[DTM] Round 1 - Hockenheim

[DS"]

First round of the season and no one has opened a thread yet? Where have all those DTM fanboys been, huh?

Anyway, here's the starting grid: http://www.dtm.com/de/Rennen/2014050...fstellung.html

Mercedes is pretty screwed up. Reminds me of Opel's performance in the early 00's and we all know how that ended...

[FIRE]

But didn't see we this last year too? On some tracks a manufacturer had an off-weekend.

[DS"]

If DTM was, according to some people, the greatest invention since sliced bread, how come Hockenheim isn't sold out? I guess the Germans can't "recognize" a great racing series...

[JoestForEver]

Good job for Ekstrom and Rocky, good strategy call, but I was hoping Tambay could carry the pole to a victory, since Hockenheim was never Audi's track. I'd say DTM now looks a bit like F1 2005, literally no overtaking on track.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

I'd say DTM now looks a bit like F1 2005, literally no overtaking on track.

a far cry from DTM 1991 for example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wOjJ5ZM23I

[Metzo]

you know that todays dtm has nothing to do with the original dtm besides the initials?

Originally Posted by DS"

If DTM was, according to some people, the greatest invention since sliced bread, how come Hockenheim isn't sold out? I guess the Germans can't "recognize" a great racing series...

how dare you say that, there were at least 500.000 fans at the track today [/ITR]

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Metzo

you know that todays dtm has nothing to do with the original dtm besides the initials?

yes today's is just a shamble

but they do have something else in common, same brands, Audi-BMW-Mercedes

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by Metzo

how dare you say that, there were at least 500.000 fans at the track today [/ITR]

Is there any realistic numbers on raceday? I know they usually say 70-80k people for raceday, but I think we can all see its not that much, maybe half of it?

[Metzo]

i read 75.000 for the entire weekend

some newspaper wrote 144.000 spectators which is pretty unlikely

[JoestForEver]

75k is a good number, comparing with 45k of 6hrs at Spa

[DS"]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

75k is a good number, comparing with 45k of 6hrs at Spa

There weren't definitely 75.000 people on track at Sunday. But 37.500 sound more realistic. Again, I don't get why the ITR keeps making up numbers, especially after the ADAC scandal (Where, among other things, the ADAC also admitted to making up attendance numbers for their events). 37.500 is still a very good number and slightly below the average attendance of a German Bundesliga match. But that's probably not good enough for the "most popular international touring car series"

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by DS"

There weren't definitely 75.000 people on track at Sunday. But 37.500 sound more realistic. Again, I don't get why the ITR keeps making up numbers, especially after the ADAC scandal (Where, among other things, the ADAC also admitted to making up attendance numbers for their events). 37.500 is still a very good number and slightly below the average attendance of a German Bundesliga match. But that's probably not good enough for the "most popular international touring car series"

Comparing with Citroen-Muller-Juggernaut WTCC, this at least is more equally matched, at least between two of three. And slightly more popular:P

[DS"]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

Comparing with Citroen-Muller-Juggernaut WTCC, this at least is more equally matched, at least between two of three. And slightly more popular:P

I doubt that DTM is slightly more popular than WTCC. Perhaps among casual fans, but even then, that's probably only the case for Germany. And those diehard racing fans? Well, I'm actually surprised that there are people, even here on 10/10ths, that actually like DTM. I thought this place was too knowledgable for that :P

I stand by my opinion: Either you turn DTM back into a series primarily racing in Germany in order to at least salvage their hold among German casual fans, or they outright expend internationally, in order to gain a following among international casual fans. But you can't really run a profitable racing series, by catering only to diehards.

[Accident]

I like the change to single pit stops, but don't like dropping the shootout in qualifying.

Dunno what I think about this series. I want to like it, and I don't fall asleep watching the races or anything, but they also don't really excite me too much as nearly all of the overtaking seems to come from different tire strategies.

Glad to see Tambay running at the pointy end, but I hope that Mercedes has a better showing in future rounds.

[werner]

Hmm, the highlightshow of 5 minutes at the DTM International Youtube channel is suggested me it was a pretty good race. Offcourse it is especially designed to do that, but still, the reclaim of his fist position after losing places at the start of Wittman and the race of Eki to claim 2nd in the end should have been entertaining.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

75k is a good number, comparing with 45k of 6hrs at Spa

And even 45k for Spa is a good number. Couple years ago the F1 race had only 55k spectators.


Most series fraud with the number of spectators.

[Metzo]

Originally Posted by DS"

There weren't definitely 75.000 people on track at Sunday.

75k for the entire weekend

Originally Posted by DS"

37.500 is still a very good number and slightly below the average attendance of a German Bundesliga match.

somebody at the dtm forum said there couldve been more spectatators if there wasnt a 2. bundesliga match just 10 km away from the motodrom on sunday, the match was sv sandhausen vs. fc ingolstadt wtih 5.450 spectators

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by werner

Hmm, the highlightshow of 5 minutes at the DTM International Youtube channel is suggested me it was a pretty good race. Offcourse it is especially designed to do that, but still, the reclaim of his fist position after losing places at the start of Wittman and the race of Eki to claim 2nd in the end should have been entertaining.

I watched the last half of the race live, and it definitely wasn't boring. Several good fights and a close finish made it a race worth watching.

[AxelF]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

I watched the last half of the race live, and it definitely wasn't boring. Several good fights and a close finish made it a race worth watching.

It was entertaining, yes. But only because of different tyre options. The drivers with the option tyre are pulling away, and the others lost time. In second part of race it is the same, but the drivers changed in opposite direction.

That cannot be the real sense of racing, because with wrong tyres you cannot do anything against overtaking.

For me it is still sprint racing - so all drivers should drive flat out, as fast as they can and not doing tactics, when to overtake!

The numbers of spectators are very manipulated - i know so many people that got free tickets from manufacturers or sponsors or even tyre supplier, spare parts suppliers.

It would be more interesting, how many people really bought tickets!!!!

[JoestForEver]

One thing that baffles me really. On lap 31 when Ekstrom passed Mortara, who runs way too wide at the end of Turn 6. Why did team radio ask him to stay outside rather than rejoining the track?

[FIRE]

The DTM organisation has for the first time in 30 years decided to change the regulations mid-season in order for Mercedes to further develop their struggling C-Coupé model, according to Auto Motor & Sport.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2014/...s-to-catch-up/

[Go_For_Pole]

What's wrong with that car? Has there been any articles/rumors about it? Surely Mercedes hasn't forgot how to make good DTM cars.

[JoestForEver]

If that waiver brings Mercedes the season champion, I'll be laughing ITR to death. Nothing is more stupid than changing the regulation mid-season to please someone that it incompetent because their funding is cut back thanks to the 1000-strong F1 titan. What if the same situation comes to BMW or Audi next season?
In a word, that's the stupidest thing to do to keep someone in the game.

[DS"]

One word: Sandbagging...

In my opinion, it would have been easier to allow everyone to continue development on their cars. The money seems to be there after all...