2018 DTM

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

It's on Freesports TV - Channel 422 on Sky if you have it, or available on the TV Player app without subscription.

Thanks. Still seems silly to me though..!

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by redshoes

The timetable, and lack of anything else happening, was one of the reasons I decided to give this one a miss. When '15 min signal, '3 min signal' and 'start of green flag lap' are listed as separate lines on the schedule , you know they are struggling to pad out the page.

Whilst I agree the content of the meeting is very thin - the DTM cars alone are worth the ticket price. Really impressive sight and sound (and even feel in some places on the circuit) - they're something like 5 seconds a lap faster than the GT3 cars. They still have that 'wow' factor and are much better on the GP loop than they were on the Indy circuit - they can really stretch their legs now.

[Mountain Man]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Yes, but I wouldn't expect to see a lot of support race activity for a meeting with a 24hr race. A single 55min race on the other hand....

But there was a lot of support race activity yesterday.....

[fergus_r]

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

But there was a lot of support race activity yesterday.....

A lot?

[Akrapovic]

I wouldn't even call it an "ok" amount, nevermind a lot. It has the R8 Cup and Mini Challenge. I don't think some demo laps of other things really count.

[Mountain Man]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

A lot?

There was enough to not leave any big gaps given the number of practice / quali sessions.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

There was enough to not leave any big gaps given the number of practice / quali sessions.

No big gaps ? There were a lot of big gaps. They can only get away with it because the DTM cars themselves are so impressive.

[tbtstt]

I vowed that I wouldn't give Brands Hatch any more of my money this year after experiencing what they had done to the GP circuit, but I couldn't resist the lure of seeing DTM again, so I went yesterday.

The DTM cars are just awesome. I forgot just how loud they are, watching them from the exit of Surtees was almost painful! Having wanted to see them on the GP loop for so long though, I'm gutted that I couldn't really appreciate them out there.

I have to agree with the comments about the support package, I can't see how anyone could see it as anything other than very poor. One R8 race and a couple of short BMW Mini races is not great (compare it to this years Blancpain timetable if you think it was good: the circuit was in constant use right up to the curfew that weekend) The much vaunted F1 demo was very underwhelming filler as well, as just two cars followed the safety car round.

Advance tickets were £30, so I didn't feel too cheated, but £40 on the gate for one main race was a bit much. Still, guess they have all that new fencing to pay for...

[BobJones]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Having wanted to see them on the GP loop for so long though, I'm gutted that I couldn't really appreciate them out there.

Can you still go out the back?

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Can you still go out the back?

You can still get to most of it (with the exception of the approach to Sterlings), but there is high fencing everywhere.

I used to love standing at Westfield and seeing the cars come out of Hawthorne, approach Westfield, then drop down into Dingle Dell. There are no loud speakers out there, so all you can hear is the cars, which was perfect for the GT racing (and would have been brilliant for the DTM).

The fencing completes kills the visibility you had there before and really dampens the sound (plus you can't take any pictures now either).

[Badlands99]

Yes you can still walk around the GP loop but .............

They have completely ruined it by putting up high debris fencing all the way round - even in places where it wasn't needed - the great photo opportunities that the loop used to provide have unfortunately gone forever.

I had heard that it was at the insistence of DTM, otherwise they wouldn't/couldn't race there - not sure if this is true but I wouldn't be surprised given the extra performance that these machines have.

I had an opportunity for a couple of freebie tickets for Sunday but took one look at the lack of content and decided that 2 hours drive either way wasn't gonna be worth it for what was essentially one practice session and decent race.

Have to agree that when compared to the Blancpain sprint meeting in May it looked a pretty feeble attempt.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Badlands99

I had heard that it was at the insistence of DTM, otherwise they wouldn't/couldn't race there - not sure if this is true but I wouldn't be surprised given the extra performance that these machines have.

I am certain that I read this in more then one article at the start of the year (supposedly DTM is the reason that the fencing on the Indy circuit is as high as it is as well).

I complaining about the fencing on a Brands Hatch Facebook post after the Blancpain round and actually received a reply from Brands who vehemently denied the changes had anything to do with DTM. I am not sure if this means that the articles at the start of the year were incorrect, or if Brands were trying to paint the DTM in a better light due to the number of complaints about the changes.

Originally Posted by Badlands99

They have completely ruined it by putting up high debris fencing all the way round - even in places where it wasn't needed - the great photo opportunities that the loop used to provide have unfortunately gone forever.

Yep. I can understand the need to improve spectator safety, but the new fencing is excessive.

Hawthorn Bend seems to be the only place they have used any common sense, as the high fencing stops at the apex of the corner, so the exit of the corner is just waist high. Why on earth they didn't do the same at Westfield and Sheene Curve is beyond me.

[fergus_r]

DTM paid for the fencing, simple as that.

Re. the awful support package, Brands is 30 minutes drive for me and I'm a season pass holder- and I still drove the extra two hours to go to Castle Combe instead.

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

You can still get to most of it (with the exception of the approach to Sterlings), but there is high fencing everywhere.

I used to love standing at Westfield and seeing the cars come out of Hawthorne, approach Westfield, then drop down into Dingle Dell...

The fencing completes kills the visibility you had there before and really dampens the sound (plus you can't take any pictures now either).

Noooooooooo! I haven't been to the GP circuit for a few years now but it was without doubt one of the best viewing experiences whenever I went. Very sad to read this, I remember waist height armco not too long ago but then again, I did wonder how long it would last when I saw reports of cars which had gone over years ago.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by cg7aa

Noooooooooo! I haven't been to the GP circuit for a few years now but it was without doubt one of the best viewing experiences whenever I went. Very sad to read this, I remember waist height armco not too long ago but then again, I did wonder how long it would last when I saw reports of cars which had gone over years ago.

Yeah, I am afraid so. I can actually understand the restriction around Stirling corner as a car (I think a Seat?) went over the barrier there a few years ago.

I can even see how, hypothetically, a car might find its way onto the barrier before Westfield and Sheene Curve. But fencing the whole lot is complete overkill.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

The DTM cars are just awesome. I forgot just how loud they are, watching them from the exit of Surtees was almost painful!

Awesome wasn't it? when they changed up you could feel the crack from the exhaust (particularly the Mercedes cars).

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Having wanted to see them on the GP loop for so long though, I'm gutted that I couldn't really appreciate them out there.

They've always belonged on the loop - they were wasted on the Indy circuit. I wandered around the loop just to see the spectacle (as others have said the loop is ruined for photography), they really are awesome bits of kit - 5 seconds a lap quicker than the GT3 cars is mighty impressive.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

They've always belonged on the loop - they were wasted on the Indy circuit. I wandered around the loop just to see the spectacle (as others have said the loop is ruined for photography), they really are awesome bits of kit - 5 seconds a lap quicker than the GT3 cars is mighty impressive.

Definitely agree with them being wasted on the Indy circuit. I was amazed at the times the GT3 cars were putting in around the GP circuit (I didn't think they would be quicker than the superbikes). To see them getting beaten by over 5 seconds by the DTM cars was, as you say, very impressive.

Took a few pictures through the handful of gaps in the fence:











Few more here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/229616...57700065208344

For anyone who might be interested!

[tux]

Track limits ffs 😤😤

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by tux

Track limits ffs 😤😤

Are you talking about Zanardi?

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

...

Took a few pictures through the handful of gaps in the fence:











Few more here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/229616...57700065208344

For anyone who might be interested!

Lovely stuff, thanks for sharing. I love the Glock shot. I tried to get a shot like that at the Norisring but couldn't get it as sharp as yours. Well done.

On a different note, I caught up with the Zandvoort and Brands races recently. Rene Rast is such a classy driver. I wonder what he could do in this year's Merc. I would love to see him back in prototype sports cars. He was very very fast in LMP2 in his handful of drivers.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by cg7aa

Lovely stuff, thanks for sharing. I love the Glock shot. I tried to get a shot like that at the Norisring but couldn't get it as sharp as yours. Well done.

Cheers, thanks! Real shame that I couldn't get some pans from my fave spots out on the GP circuit, but at least Hawthorne and the inside of Druids are still fence free.

[S griffin]

Anyone watch the Misano night races? They showed the races on Freesport, although I only saw the second race. Great savvy by those who stayed out on wets, but especially Eriksson for starting on slicks, then switching to wets. And well done Zanardi for coming 5th

[Go_For_Pole]

Does anyone know how many tickets they sold for those night races?

[Racing Harz]

The DTM has not announced any viewer counts since this year.

[Matt K]

Because they are falling unfortunately, I think. But Misano round was really spectacular and exciting, both in terms of title fight and battle on track. And to see Eriksson getting maiden victory and Frijns climbing on podium is great for the series. And Zanardi's fifth place is super impressive.