DTM: BMW granted performance break

BMW has been granted performance concessions for the 2016 DTM season, with the series' performance weight and DRS regulations also tweaked.

Although it invariably struggled last season with its M4, BMW still won the manufacturers' title by seven points over Audi. Most of its points came during the race weekends at Zandvoort and Oschersleben, when it raced considerably lighter than Audi and Mercedes, thanks to favourable performance weights. The DTM commission has deemed BMW's homologated M4 has a "deficit compared with the competition" and acted accordingly.

This year, the base weight of for the brand's cars will be 1112.5kg, 7.5kg lighter than the standard 1120kg for Audi and Mercedes, and BMW has been granted permission to extend the width of its rear wing by 50mm.

The series has also changed the performance-weight system that won few fans in 2015. The ballast will now be allocated based on qualifying results, rather than races and what was an accumulation of results. That system created massive variances last year, with Oschersleben a prime example, where BMWs were 25kg lighter on average than Audis.

Further details are expected on performance weights, while the scope to use DRS is also set to be reduced by an unspecified amount.

When within one second of the car in front, drivers could use the system three times a lap last year, but is set to be "more limited," with "only a certain number of activations be permitted" in a bid to prevent it being used to defend.

Originally on Autosport.com