2012 DTM season

2012 DTM season

Champions
Driver:	Bruno Spengler
Manufacturer:	BMW
Team:	BMW team blunder
Season dates
Number of races:	11
<2011 season	2013 season>

The 2012 DTM season was the DTM's thirteenth season . The first run took place on April 29, 2012 at the Hockenheimring . The season finale also took place on October 21 at the Hockenheimring.

A total of 11 weekends races were held in Germany , Great Britain , Austria , the Netherlands and Spain . 10 of them were counted towards the DTM championship. The races on the race weekend (July 14th / 15th) in Munich were not counted towards the DTM championship.

The overall winner was the Canadian Bruno Spengler in the BMW M3 DTM with 149 points.

Sporting and technical changes

The Audi A5 DTM at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main (2011)

Mercedes C-Coupé DTM at the Essen Motor Show 2011

BMW M3 Coupé DTM at the Essen Motor Show 2011

Manufacturer

From the 2012 season onwards, alongside Audi and Mercedes-Benz , a third manufacturer competed in the DTM with BMW . Audi used the Audi A5 DTM from the 2012 season . BMW used the BMW M3 DTM to return to the DTM . Mercedes competed with the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé .

Teams

The teams Racing Bart Mampaey , Reinhold Motorsport and Schnitzer Motorsport entered the DTM together with BMW .

The teams from previous years stayed with Audi and Mercedes.

Regulations

Extensive changes to the regulations have been announced for the 2012 DTM season. The most striking feature was the look of the silhouettes placed on the racing vehicles, which were now modeled on the two-door coupés as in the early days of the “new DTM”.

Lowering costs was a high priority. By using many identical parts among the vehicles from the various manufacturers, a cost reduction of up to 40 percent should be achieved. In addition, the vehicles should be able to be used in several racing series. To this end, the ITR started talks with the Grand American Road Racing Association and NASCAR in the USA as well as the organizers of the Japanese Super GT in order to develop uniform regulations.

For increased security was a new CFRP - monocoque developed.

One focus of the changes to the regulations was on aerodynamics. All DTM vehicles had a large, uniform rear wing. A flow through the body and complex additional wings at the rear were no longer allowed. This should make the vehicles less sensitive to touch and provide better slipstream .

The wheelbase of all DTM cars was 2.75 meters. The vehicles were 1.95 meters wide and 5.01 meters long, including the rear wing. The Mercedes and BMW were 1.20 meters high, while the Audi was only 1.15 meters. The weight was 1050 kilograms including the driver.

In the 2012 season, wider and larger tires were used. In 2011 they were still 260 millimeters wide on the front axle and 280 millimeters on the rear axle and each had a diameter of 660 millimeters. In 2012, the front tires had a width of 300 millimeters and a diameter of 680 millimeters, while rear tires with a width of 310 millimeters and a diameter of 710 millimeters were used. The official tire supplier Hankook developed tires that had wing elements on the sidewalls and were intended to generate additional downforce.

The race distance had to be completed without refueling. Therefore, larger tanks with a capacity of 120 liters were built into the vehicles. This means that it can also be used in long-distance races.

The vehicles were equipped with a sequential transaxle six-speed gearbox that was operated using paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Four-liter V8 naturally aspirated engines continued to serve as the drive, although their technical data differed among the various manufacturers. The Mercedes was specified with an output of 500 hp, the BMW with 480 hp and the Audi with 460 hp. All engines had a maximum torque of 500 Newton meters.

In the DTM, from the 2012 season onwards, the flags were instructed and controlled directly by the race management and also displayed directly on the participants' steering wheel; this system is called the Marshalling System here .

tires

All teams used Hankook tires .

Starting field

The following drivers started the season:

No.	driver	team	vehicle	Race weekend
1	Martin Tomczyk	BMW Team RMG	BMW M3 DTM 2012	all
2	Joey hand			all
3	Mattias Ekström	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	Audi A5 DTM 2012	all
4th	Timo Scheider			all
5	Jamie Green	AMG Mercedes	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé 2012	all
6th	Ralf Schumacher			all
7th	Bruno Spengler	BMW team blunder	BMW M3 DTM 2012	all
8th	Dirk Werner			all
9	Mike Rockenfeller	Audi Sport Team Phoenix	Audi A5 DTM 2012	all
10	Miguel Molina			all
11	Gary Paffett	Thomas Sabo / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG-Mercedes	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé 2012	all
12	Christian Vietoris			all
15th	Andy Priaulx	BMW team RBM	BMW M3 DTM 2012	all
16	Augusto Farfus			all
17th	Rahel Frey	Audi Sport Team Dept.	Audi A5 DTM 2012	all
18th	Adrien Tambay			all
19th	David Coulthard	DHL Paket / Star Mercedes AMG-Mercedes	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé 2012	all
20th	Robert Wickens			all
21st	Edoardo Mortara	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	Audi A5 DTM 2012	all
22nd	Filipe Albuquerque			all
23	Roberto Merhi	Young Stars / TV Feature Film Mercedes AMG-Mercedes	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé 2012	all
24	Susie Wolff			all

• Marco Wittmann was a test driver for the BMW teams.

Changes in the drivers

The following list contains all drivers who took part in the 2011 DTM season and who did not start for the same team in the 2012 season as in 2011.

Drivers who have changed their team:

• Rahel Frey : Team Phoenix → Abt Sportsline
• Miguel Molina : Abt Sportsline → Phoenix Racing
• Mike Rockenfeller : Abt Sportsline → Phoenix Racing
• Bruno Spengler : HWA AG → BMW Team Schnitzer
• Martin Tomczyk : Team Phoenix → BMW Team RMG
• Christian Vietoris : Persson Motorsport → HWA AG

Drivers entering or returning to the DTM:

• Augusto Farfus : Le Mans Series ( BMW Motorsport ) → BMW Team RBM
• Joey Hand : American Le Mans Series (BMW Motorsport) → BMW Team RMG
• Roberto Merhi : Formula 3 Euro Series ( Prema Powerteam ) → Persson Motorsport
• Andy Priaulx : Le Mans Series (BMW Motorsport) → BMW Team RBM
• Adrien Tambay : Auto GP ( Campos Racing ) → Abt Sportsline
• Dirk Werner : American Le Mans Series (BMW Motorsport) → BMW Team Schnitzer
• Robert Wickens : Formula Renault 3.5 ( Carlin ) → Mücke Motorsport

Drivers who have left the DTM:

• Maro Engel : Mücke Motorsport → Australian GT Championship ( Erebus Racing )
• Oliver Jarvis : Abt Sportsline → FIA GT1 World Championship ( W Racing Team )
• Tom Kristensen : Abt Sportsline → World Endurance Championship ( Audi Sport Team Joest )
• Renger van der Zande : Persson Motorsport → Porsche Supercup ( Konrad Motorsport )

Race calendar and results

There was no change in the tracks compared to the previous season and on July 14th and 15th another non-championship event took place in the Olympic Stadium in Munich , where the Race of Champions system was used.

No.	date	Racetrack	Distance (km)	winner	Second	Third	Pole position	Fastest race lap	Overall leading driver	Overall leading manufacturer
01	April 29	Hockenheim	182,960	Gary Paffett	Jamie Green	Mattias Ekström	Mattias Ekström	Jamie Green	Gary Paffett	Mercedes Benz
02	May 6th	Lausitz	180.856	Bruno Spengler	Gary Paffett	Augusto Farfus	Bruno Spengler	Jamie Green
03	May 20th	Brands Hatch	187.113	Gary Paffett	Bruno Spengler	Mike Rockenfeller	Gary Paffett	Martin Tomczyk
04th	3rd of June	Spielberg	203,322	Edoardo Mortara	Martin Tomczyk	Gary Paffett	Edoardo Mortara	Timo Scheider
05	July 1	Nuremberg	179,400	Jamie Green	Martin Tomczyk	Bruno Spengler	Gary Paffett	Jamie Green
06th	July 14th	Munich		Jamie Green Ralf Schumacher	Adrien Tambay Timo Scheider	Gary Paffett Christian Vietoris
	15th of July			Mattias Ekström	Jamie Green	Bruno Spengler Gary Paffett
07th	August 19th	Nürburg	177.821	Bruno Spengler	Edoardo Mortara	Martin Tomczyk	Bruno Spengler	Bruno Spengler
08th	26th of August	Zandvoort	185,201	Edoardo Mortara	Mike Rockenfeller	Mattias Ekström	Timo Scheider	Gary Paffett
09	16th September	Oschersleben	188.496	Bruno Spengler	Gary Paffett	Jamie Green	Bruno Spengler	Roberto Merhi
10	30. September	Valencia	184.230	Augusto Farfus	Adrien Tambay	Mattias Ekström	Augusto Farfus	Bruno Spengler		Audi
11	October 21	Hockenheim	173.812	Bruno Spengler	Gary Paffett	Augusto Farfus	Augusto Farfus	Gary Paffett	Bruno Spengler	BMW

Remarks

1. ↑ The event in the Munich Olympic Stadium does not count towards the championship.

Championship results

Point system

Points were awarded to the first 10 classified drivers in the following number:

space	1.	2.	3.	4th	5.	6th	7th	8th.	9.	10.
Points	25th	18th	15th	12	10	8th	6th	4th	2	1

Driver ranking

A total of 20 drivers made it into the points classification.

space	driver	HOC1	LAU	BRH	RBR	NOR	MUN		ONLY	ZAN	OSC	VAL	HOC2	Points
1	Bruno Spengler	DNF	1	2	DNF	3	5	030	1	6th	1	6th	1	149
2	Gary Paffett	1	2	1	3	4th	3	3	6th	7th	2	DNF	2	145
3	Jamie Green	2	4th	8th	5	1	1	2	4th	4th	3	10	4th	121
4th	Mike Rockenfeller	5	13	3	7th	6th	DNQ	5	5	2	6th	5	DNF	85
5	Edoardo Mortara	11	8th	9	1	DNF	DNQ	9	2	1	DNF	16 *	6th	82
6th	Mattias Ekström	3	5	5	4th	DNF	5	1	11	3	8th	3	DNF	81
7th	Augusto Farfus	15th	3	11	10	DNF	5	5	10	9	5	1	3	69
8th	Martin Tomczyk	DNF	7th	4th	2	2	DNQ	5	3	DNF	DNF	DNF	14th	69
9	Dirk Werner	17th	19th	16	DNF	10	4th	17th	12	8th	4th	9	5	29
10	Adrien Tambay	DNF	18th	12	DNF	15th	2	9	DNF	5	16	2	DNF	28
11	Filipe Albuquerque	10	9	10	8th	11	DNQ	9	8th	15 *	9	4th	11	26th
12	Christian Vietoris	4th	11	6th	DNF	8th	3	9	16	DNF	12	12	10	25th
13	Andy Priaulx	6th	17th	DNF	DNF	7th	DNQ	17th	19th	13	17 *	8th	7th	24
14th	Timo Scheider	DNF	6th	DNF	6th	16	2	17th	9	DNF	10	DNF	12	19th
15th	David Coulthard	8th	12	15th	DNF	5	DNQ	5	20th	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	14th
16	Robert Wickens	14th	22 *	14th	13	9	DNQ	9	7th	DNF	7th	DNF	DNF	14th
17th	Ralf Schumacher	7th	10	19th	11	DNF	1	17th	13	10	13	14th	9	10
18th	Miguel Molina	9	15th	7th	DNF	12	5	9	15th	DNF	15th	DNF	DNF	8th
19th	Rahel Frey	16	20th	18th	15th	17th	DNQ	9	14th	DNF	DNF	7th	16	6th
20th	Joey hand	13	14th	13	9	14th	4th	9	18th	14th	11	15 *	8th	6th
21st	Roberto Merhi	18 *	16	17th	12	13	DNQ	17th	DNF	11	14th	DNF	15th	0
22nd	Susie Wolff	12	21st	20 *	14th	DNF	DNQ	17th	17th	12	DNF	13	13	0
space	driver	HO1	LAU	BRH	RBR	NOR	MUN		ONLY	ZAN	OSC	VAL	HO2	Points

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	P / bold	Pole position
	SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

Remarks

1. ↑ The event in Munich was not part of the championship.

Team evaluation

space	team	No.	HOC1	LAU	BRH	RBR	NOR	MUN		ONLY	ZAN	OSC	VAL	HOC2	Points
1	BMW team blunder	07th	DNF	1	2	DNF	3	5	030	1	6th	1	6th	1	178
		08th	17th	19th	16	DNF	10	4th	17th	12	8th	4th	9	5
2	Thomas Sabo / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG-Mercedes	11	1	2	1	3	4th	3	3	6th	7th	2	DNF	2	170
		12	4th	11	6th	DNF	8th	3	9	16	DNF	12	12	10
3	AMG Mercedes	05	2	4th	8th	5	1	1	2	4th	4th	3	10	4th	131
		06th	7th	10	19th	11	DNF	1	17th	13	10	13	14th	9
4th	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	21st	11	8th	9	1	DNF	DNQ	9	2	1	DNF	16 *	6th	108
		22nd	10	9	10	8th	11	DNQ	9	8th	15 *	9	4th	11
5	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	03	3	5	5	4th	DNF	5	1	11	3	8th	3	DNF	100
		04th	DNF	6th	DNF	6th	16	2	17th	9	DNF	10	DNF	12
6th	BMW team RBM	15th	6th	17th	DNF	DNF	7th	DNQ	17th	19th	13	17 *	8th	7th	93
		16	15th	3	11	10	DNF	5	5	10	9	5	1	3
7th	Audi Sport Team Phoenix	09	5	13	3	7th	6th	DNQ	5	5	2	6th	5	DNF	93
		10	9	15th	7th	DNF	12	5	9	15th	DNF	15th	DNF	DNF
8th	BMW Team RMG	01	DNF	7th	4th	2	2	DNQ	5	3	DNF	DNF	DNF	14th	75
		02	13	14th	13	9	14th	4th	9	18th	14th	11	15 *	8th
9	Audi Sport Team Dept.	17th	16	20th	18th	15th	17th	DNQ	9	14th	DNF	DNF	7th	16	34
		18th	DNF	18th	12	DNF	15th	2	9	DNF	5	16	2	DNF
10	DHL package / Star AMG-Mercedes	19th	8th	12	15th	DNF	5	DNQ	5	20th	DNF	DNF	11	DNF	28
		20th	14th	22 *	14th	13	9	DNQ	9	7th	DNF	7th	DNF	DNF
11	Young stars / TV feature film AMG-Mercedes	23	18 *	16	17th	12	13	DNQ	17th	DNF	11	14th	DNF	15th	0
		24	12	21st	20 *	14th	DNF	DNQ	17th	17th	12	DNF	13	13
space	team	No.	HOC1	LAU	BRH	RBR	NOR	MUN		ONLY	ZAN	OSC	VAL	HOC2	Points

Remarks

1. ↑ The event in Munich was not part of the championship.

Manufacturer rating

space	Manufacturer	HOC1	LAU	BRH	RBR	NOR	MUN	ONLY	ZAN	OSC	VAL	HOC2	Points
1	BMW	8th	46	30th	21st	40	0	41	14th	47	39	60	346
2	Audi	28	24	34	55	8th	0	34	68	15th	61	8th	335
3	Mercedes Benz	65	31	37	25th	53	0	26th	19th	39	1	33	329

Remarks

1. ↑ The event in Munich was not part of the championship.

Web links

• The 2012 DTM season on the official DTM website

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} DTM website: 2012: Successful return. From: www.dtm.com , accessed February 8, 2019 . 
2. ↑ "Official: BMW Comeback 2012 is perfect!" (Motorsport-Total.com on October 15, 2010)
3. ↑ "The A4 is going, the A5 is coming" (Motorsport-Total.com on June 29, 2011)
4. ↑ "BMW M3 DTM completes first rollout" (Motorsport-Total.com on July 4, 2011)
5. ^ "DTM - Schumacher & Rosberg unveil C-Coupé" (Motorsport-Magazin.com on September 7, 2011)
6. ↑ "BMW Team RBM in portrait" (Motorsport-Total.com on March 10, 2011)
7. ^ "A portrait of Reinhold Motorsport GmbH" (Motorsport-Total.com on March 10, 2011)
8. ^ "A portrait of BMW Team Schnitzer" (Motorsport-Total.com on March 10, 2011)
9. ↑ "BMW Motorsport presents the teams for the DTM" (Motorsport-Total.com on March 10, 2011)
10. ↑ 2013: DTM plans to move to the USA and Japan (Motorsport-Total.com on October 15, 2010)
11. ↑ ^{a b c d} "DTM cars 2012: Flat, wide, strong" (Motorsport-Total.com on September 14, 2011)
12. ↑ ^{a b} "Hankook tires 2012: first conservative, then slimmed down" (Motorsport-Total.com on May 24, 2011)
13. ↑ "Tires of the future: Hankook gives you wings" (Motorsport-Total.com on October 1, 2011)
14. ↑ DTM sporting regulations 2012, flag signs / signaling , PDF file, page 47, DMSB homepage, accessed on May 8, 2012.
15. ^ "BMW: Wittmann becomes DTM test pilot" (Motorsport-Total.com on February 6, 2012)
16. ↑ "DTM calendar 2012: painful collisions" (Motorsport-Total.com on September 21, 2011)