2019 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

The 2019 DTM was the thirty-third season of premier German touring car championship, first season under "Class 1" regulations era and also twentieth season under the moniker of DTM since the series' resumption in 2000. Mercedes-AMG withdrew from the championship after the 2018 season to focus on their Formula E entry. British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin replaced Mercedes-Benz, which marked the first non-German entry in 23 years when Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo last entered the series under the International Touring Car Series name in 1996.[1][2] Defending champion Gary Paffett did not return to defend his title, as he moved to Formula E.

René Rast (left) won his second Drivers' Championship while Nico Müller (right) finished second in the championship.

The 2019 season oversaw the championship introduce revolutionary regulations known as "Class 1", the biggest change to the sport in recent history. These regulations will be shared between the DTM and the Japanese Super GT series' GT500 class from 2020, allowing entries to compete in both championships.[3] The 2019 championship saw the running of the 500th DTM race, which was held as the second race at Lausitzring.[4]

Audi clinched the manufacturers' championship title for the seventh time, with four races to spare.[4] René Rast clinched his second DTM driver's title in the Nürburgring round.

Rule changes

Technical regulations

Engine formula

  • The 2019 season saw the introduction of a brand-new prototype road car-based fuel-efficient engine configuration, with turbocharged engines returned to the sport for the first time since 1989. The new engines were 2.0 litres (122 cubic inches) inline-4 cylinder format single-turbocharged engines, tuned to produce approximately 610 horsepower (450 kilowatts) and limited to 9,500 rpm as it was announced on 20 January 2016 and thus the new engine formula will be known as "Class 1" that based on Nippon Race Engine (NRE) as it used by Japanese Super GT and Super Formula;[5] Garrett Advancing Motion would provide the turbochargers for all DTM cars from 2019 onwards. Individual engine units under the 2019 specifications had to last for at least 6,000 km (3,728 mi) before being replaced, in comparison to the pre-2019 engines, which were required to last for 10,000 km (6,214 mi). Engine unit changes during a race weekend result in a 10-place grid penalty for the requisite driver. All engines would remain to run on Aral Ultimate 102 RON unleaded fuel. The traditional 4.0 litres (244 cubic inches) naturally-aspirated V8 engines that were used since 2000 were permanently retired. The all-new engine configuration also incorporates the IndyCar-style push-to-pass overtake assist system in a bid to improve the racing spectacle; the push-to-pass system will produce around 30 hp (22 kW) and will be used by the driver up to 12 times in a race.[6]

Aerodynamics and other components

  • The single-plane element rear wing returns for the first time since 2016 but would be wider. As a result, the Drag Reduction Systems (DRS) used for assisting overtaking maneuvers will be revised, with use now within three seconds of a driver in front.
  • The minimum weight of the cars was decreased from 1,115 to 1,070 kg (2,458 to 2,359 lb) (including driver and fuel respectively) to account for the decreased weight of the engine and other components.
  • Launch control was outlawed,[7] while the traditional interior rear view mirror was replaced by a rear-view camera.[7] Meanwhile all electronic devices were upgraded due to new Class 1 regulations including all-new Bosch DDU 10 color display dash, Bosch MS 7.4 engine management system, Bosch PBX 190 power management systems and also Tyre Pressure Management Systems (TPMS).

Sporting regulations

  • The two races per round format was retained, but the fixed lap distance format (last used in 2014) was initially brought back, replacing the timed race format (55 minutes plus 1 lap most recently) that had been used for the previous 4 years; there was a caveat in the case of a safety car period, the race could be extended by up to 3 laps.[7] However after the opening round of the season, the previous timed race format was reinstated with the addition of the race-extending safety car rule.

Teams and drivers

The following manufacturers, teams and drivers competed in the 2019 DTM. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Hankook.

Key
DTM entrySuper GT GT500 entry
* Eligible for all championship points* Ineligible to score championship points
ManufacturerCarEngineTeamNo.Driver nameRounds
Aston MartinAston Martin Vantage DTM 2019HWA AFR Turbo 2.0 I-4t R-Motorsport I3 Paul di RestaAll
76 Jake DennisAll
R-Motorsport II23 Daniel JuncadellaAll
62 Ferdinand von HabsburgAll
AudiAudi RS5 Turbo DTM 2019Audi RC8 2.0 TFSI I-4t Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline4 Robin FrijnsAll
51 Nico MüllerAll
Audi Sport Team WRT27 Jonathan AberdeinAll
34 Andrea Dovizioso3
21 Pietro Fittipaldi1–2, 4–9
Audi Sport Team Rosberg3
33 René RastAll
53 Jamie Green1–2, 4–9
Audi Sport Team Phoenix28 Loïc DuvalAll
99 Mike RockenfellerAll
BMWBMW M4 Turbo DTM 2019BMW P48 Turbo I-4t BMW Team RMG7 Bruno SpenglerAll
11 Marco WittmannAll
BMW Team RMR16 Timo GlockAll
25 Philipp EngAll
BMW Team RBM31 Sheldon van der LindeAll
47 Joel ErikssonAll
HondaHonda NSX-GTHonda HR-417E I-4t Team Kunimitsu1 Jenson Button9
LexusLexus LC500 GT500Lexus RI4AG I-4t Lexus Team KeePer TOM'S37 Nick Cassidy9B
Ryō Hirakawa9A
NissanNissan GT-R Nismo GT500Nissan Nismo NR20A I-4t Nismo35 Tsugio Matsuda9A
Ronnie Quintarelli9B
Source:[8][9][10][11][12][13]

Team changes

Jake Dennis driving the Aston Martin Vantage DTM during practice at the Hockenheimring.

Driver changes

Mid-season changes

Calendar

A nine-round calendar was announced in October 2018.

RoundCircuitRace 1Race 2
1 Hockenheimring, Germany4 May5 May
2 Circuit Zolder, Belgium18 May19 May
3 Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Italy8 June9 June
4 Norisring, Germany6 July7 July
5 TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands20 July21 July
6 Brands Hatch, Great Britain10 August11 August
7 Lausitzring, Germany24 August25 August
8 Nürburgring, Germany14 September15 September
9 Hockenheimring, Germany5 October6 October
NC Fuji Speedway, Japan23 November24 November

Calendar changes

  • With the adoption of Class 1 regulations, the series will share two rounds with the Super GT championship. One is planned to be held in Europe and the other in Asia. A balance of performance formula will be applied to ensure parity between DTM cars and Super GT as Super GT will not adopt Class 1 regulations until 2020.[20]
  • The rounds at the Hungaroring, Red Bull Ring and Zandvoort were removed from the schedule. The series will instead make its debut at the TT Circuit Assen and return to Circuit Zolder for the first time since 2002. Meanwhile the Misano round will revert to a daytime start time instead of nighttime.[21]
  • A non-championship race will be held at Fuji as a supporting event of the Super GT x DTM Dream Race.

Results and standings

Season summary

RoundCircuitPole positionFastest lapWinning driverWinning teamWinning manufacturerReport
1R1 Hockenheimring Marco Wittmann Timo Glock Marco WittmannBMW Team RMGBMWReport
R2 Philipp Eng Pietro Fittipaldi René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudi
2R1 Circuit Zolder Marco Wittmann Robin Frijns Philipp EngBMW Team RMRBMWReport
R2 Sheldon van der Linde Philipp Eng René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudi
3R1 Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli René Rast Philipp Eng Marco WittmannBMW Team RMGBMWReport
R2 René Rast Robin Frijns Nico MüllerAudi Sport Team Abt SportslineAudi
4R1 Norisring Nico Müller Nico Müller René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudiReport
R2 René Rast Nico Müller Bruno SpenglerBMW Team RMGBMW
5R1 TT Circuit Assen Marco Wittmann Nico Müller Marco WittmannBMW Team RMGBMWReport
R2 René Rast Philipp Eng Mike RockenfellerAudi Sport Team PhoenixAudi
6R1 Brands Hatch Marco Wittmann Philipp Eng Marco WittmannBMW Team RMGBMWReport
R2 René Rast Pietro Fittipaldi René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudi
7R1 Lausitzring René Rast Robin Frijns Nico MüllerAudi Sport Team Abt SportslineAudiReport
R2 Jamie Green Philipp Eng René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudi
8R1 Nürburgring René Rast René Rast René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudiReport
R2 Jamie Green René Rast Jamie GreenAudi Sport Team RosbergAudi
9R1 Hockenheimring René Rast Nico Müller René RastAudi Sport Team RosbergAudiReport
R2 Nico Müller[a] Mike Rockenfeller Nico MüllerAudi Sport Team Abt SportslineAudi
NCR1 Fuji Speedway Nick Cassidy Tadasuke Makino Nick CassidyLexus Team KeePer TOM'SLexusReport
R2 Loïc Duval[b] Narain Karthikeyan Narain KarthikeyanModulo Nakajima RacingHonda

Scoring system

René Rast claimed his second championship.

Points were awarded to the top ten classified finishers as follows:

Race Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th 
Points251815121086421

Additionally, the top three placed drivers in qualifying also received points:

Qualifying Position 1st  2nd  3rd 
Points321

Drivers' championship

Pos.DriverHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points
1 René Rast16†1NC2122131137132512211Ret111132113322
2 Nico Müller82385121822332132315361712250
3 Marco Wittmann118271131Ret816†1121110463Ret2212202
4 Mike Rockenfeller22Ret54610Ret39137633Ret733321182
5 Robin Frijns33312RetRet42Ret4Ret643325DSQ247157
6 Philipp Eng1441123727541365510138Ret14144
7 Loïc Duval5Ret4113311463831153426854510134
8 Jamie Green1296311279111510241611125115
9 Bruno Spengler7510374852115Ret12Ret914221089106
10 Jonathan Aberdein1514NC128273131464291314724514Ret67
11 Joel Eriksson1310210Ret63131616†DNSRet81381110661
12 Timo Glock46131410RetRet95141312Ret15†9964358
13 Sheldon van der Linde613115199RetRet1015871611716161342
14 Daniel Juncadella916RetRet1314610Ret710812121012RetRet23
15 Pietro Fittipaldi1015149115Ret151110DNS16791413151522
16 Paul di RestaRet378DNS16Ret12Ret14814†1413Ret12DNS7DNS21
17 Jake Dennis1111Ret6151391212RetRet911RetRet1411817
18 Ferdinand von HabsburgRet129Ret14121011131215†1115Ret1115DNS113
19 Andrea Dovizioso12150
Guest drivers ineligible to score points
Jenson Button916
Ryō Hirakawa13
Ronnie Quintarelli17
Tsugio MatsudaNC
Nick CassidyRet
Pos.DriverHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap
1 – 3 Points for Pole
2 – 2 Points for P2
3 – 1 Point for P3

  • † — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 75% of the winner's race distance.

Teams' championship

Pos.TeamCarHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points
1Audi Sport Team Rosberg21115447
3316†1Ret2122131137132512211Ret111132113
531296311279111510241611125
2Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline433312RetRet42Ret4Ret643325DSQ247407
5182385121822332132315361712
3Audi Sport Team Phoenix285Ret4113311463831153426854510316
9922Ret54610Ret39137633Ret733321
4BMW Team RMG77510374852115Ret12Ret914221089308
11118271131Ret816†1121110463Ret2212
5BMW Team RMR1646131410RetRet95141312Ret15†99643202
251441123727541365510138Ret14
6BMW Team RBM31613115199RetRet10158716117161613103
471310210Ret63131616†DNSRet813811106
7Audi Sport Team WRT211015149Ret151110DNS16791413151579
271514Ret128273131464291314724514Ret
341215
8R-Motorsport I3Ret378DNS16Ret12Ret14814†1413Ret12DNS7DNS38
761111Ret6151391212RetRet911RetRet14118
9R-Motorsport II23916†RetRet1314610Ret710812121012RetRet26
62Ret129Ret14121011131215†1115Ret1115DNS11
Ineligible to score points
Team Kunimitsu1916
Lexus Team KeePer TOM'S3713Ret
Nismo35NC17
Pos.TeamCarHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points

Manufacturers' championship

Pos.ManufacturerHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points
1Audi4961475857685859506858767290597666731132
2BMW54395439453238375118317289457341550
3Aston Martin3660[c]001110101600100449
Ineligible to score points
Honda20
Lexus00
Nissan00
Pos.ManufacturerHOC
ZOL
MIS
NOR
ASS
BRH
LAU
NÜR
HOC
Points

Notes

References