What the fallout from Aston's engine split means for 2020

Ninety days is the figure that was repeated throughout 2019, whenever it came to appraising the R-Motorsport Aston Martin squad's first season in the DTM. The number relates to how long it took R-Motorsport to go from an odd artistic demonstration of the car's silhouette pre-season to placing four Aston Martin Vantage DTMs on the grid at the Hockenheim season opener.

Now, it's managed to get itself back into a similar position ahead of 2020. At the time of writing, it at least has the buffer of just over 140 days until next year's first race weekend at Zolder. But this time, it doesn't have an engine. That's been promised in the "coming weeks", as it was several weeks ago, and Autosport was told there were "multiple options".

R-Motorsport is now stuck between a rock and a hard place this off-season. Should it have stuck with engine builder HWA, despite a season in which reliability was awful, became respectable, and then deteriorated again? Or was it right to split ways - even though they are joined under the Vynamic banner - and chance its arm elsewhere?

Team boss Florian Kamelger recently told Autosport that the decision to split with HWA was made because the package was "not 100% fitting our expectations". Pushed on whether that was in relation to performance or reliability, Kamelger said it was a variety of reasons.

The Aston Martin team has immediately discovered the challenge of its decision. The four-cylinder turbocharged Class One engine has proven notoriously tricky to integrate into all DTM cars - which are around 80% common parts, a measure first introduced in 2018 - due to the inherent vibration characteristics of the power unit.

There's also the cost element of the DTM's switch from its V8 roots in favour of a more efficient and complex engine, automatically ruling R-Motorsport - effectively a private team - out of building its own engine. Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has explained that in reality the DTM's engine platform doesn't make sense for Aston, considering it largely uses V8 and V12s in its road-car production and has relied on Mercedes for support, but Palmer says the benefits of racing in the DTM outweigh the need for it to be truly road relevant.

But with those two avenues closed, the options for another engine slim dramatically. Autosport spoke to several engine builders outside of the DTM, with one stating it would only build a Class One engine if there was significant financial backing. It doesn't seem a stretch of the imagination to see that being the line of thinking for any non-DTM or Super GT competitor.

The much-heralded 'Super GT x DTM Dream Race' weekend at Fuji presented the chance to assess the likelihood of Super GT, now set to be as-near-as-possible aligned with the DTM in 2020, supplying the Aston crew with an engine.

Throughout 2019, there have been whispers that Honda's relationship with Aston Martin through Red Bull in Formula 1 would yield a link-up, although Autosport understood this was never the case. Honda's general manager of motorsport Hiroshi Shimizu said at Fuji the manufacturer had "not received an inquiry" from R-Motorsport, backing up this understanding.

"Even at the time when I said, 'Shit, how?', he was there with four cars at the start of 2019. I trust what he is saying" DTM boss Gerhard Berger on R-Motorsport team principal Florian Kamelger

The most optimistic option appeared to be Nissan, which admitted it could "theoretically" supply R-Motorsport with an engine.

"But that takes time and is also a question of budget," continued Nissan's chief operating officer Motohiro Matsumura at Fuji. "If there is a request we would, of course, discuss it with Aston Martin. But there hasn't been a request up to now."

Lexus, set to be replaced by Toyota in Super GT next year, outlined several factors that make a Super GT supply deal all the more unlikely.

Yes, Super GT will align with DTM next year, but that also means the three manufacturers are flat out developing their cars for next year. Unlike the DTM, Super GT has a fierce development war in aerodynamics, engines and tyres that means for each manufacturer, expanding their engine footprint is of little consequence currently.

There are also fundamental differences between DTM's Class One engines and their Super GT counterparts in areas such as pre-ignition, and it is unclear if this would be considered an issue for the DTM considering Super GT is expected to retain a top-speed advantage next year.

Kamelger was present at Fuji briefly for a steering committee meeting between DTM and Super GT and, momentarily stopping to talk to Autosport, reiterated his confidence that R-Motorsport's DTM programme was coming together for 2020.

It's only fair to take him at his word, despite some sources suggesting the team's participation in 2020 is looking less likely. For a start, R-Motorsport and Aston Martin went on the record in a press conference at the Lausitzring in August to confirm it would be on the grid next year, even if a longer-term commitment is harder to pin down.

DTM boss Gerhard Berger pointed to the fact that R-Motorsport has ordered spares - remember the DTM uses a substantial amount of common parts - and that isn't the sort of move made when a team is mulling its future.

When asked if he was concerned about R-Motorsport's off-season, Berger said he was "relaxed". Pushed on whether he could rule out the potential of it not making the grid, he said: "Florian was here and says everything is under control and is running in the right direction and everything will be in time.

"And, I have to say, we spoke about [this] one year ago [when R-Motorsport joined the DTM], a similar situation and he delivered, he was on the starting grid. Even at the time when I said, 'Shit, how?', he was there with four cars. I trust what he is saying. He has his partners, the package, together."

In a recent 10-minute phone interview, Kamelger proved cagey and offered little in the way of clear answers beyond R-Motorsport 'needing time' to finalise the project. Again understandable, considering the situation that it's in.

What is known through other sources is that R-Motorsport's best option for an engine supply is BMW, and that an approach to Audi amounted to nothing. While it certainly didn't experience the same level of problems as R-Motorsport, BMW was regularly hit with reliability issues that helped Audi storm to a clean sweep of titles in 2019.

It will not be a simple case of bolting in a new engine and cracking on in 2020. The HWA-designed and built cars have been sold - Autosport understands to private hands in China - but the DTM's heavily restricted developments means R-Motorsport will not be starting from a clean sheet of paper, helping it ensure sufficient time for build and preparation, even with the clock ticking.

All the while the all-important question surrounding R-Motorsport's engine goes unresolved, the DTM will continue to have a nervy time

But it will not take part in the upcoming rookie test, a decision Kamelger admitted was difficult to make, especially as last year proved crucial in alerting it to the abilities of Jake Dennis when he drove for HWA, later becoming R-Motorsport's star performer alongside Paul di Resta in 2019.

While it's not a full-blown test, BMW is understood to be using the running to apply the lessons it learned in 2019. How R-Motorsport could do with such an approach.

Another point of contention will be its driver line-up. Dennis was a bonafide star in 2019, adapting quickly to the DTM and managing to take a deeply impressive sixth at Zolder in just his fourth race in the series, before finding his feet and growing into more of a leadership role.

Di Resta has had to adapt mentally to a new challenge - going from a title contender in 2018 to often being the guinea pig carrying out early set-up and car experiments during practice sessions, then battling an underpowered machine to decent results through strategy and tyre management.

It's to his credit that there were very few moments when the frustration spilled over.

After a shaky start, Daniel Juncadella became more comfortable with the Aston and ended up a decent points scorer. Ferdinand Habsburg's difficult first season is mitigated by the much-needed financial backing he brought.

Those factors made it understandable when, mid-season, Autosport initially asked about the drivers' futures and got a response suggesting they were likely to stay and were under contract - even if an exact definition was vague. But later in the season it began to appear more uncertain.

The drivers' experience will be crucial now that HWA's DTM experience with Mercedes has been lost, even if it is understood that R-Motorsport is evaluating bringing in another company to help support race operations.

But regardless of how R-Motorsport makes the grid, 2020 is a crucial year. Palmer himself has stated that podiums are a goal.

While this column may suggest all is doom and gloom, there are a few bright spots. Fundamentally, the 2019 Aston had an excellent chassis - able to work the tyres across a race stint well and mitigate against its straightline-speed deficit at circuits where power wasn't favoured.

Operationally, the team regularly split strategies and, pitstop inexperience aside, was able to tactically maximise point-scoring when the chance arose. Both factors put it in good stead for 2020.

If it can retain its driver line-up and partner that with an improved engine and end its off-season uncertainty, R-Motorsport could finally give the DTM what the series, teams and drivers all want - a three-way fight across the year.

But all the while the all-important question surrounding its engine goes unresolved, the DTM will continue to have a nervy time. With no other manufacturers on the horizon - except through a mooted car exchange with Super GT - the DTM badly needs the Aston badge to rise to the front.