DTM Zandvoort

[bt52b]

Haven't seen the race yet, but sounds like the finish was a farce. Two of the top five parked to let team mates past:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61206

[djparky]

you are correct- I don't often watch DTM nowadays- all too often it's a procession decided on the pitstops (sounds familiar), but I did happen to watch todays race- the final lap was a joke, Premat's crew were not happy and rightly neither were the crowd who'd paid good money to see it decided in that way- I have no problem with team orders but that just takes the p***

[philipbain]

Premat has now said that the place change was his idea!!!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/61222

Me thinks that Audi gave him some assurances as to his future (probably a new car for next year, he definately deserves it) and he suddenly remembered hearing nothing on the radio telling him to concede his win to Tomczyk, apparently he thought that after driving his ass off for over an hour to put a year old car in the lead and being on the verge of being only the 2nd driver in DTM history to win in a year old car, the first for a year old Audi, that it would only be fair to let the guy behind him win because he wasnt quite good enough on the day to do it on his own!!!

Obviously Audi are trying to save face and Premat is prepared to take the responsibility although its hard to believe that any racing driver would concede in such a situation, especially when they are in thier rookie year and desperate to make the best impression possible.

[electron]

If Audi would have been smart, Ulrich would have told Premats team to hold possition after Tomczyk got to the front again. Actually this was what I expected and I was surprised to suddenly see Premat push it on Tomczyk. He had tyre issues at that point but if Premat would have kept like 1 to 1.5 secs distance nobody would have cared in the end. Not acting soon enough and keep Premat at bay was Audis mistake. Actually with him and scheider being in front starting positions I was expecting Ulrich briefing his drivers of how to act this race out before the start!
This is what Teamwork would have been. It is okay to pull Eki and Tomzcyk to the front at this point, without that you can't win a championship in DTM these days, and Premat must know that. That does not mean letting him pass in last corner but not attack the two when they come up. So him attacking Martin was a dumb move in the face of Audi. After all there was a pass from Tomczyk on Premat after the second pitstop where Preamt didn't fight back so even more surprising that he attacked him hard later. I would tell Preamt today, you either take the blame or you will be reconsidered. No wonder he now speaks up like this.

[jimmylad]

the race, was good in my opinion, apart from the end. I had not even noticed eki was in third until the replay, and i think thats what annoyed me more than the premat thing, that both drivers swapped after a good race. I think the reaction of the crowd said it all. Was not what i was expecting from the dtm, sure i can cope with team orders, but not at last corner. What does everyone think of cristian abt, will u miss him or should he go?

[kmchow]

The FIA doesn't have any jurisdiction over the DTM? They can't punish the DTM organizers? Wasn't there a FIA ruling for all FIA sanctioned motorsports or just F1, that you can't pull such a stunt? OTOH, nothing stops you from faking mechanical trouble at the end of the race to let your teammate pass?

[gm99]

I don't think the DTM is a FIA-sanctioned event any more - it used to be back when it was the ITC, AFAIK. Nowadays, the only touring car series sanctioned by the FIA is the WTCC (in which team orders occurred quite frequently over the past few years, although not at Anderstorp this past weeke-end :D ) )

[electron]

The DTM has no link whatsoever with the FIA, the governing body is the ITR and DMSB.
FIA has no saying in DTM and Team order is officially encouraged in the DTM regulations.