Berger lobbies new DTM owners to keep existing rules, explains future plans
Gerhard Berger has called on the ADAC to keep the DTM's current format and regulations next year following his sale of the championship to the German motorsport promoter.
The former Formula 1 driver has headed up the DTM since 2017, when he took over the helm of the ITR organisation that has run the championship since 1986.
But last week it was announced that following negotiations with ADAC the ITR would be dissolved and the DTM would be taken over by the organiser of the rival two-driver GT Masters series which also uses the same GT3 platform.
Speaking to Autosport's German language sister title Motorsport-Total, Berger explained that securing funding for the planned DTM Electric series which was increasingly "a necessary condition for many companies to participate in the DTM" had "turned out to be more difficult than expected" which meant "the economic risk for 2023 became too great".
He expressed confidence that the DTM is "in the right hands there in the long run", but ahead of Thursday's ADAC press conference outlining how the DTM will operate going forwards, Berger has urged its new custodians to continue with unchanged regulations as it seeks to juggle two competing GT3 series.
"My recommendation is to keep the current concept, format and regulations, because it is also very well received by the fans," said Berger.
He added: "The ADAC didn't buy the brand rights to the DTM to make it disappear, but to benefit from its strength."
Gerhard Berger, ITR Chairman
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
Berger also revealed that he was bemused by suggestions from DTM team bosses that they understood the series would run as normal in 2023, and that the true situation had not been communicated.
"No, I can't understand that," he said. "I was always in exchange with the teams and manufacturers.
"Those who were interested were sufficiently informed about what was going on in the background.
"It was also the explicit request of the teams to enter into dialogue with the ADAC in order to create synergies and one contact point.
"Unfortunately, it is usually unavoidable that an organisation is dissolved during a merger. But it also cannot be ruled out that one or the other will be needed again in the new set-up.
"And for the ITR team, there are possibly options for the future through my network and my other companies."
Sheldon van der Linde, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Photo by: Alexander Trienitz
Future plans
Berger conceded that his personal circumstances also played a role in his decision to sell the DTM, the 63-year-old having gradually scaled down his role in 2022.
ITR brought 2011 DTM champion Martin Tomczyk into the fold this year, with the former BMW racer taking on increased responsibility during the year as he occupied a de facto number two role in the hierarchy just below Berger.
Harrison explained that he plans to devote less time to racing in his entrepreneurial career moving forwards.
"Of course, my economic interests and my personal life planning also played a role in the decision," he said.
"I had various options available and decided on one that not only serves my interest but is also in the spirit of German-speaking motorsport.
"At the end of the day, I was and am an entrepreneur. I took over the DTM in a very difficult time, continued to run it, built it up and have now sold it.
"This step also suits my personal life planning, which at my age provides more time for other activities and my family than for motorsport."
He also dismissed links to taking up an advisory role with Audi's 2026 Formula 1 programme, stating: "I can rule out taking on such a time-intensive task again."
Related video
Gerhard Berger explains decision to sell DTM to ADAC
ADAC reveals 2023 DTM plans and calendar after takeover
Bathurst 12 Hour: Van Gisbergen Mercedes leads after first quarter
Shane van Gisbergen’s Triple Eight Mercedes headed Matt Campbell’s Manthey Porsche after three hours of racing at Mount Panorama in the Bathurst 12 Hour.
Tanak scores first Puma win in preparation for WRC Rally Sweden
Ott Tanak claimed his first victory driving an M-Sport Ford Puma after winning the Otepaa Winter Rally in preparation for next week’s World Rally Championship round in Sweden.
Ranking the worst Formula 1 cars to win a grand prix
Cars that rarely looked like contenders for victory have occasionally slipped through the net to become winners of world championship Formula 1 races. But which was the worst of the bunch?
Schumacher radio criticism highlighted F1 privacy change for Russell
George Russell says that the way an off-the-cuff radio remark criticising Mick Schumacher last year became a big deal shows how he is more under the spotlight in Formula 1.
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022
The plug in and play stand-ins who got their timing just right
Nyck de Vries’s Italian GP exploits weren’t the first post-eleventh-hour call-up in motorsport history, and won’t be the last either. Here are some offbeat tales from the past
The longest-serving Red Bull driver revealing F1’s true brutality
His day of days in Formula 1 came at Indianapolis in 2005, a day grand prix racing strives to forget. But Patrick Friesacher, the long-serving Red Bull lieutenant, remains active today driving a two-seater that provides ordinary people with a glimpse of an F1 car’s savage potential, including this writer...
How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir
OPINION: Questionable driving standards and farcical team orders meant the DTM's first season under GT3 regulations ended under a cloud. But the organisation has responded firmly by banning team orders and welcomed new manufacturers, making for an intriguing season ahead as new and returning names prepare for battle
The remarkable career of a 'classy' champion who rejected politics
Over two decades as a factory driver with Audi and BMW, Martin Tomczyk earned the respect of team-mates and rivals as a hard but fair racer. After calling time on his racing career, the 2011 DTM champion sat down with Autosport to look back
The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival
On his rise through the ranks before reaching Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton was usually a cut above the rest. But he never truly asserted himself over a Mercedes-backed fellow Briton who traded single-seaters for touring cars and is now seeking new opportunities after a year largely spent on the sidelines
How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions
OPINION: The scenes at the Norisring as Mercedes used blatant team orders to secure the first DTM title of the new GT3 era totally undermined the credibility of the championship. But as well as overshadowing the season, it also presents uncomfortable questions to series bosses about the direction it is headed in
How Audi's new DTM star is channeling Rast to achieve his "childhood dream"
Having learned the ropes in GT3 alongside Rene Rast, Kelvin van der Linde is in line to take up the three-time champion's baton as Audi's new DTM king. From humble origins in South Africa, it's been a remarkable journey so far for the current series leader, but he knows that the 2021 title is a long way from settled just yet
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.