After the new CLASS 1 technical regulations were announced at the Norisring today by DTM boss Gerhard Berger and his SUPER GT counterpart Masaaki Bandoh more details of the actual regulations have emerged.
The most important factor of the new regs will be the ‘common parts’ concept. It will hopefully result in real cost reductions while also adding to the safety and equal-opportunity aspects of the series that they are both currently famous for.
An increased number of components, in nearly all the areas of the car, will be standardised and will be produced and distributed both in Europe and Japan. This should immediately bring down costs as the current manufacturers will no longer need to invest in expensive design and development efforts. At the core of the new car will be the carbon-fibre monocoque with integrated safety cell that already has already been used in the DTM Series for some years now.
But a significant and real difference between the current DTM technical regulations will be the new engines. The power units will feature a state-of-the-art two-litre 4-cylinder turbo engine and will replace the current V8 power units. The new engines will produce some 620bhp – about 100bhp more than their predecessors – and will accelerate the DTM cars to more than 300kph.
Due to the additional power increase, the new cars also will need a lot more brake energy and stopping power. In this regard, the aero design of the front of the car will be adapted to gather more air for cooling both the engine and the brakes. In addition the front and rear diffuser, as well as the rear wing will be modified to the same standard as the current SUPER GT specs and will be incorporated into the new regulations.
All in all, and with former F1 drivers like as Paul di Resta (DTM) and former World Champion Jenson Button (SUPER GT) racing head to head, race fans will be set for exciting racing on two continents with the prospect of both series racing together as early as next season!
