Teams, drivers continue debate over DTM format

After a season of debate over its race format in 2014, the DTM declared at its season finale that its race format will be overhauled for next year.

The series made big changes for this season in an attempt to simplify its races, limiting strategic options and making the race easier for spectators to follow. However, its 2014 solution came under fire, as the races were effectively divided into two halves and nearly all of the drivers pitted on the same lap due to restrictions on the use of the faster "option" tire.

Hans Werner Aufrecht, boss of series promoter ITR, has already revealed that the 'option' tire will be dropped for next year, but he added that not much more has been decided.

"The message sent out by the fans of the DTM has reached us, and now, we quietly want to turn it into reality," he said. "This season there were basically two halves of the races that admittedly were clearer than last year, but not perfect yet.

"I want to achieve that a TV spectator who is probably a few minutes late in switching on, will find his way into the action straight away and knows who will be challenging for victory."

Here is a survey of views from DTM paddock to find out what drivers and key team personnel made of the 2014 format.

Marco Wittmann (2014 champion, BMW): "I think actually if you look at it, the racing was not too bad. We had good racing, a lot of overtaking, and I liked it.

"Of course there are always areas where you can improve. For example, it's not the best thing that we all stop on the same lap. That's something we maybe work on for the future, but that's not my decision, that's a decision made by other people.

"I think they'll have a look at it over the winter and make the right decisions for next year."

Jamie Green (Audi driver): The reason we're in this situation is because the option tire lasted too long. In Formula 1 or any other category, you have an option tire that loses performance, and that means it dictates your strategy.

"If you're able to look after that tire for longer, that should play into your hands. Whereas here, if you can make an option tire last longer than everyone else, you have to pit anyway because there is this stupid rule.

"If we had a softer option tire, we wouldn't need all these rules. And that, for me, is what an option tire should be about. And then in terms of making the racing more interesting – which is what we should be aiming to do – we need to make the cars more raceable by having less downforce.

"We probably need to make it so the cars don't lose downforce when you're behind another car, because they are massively sensitive to aero. For me, all these flicks we have on the car and the rear wing, we need to bin them. If we do that, then the car will be sliding so the tires won't last as long. Then you'll have better racing."

Wolfgang Schattling (Mercedes DTM boss): "I really haven't made up my mind. The best race format is the one that provides the best racing.

"What works is the length of using the option tire is restricted, otherwise somebody who can handle the tire until five laps from the end has a big advantage. That was good. And also the window for the stops.

"The change from the year before, where you didn't know who would win the race until three laps from the end, that has changed.

"The races this year were much easier to follow for the fans. One stop, the window, that's the right direction."

Pascal Wehrlein (Mercedes driver): "You can always improve something, but at the moment I'm happy with how it is. Maybe we could drive on Friday, because that's how we're used to race weekends – to drive on Friday, think about the setup on Friday evening, and then to qualify on Saturday.

"With the pit stop window and tires, it's not my choice or my decision. You've just got to make the maximum out of it."

Dieter Gass (Audi DTM boss): "At the time the decision on race format was made [for 2014], everybody was happy. But it was done under time pressure, and soon after the decision was made we had some doubts that it was the right one.

"We have banned the mandatory pit stops during safety cars so we don't have everybody in the pitlane at the same time, and then we introduced a race format that makes it so everybody has to basically pit on the same lap. That was a bit unfortunate.

"I think what we had in 2013 was better, because you had more opportunities to influence the race, even though it may not have been the easiest to understand for the spectators.

"The one for 2015 needs some tweaking, and in order to avoid making the same mistake as this year I'm happy we've started discussing it early. I think we should take the time to evaluate everything, and then make the right decision for next year.

You could think about various things, like leaving it completely free – everybody runs the tires they want and there is no mandatory pit stop. If someone wants to run option-standard, or standard without a pit stop, you could think about that. In that case, we need to remember that the race can become very difficult to understand.

"There are many proposals that look brilliant at first glance, and then you think, 'Hang on, if we do that....' It needs some careful consideration – and then hopefully we come up with something better than we have this year."

Originally on Autosport.com