DTM bosses plan to drop controversial performance weights system
Germany's motorsport authority DMSB has announced its intention to drop the DTM's current system of performance weights going forward
A system of ballast added or taken away from a base weight in accordance to the cars' performances was introduced in the DTM in 2014 and has seen numerous revamps since its arrival.
But the DMSB has now made it clear that it will be aiming to do away with the system altogether.
"Basically it's all about retaining a sporting and fair competition," DMSB president Hans-Joachim Stuck said.
"All previous versions of the performance weight rules contained the potential to be abused.
"There is only one logical consequence: we have to find a solution to finally get rid of the performance weights for the sake of the sport.
"After the race weekend at Moscow, I want to bring the relevant persons from the DTM commission - manufacturers, ITR [promoter] and DMSB - to the table in order to work on a conclusive solution."
The move to abolish performance weights already has the support of one of the series' three manufacturers in Audi.
Audi's motorsport boss Dieter Gass said: "We are happy that DMSB president Hans-Joachim Stuck found clear words during this discussion.
"We fully support his vision to get rid of the performance weights.
"This is what the fans want, the drivers, DTM boss Gerhard Berger and Audi, too - and we have had this wish for a long time already."
The series had started 2017 with a performance weights system based on qualifying pace, but since then the format has changed twice to different models where race laps from either the two or three best drivers from each manufacturer are used.
DTM Moscow: BMW driver Blomqvist takes last-gasp race two pole
Moscow DTM: BMW racer Blomqvist loses pole due to fuelling error
Laser Tools Racing continues in BTCC with Hill
The Laser Tools Racing name that was carried to British Touring Car Championship titles in 2020 and 2021 will continue in the series after all with Jake Hill.
McLaren to share F1 reserve driver Schumacher with Mercedes
Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher will be also made available as a stand-in to McLaren, the Woking team has announced.
NASCAR Next Gen car gets safety upgrades for 2023 season
NASCAR unveiled some changes to the Next Gen car for the 2023 season, with most enhancing its safety aspects.
O’Ward optimistic about Rossi and that McLaren IndyCar DNFs can be reduced
Arrow McLaren ace Pato O’Ward says he’s confident that Alexander Rossi will be a strong addition to the line-up and that the team has gotten on top of its mechanical woes.
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.