Scheider urges changes in BMW DTM hierarchy after Spa "catastrophe"
Two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider has urged BMW to make changes to its organisation after what he described as a "real catastrophe" in the series' opening round at Spa
BMW was comprehensively outshone by Audi in Belgium, with the Munich-based manufacturer's six factory-run M4 cars failing to finish inside the top five in either race.
It followed a 2019 season in which BMW was closer to Audi's performance but couldn't prevent a clean sweep of drivers', teams' and manufacturers' titles for its Ingolstadt rival.
Scheider, who won both his DTM titles with Audi before switching to race for BMW in the Nurburgring 24 Hours and ADAC GT Masters, said BMW must address its shortcomings if it is to recoup the lost ground, citing the example of changes made by Ferrari after its own struggles in Formula 1.
"This huge gap [to Audi] is a real catastrophe for BMW," Scheider told Autosport.
"It's a complete disaster when people like Timo Glock and Marco Wittmann, who competed for the title last year, finish somewhere between 10th and 13th place.
"They are realistic enough to know that they won't come to the Lausitzring and win now. A miracle would have to happen for that.
"There's always talk of replacing a driver when it doesn't work. But it also means that people in certain positions [at the team] have to do their job 100 percent.
"And here, too, it may have to be questioned at some point whether the right people are at the helm. If the performance is not right, you have to react. At BMW, just like at Ferrari, you have to question everything internally."
Audi drivers have suggested that BMW's poor showing at Spa was track-specific - and that they expect the Bavarian brand to return stronger for this weekend's Lausitzring round.
However, Scheider (pictured above) feels that BMW faces a big challenge to close the gap to Audi in both single-lap pace and race trim - and questioned whether BMW would be willing to invest a substantial sum of money when the DTM is on the verge of abandoning the Class One platform when Audi departs at the end of 2020.
"You now have to find a solution for the individual laps and for the [race] distance," said Scheider.
"The fact is, they have to make up a lot of ground, they have to be faster. To do that, they have to choose a more aggressive set-up and [risk] having more crashes. But that will eat up more tyres again.
"It's going to be very difficult to get a grip on this again because you need money for it. They're not building a new car now.
"The question is, is there even extra budget to iron out things that should have been ironed out long ago? Or do you still want to, when you know that at least these cars won't go on [beyond the end of the 2020 season]?"
Asked if there is a possibility that Audi could win every single race of the nine-round DTM season, Scheider said: "There will certainly be races where BMW looks a bit better. But I can't say when they'll be ready to win again.
"The way things look now, you'd have to be between three and four tenths behind on a normal track length in relation to the individual laps. And at that distance that's a big question mark.
"At the moment I don't see much light at the end of the tunnel at BMW."
Rast summoned over alleged DTM push-to-pass infraction at Spa
Rast loses DTM Spa win after being handed penalty for illegal use of push-to-pass
MotoGP champion Lorenzo interested in future DTM outing
Three-time MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo has expressed interest in making a wildcard outing in the DTM after attending the Red Bull Ring round last month.
Maximum suspense prior to DTM showdown at Hockenheim
Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is the perfect stage for a dramatic decision in the 2022 DTM title battle from 7th till 9th October.
DTM looking to outlaw one-car teams from 2023
The DTM is considering banning one-car teams from taking part in the championship from 2023 due to limited pitlane space at some tracks.
Why DTM changed its mind on pivotal Porsche penalty
Porsche driver Thomas Preining was hit with a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Audi rival Nico Muller at the Red Bull Ring, only for the DTM to clear him of any wrongdoing more than three hours after the race. Here’s why the series took the unusual step of withdrawing a mid-race penalty.
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
The number-crunching behind the new-look DTM's equalisation drive
Switching to GT3 regulations marked a fresh start for the DTM in 2021, but it has also drawn a line in the sand against other series using similar cars by engaging AVL Racing to develop a bespoke Balance of Performance system. Here’s how it works
The initial verdict on DTM's move to GT3 cars
OPINION: Facing collapse last year, the DTM has shifted its philosophy from a championship for silhouette-based touring cars to GT machines not too dissimilar to those racing across multiple series worldwide. But despite some initial BoP-based teething troubles, there were some pleasant findings as the 'new DTM' got underway at Monza