Dtm 2004

[Scapa]

Om de DTM 2004 en 2005 te scheiden maar een nieuwe thread gestart. De nieuwigheden:

- Tom Kristensen: ABT, Audi
- Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro: Joest, Audi
- Marcel Fässler: Opel
- Scheider: weg bij Opel (geen toeval dat hij vermeld wordt bij Alfa )
- Aïello: weg bij ABT

[roadrunner]

Originally posted by stijnconinx
- Marcel Fässler: Opel

Volledig verrast ben ik toch niet. Hij is een zeer goede rijder maar sinds zijn eerste jaar bij Mercedes heeft hij toch niet echt veel progressie gemaakt. Verandering van team kan dan misschien goed zijn. En Opel werkt blijkbaar hard om zich te verbeteren.

Anderzijds, Mercedes heeft er toch een topjaar opzitten, met 4 sterke piloten. Om er dan één van te laten vertrekken...

Dan is er bij Mercedes wel nog een mooi plaatsje open!

[Scapa]

Fässler heeft Mercedes verlaten omdat ze hem geen zekerheid konden geven dat hij volgend jaar over een nieuwe wagen zou beschikken. Pfaffet zou zijn plaats innemen...

Computerstudie van de Audi A4:

[Scapa]

Audi: 6 A4's ( van TT's nog niets gehoord)
Opel: minimum 4 Vectra's GTS + aantal Astra's
Mercedes: waarschijnlijk 4 C-klasses + aantal CLK's

[Mistery]

Opel Nieuws (bron : autosport.com)

Opel pledges four Vectras
But who will get to drive them?


Opel has committed to run at least four examples of its new Vectra GTS five-door fastback saloon model in next year's DTM, and work on the car is already well underway at its OPC DTM Center.

Suspension components for the Vectra GTS V8, installed in the Astra V8 Coupé, have successfully passed initial tests performed with test driver Marcel Tiemann at the Misano and Vallelunga race tracks in Italy. The roll-out of the Vectra GTS V8 is scheduled for early February.

"We're completely on schedule at the moment," said motorsport director Volker Strycek at the Essen Motorshow. "Design and aerodynamics are currently the focal areas of our development work, the preparation of the first vehicle is planned to start in early January. We're going to prepare at least four new Vectra GTS V8s and are determined to fight for victories in the 2004 DTM. The Astra V8 Coupé, too, will be fielded in the series. We're continuing to pursue our objective of competing with a total of seven cars."

Which drivers Opel opts to place in its Vectras is undecided, however. Marque favourite Manuel Reuter, last year's top man Peter Dumbreck and recent high-profile signing Marcel Fassler should be guaranteed new cars. Former champion Laurent Aiello is waiting in the wings, while the likes of Alain Menu and Timo Scheider, both long-time Opel DTM racers, will be sweating on its decision.

We're talking to our previous pilots as well as some new drivers
Volker Strycek

Toyota F1 test driver Ricardo Zonta and Ferrari tester Luciano Burti have been evaluated for the programme, along with several other well-qualified drivers such as Thomas Jager, Frank Stippler and Wolf Henzler. Heinz-Harald Frentzen is also understood to be in discussion with the team.

"We will select the drivers for our 2004 DTM line-up very carefully," added Strycek. "We're talking to our previous pilots as well as some new drivers, including some from Formula 1."

Mercedes has yet to confirm how many four-door C-Class cars it will build next year, but it is likely to go for four. Audi, meanwhile, has committed to build six new A4s.

[Guido]

Originally posted by stijnconinx
Audi: 6 A4's ( van TT's nog niets gehoord)
Opel: minimum 4 Vectra's GTS + aantal Astra's
Mercedes: waarschijnlijk 4 C-klasses + aantal CLK's

Ik dacht dat de nieuwe formule alleen maar in 'Saloon Cars' voorzag, dus lijkt het mij: geen CLK's, Astra's of TT's. Maar... ik kan mis zijn.

[Mark]

In 2004 zijn waarschijnlijk nog enkele oude modellen te zien. De wagens (vooral de TT) schijnen wel enige aero-beperkingen te krijgen.............om enig voordeel van de oude ontwerpen te voorkomen

Nou ja dat laatste kun je ook anders lezen: Als eerste moeten die 12 nieuwe wagens over de streep en dan resterende 8 of 10 "year-old" wagens erachteraan. Het grote Audi team mag toch niet finischen achter die privateers van Abt

[Guido]

net even op dtm.de gaan kijken. Toegang op vrijdag is gratis. Altijd leuk voor het maken van wat aktiefoto's en tiketten voor zaterdag en zondag al vanaf 15 euro. Klinkt goed! 'k zal toch eens ne keer naar de Nurburgring moeten. 't zal er ooit eens van moeten komen.

[FastFons]

Originally posted by Huudo
net even op dtm.de gaan kijken. Toegang op vrijdag is gratis. Altijd leuk voor het maken van wat aktiefoto's en tiketten voor zaterdag en zondag al vanaf 15 euro. Klinkt goed! 'k zal toch eens ne keer naar de Nurburgring moeten. 't zal er ooit eens van moeten komen.

Met zo kwijlbakken ga ik met plezier mee

[Raceboy]

As has been rumoured since he announced his split with the Abt Audi team, Laurent Aiello has been confirmed as another weapon in an increasingly potent Opel armoury.

Just a week after signing three-time grand prix winner Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Opel has added another top-line driver to its squad for the 2004 DTM season, with the 34-year old Aiello bringing one of the most complete touring car resumes to the Russelsheim team.

The Frenchman is one of the most successful touring car drivers of all-time, having won, among others, the French, German and British Super Touring series. Since the start of the new DTM in 2000, when he signed to drive for the Abt-Audi team, he has been a frontrunner in the series, and became the first Frenchman to win the title in 2002. Having struggled to remain in the hunt for a second crown in 2003, he switches to Opel and will campaign an Opel Vectra GTS V8 in 2004.

“I have been in touch with Opel for two years, and I am happy that we have now concluded a deal," Aiello said, “There is great motivation at Opel and I'd really like to contribute to that. Moreover, I am delighted that I can stay in the DTM, because the series really means a lot to me.”

Opel's motorsport manager, Volker Strycek, was equally happy with his new signing.

“With Laurent Aiello, we have yet another top driver joining our ranks," he confirmed, "He is a known quantity in touring car racing and certainly another valuable addition for our team.”

Opel's line-up for 2004 is possibly the strongest ever to have been assembled by the marque as, alongside Aiello and Frentzen, the squad also includes the 1996 ITC champion and two-time Le Mans winner Manuel Reuter, the best-placed Opel driver in 2003, Peter Dumbreck, and ex-Mercedes man Marcel Fässler.

Opel has also improved its team outside of the cockpit, with Günther Steiner, most recently technical director of the Jaguar Formula One team and, before that, responsible for the Ford Focus WRC at works rally team M-Sport, has been appointed as technical manager of the OPC DTM Centre in Bobingen, with immediate effect.

“The DTM is a great series that becomes more and more important, also at an international level," Steiner said, "The strict regulations are a guarantee for equal chances and a high level at reasonable costs. For a technician, the challenge is to find an area to work within these regulations. For me, that is an interesting task.”

[Mark]

Albers is dus zeker voor 2004, als rijder van AMG. Dan het uiterlijk van de wagen................zeer apart. Op de foto is nog een 2002 model te zien, het gaat om het idee


www.racing1.de

Schneider, Alesi, Albers en waarschijnlijk Paffet vormen de "2004-rijders" voor Mercedes, de rest mag in die afgestrapte sterren rondscheuren

Wie had ook alweer de foto's gepost van die chrome Mercedes?

[Guido]

wow, als dat de livrei wordt voor dit jaar, dan ben ik erg onder de indruk! En de 'Daimler Chrysler Bank' als sponsoring. Woehoe, ze menen het.