellow cars aren't so stubby anymore, but are miles behind in terms of testing mileage.

But with star driver Laurent Aiello - the third former BTCC champ in the pack - plus Christian Abt, Mattias Ekstrom and Martin Tomczyk, expect them to move up the grid this season and be in with a shout of podium finishes as the season progresses.

The other big change for 2001 is the race formats. Qualifying is now limited to 12 laps, as in F1, and gone are the two 100km races, replaced by a short qualifying race that decides the grid line up for the main race, which features a mandatory pit stop.

"Because of these changes, we are now just driving sprint races," says Opel star Winkelhock. "Therefore, it is easier to set the cars up for speed than last year. You hardly have to consider tyre wear at all. Now, it is just flat out from start to finish."

You have been warned.


Bernd Schneider, Peter Dumbreck


Uwe Alzen, Marcel Fassler


Patrick Huisman, Bernd Maylander


Thomas Jager, Christijan Albers


Pedro Lamy, Darren Turner


Joachim Winkelhock, Timo Scheider, Michael Bartels


Manuel Reuter (2001), Yves Olivier (2000)


Alain Menu (2001), Hubert Haupt (2000)


Peter Mamerow


Laurent Aiello, Christian Abt, Mattias Ekstrom, Martin Tomczyk

Specification of cars for teams/drivers in brackets