DTM wants grip levels reduced

Grip levels in the DTM need to be reduced to make the on-track action more exciting and prevent drivers turning into "machines," according to series boss Hans Werner Aufrecht.

Timo Glock's victory at a rain-affected season finale last weekend led to Aufrecht, chairman of DTM promoter the ITR, saying that the championship must take a step towards putting the cars in the control of the drivers, rather than the engineers.

"The season finale, with the rain, made for a grip level that really allowed the drivers to demonstrate their car-control skills," said Aufrecht. "It was thrilling, one of the most dramatic in the history of the sport. Therefore our only way for the future must be to reduce the grip and allow the drivers to demonstrate their skills instead of letting them drive through the corners like machines."

The DTM has already gone some way towards spicing up the action by introducing a Formula 1-style DRS and mandating the use of a set of soft-compound "option" tires during each dry race.

OPINION: Officials catching up with drivers' views
Jamie O'Leary

I recall very clearly a conversation over dinner with a number of Audi drivers midway through last season. The topic being discussed seems pertinent in light of Hans Werner Aufrecht's comments today, and followed no long after a Spielberg biffathon that quite a few of those in action said was a result of the cars being far too evenly matched.

"The cars are not powerful enough," said Adrien Tambay. "We have too much grip for the amount of power we have, and it's less exciting for us as drivers that way."

Mike Rockenfeller chipped in: "Since we went to the new rules [for 2012], we have wider tires and a massive wing and diffuser at the back, so there's more grip than even with the old cars."

And now the man in charge of the series is in agreement, which can only be good news for anyone who has found the level of action in the series a bit on the stale side.

Apparently this realization by Aufrecht is a very recent one, and that the comments should not be taken to mean that a change in the championship's technical regulations is imminent. Instead, it's likely to lead to a period of consultation between the ITR and the technical experts at Mercedes, BMW and Audi about how best to achieve the aim. And that's no bad thing.