Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

{{Short description|Defunct German car racing series (1984–1996)}}

{{About|the DTM series that ran from 1984–1996|the current DTM series (2000–present)|Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters}}

{{Infobox motorsport championship

| logo =

| pixels =

| caption =

| category = Touring cars

| inaugural = 1984

| folded = 1996

| drivers =

| teams =

| constructors = Mercedes-Benz
Audi
Opel
Alfa Romeo
BMW

| tyres = Michelin, Dunlop, Bridgestone

| engines =

| country/region = Germany

| champion driver = {{flagicon|DEU}} Manuel Reuter

| champion team = {{flagicon|DEU}} Opel

| manufacturer =

| current_season =

| website = {{URL|http://www.dtm.de/}}

}}

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide.

The original DTM had resumed racing with production based cars, as the former Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft had switched to Group 5 in 1977 and even to expensive Group C sportscars in 1982, leading to its decline. Since 2000, a new DTM has been run as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, again organised by ITR and former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger.

History

File:Alfa Romeo 155 Alfa Corse in Arese 20070608.jpg of 1993 champion Nicola Larini. The 155 holds the all-time record of 38 victories in DTM.]]

=Rise of the original DTM=

The original DTM was started in 1984 as Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft (German Production Car Championship), with cars entered by privateer teams and under FIA Group A rules, but was extensively modified throughout the years, allowing more modifications. In the late 1980s, works teams joined the DTM, and it became one of the most popular motorsport championships in Europe.

Turbochargers were banned at the start of 1990 season due to cost reasons.

In 1993, the Group A rules were abandoned in favor of a more liberalised 2.5 L engine category called FIA Class 1 Touring Cars, with extensive use of ABS, four-wheel drive, electronic driver aids and carbon fibre chassis, the former three were technologies that were banned from F1. Opel, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo all fielded works teams after Audi and BMW had abandoned earlier.

=DTM to ITC and demise=

The DTM expanded its horizons for the 1995 season and the teams contested the inaugural FIA International Touring Car Series [http://www.motorsport-archive.com/index.php?mode=Season&id=271 1995 ITC schedule and standings] Retrieved from www.motorsport-archive.com on 17 November 2009 as well as the traditional DTM.[http://www.motorsport-archive.com/index.php?mode=Season&id=31 1995 DTM schedule and standings] Retrieved from www.motorsport-archive.com on 17 November 2009 The former was contested over ten races, all held outside of Germany and the latter over fourteen races within Germany. Plans were then made to combine the two into one new series, the International Touring Car Championship, for 1996. The ITR governing body then sought approval and support from the FIA to begin the new series. In exchange for FIA support, the ITR let the organisation take control over many aspects of the way the ITC was run: crucially, the financial side of the championship was revolutionised. A large proportion of the revenue generated by the championship went to the FIA, with the result that less went to the teams who subsequently complained of little return on their increasingly large investment in the high-tech series (this was further exacerbated by the travel costs to the new international rounds in Suzuka, Japan and Interlagos, Brazil). The FIA also increased the price for television rights dramatically with the result that television coverage of the series disappeared from all European countries except Italy, Germany and Finland, prices for tickets to races were almost doubled, and access to the circuit paddock to meet the drivers (which had previously been a big hit with fans) was drastically reduced. The choices of circuits on which to hold rounds of the championship were also unsuccessful – the rounds at Magny-Cours, France and particularly Interlagos suffered very poor attendance. Opel and Alfa Romeo both left the championship after the 1996 season, leaving only Mercedes; the championship was consequently cancelled.

=The new DTM=

The DTM returned in 2000 with different rules and with semi-International Championship status. The DTM initials stands for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.

Champions

File:DTM Meisterauto 1992.jpg won the 1992 drivers' title with a Mercedes-Benz 190E]]

class="wikitable"
Season	Series Name	Champion / Car	Second	Third	Manufacturers Champion [http://www.motorsport-archive.com/ www.motorsport-archive.com] Retrieved on 17 November 2009
1984 ! {{small\|Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Volker Strycek {{small\|(BMW 635CSi)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Olaf Manthey \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Harald Grohs \| not awarded
1985 ! {{small\|Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|SWE}} Per Stureson {{small\|(Volvo 240 Turbo)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Olaf Manthey \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Harald Grohs \| not awarded
1986 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|DEN}} Kurt Thiim {{small\|(Rover Vitesse)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Volker Weidler \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Kurt König \| not awarded
1987 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|BEL}} Eric van de Poele {{small\|(BMW M3)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Manuel Reuter \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Marc Hessel \| not awarded
1988 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Ludwig {{small\|(Ford Sierra RS500)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Roland Asch \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Armin Hahne \| not awarded
1989 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Roberto Ravaglia {{small\|(BMW M3)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Niedzwiedz \| {{flagicon\|FRA}} Fabien Giroix \| not awarded
1990 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Hans-Joachim Stuck {{small\|(Audi V8 Quattro)}} \| {{flagicon\|VEN\|1930}} Johnny Cecotto \| {{flagicon\|DEN}} Kurt Thiim \| not awarded
1991 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Frank Biela {{small\|(Audi V8 Quattro)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Ludwig \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Hans-Joachim Stuck \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Mercedes-Benz
1992 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Ludwig {{small\|(Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo 2)}} \| {{flagicon\|DEN}} Kurt Thiim \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bernd Schneider \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Mercedes-Benz
1993 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Nicola Larini {{small\|(Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Roland Asch \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bernd Schneider \| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Alfa Romeo
1994 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Ludwig {{small\|(Mercedes-Benz C Class)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Jörg van Ommen \| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Nicola Larini \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Mercedes-Benz
rowspan=2\| 1995 ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bernd Schneider {{small\|(Mercedes C-Class V6)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Jörg van Ommen \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Klaus Ludwig \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Mercedes-Benz
{{small\|International Touring Car Series}}[https://web.archive.org/web/19990202054418/http://www.fia.com/classements/class95/SIVTCL1P.htm FIA results for the 1995 International Touring Car Series] Retrieved from web.archive.org on 16 November 2009 \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bernd Schneider {{small\|(Mercedes C-Class V6)}} \| {{flagicon\|DEN}} Jan Magnussen \| {{flagicon\|UK}} Dario Franchitti \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Mercedes-Benz
1996 ! {{small\|International Touring Car Championship}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Manuel Reuter {{small\|(Opel Calibra V6 4x4)}} \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Bernd Schneider \| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Alessandro Nannini \| {{flagicon\|GER}} Opel
1997– 1999 ! {{small\|DTM / ITC}} \| colspan=4\| not held
2000– present ! {{small\|Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters}} \| colspan=4\| See Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

class="wikitable"

Season

Series Name

Champion
/ Car

Second

Third

Manufacturers Champion [http://www.motorsport-archive.com/ www.motorsport-archive.com] Retrieved on 17 November 2009

1984

! {{small|Deutschen
Produktionswagen
Meisterschaft}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Volker Strycek
{{small|(BMW 635CSi)}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Olaf Manthey

| {{flagicon|GER}} Harald Grohs

| not awarded

1985

! {{small|Deutschen
Produktionswagen
Meisterschaft}}

| {{flagicon|SWE}} Per Stureson
{{small|(Volvo 240 Turbo)}}

| {{flagicon|GER}} Olaf Manthey

| {{flagicon|GER}} Harald Grohs

| not awarded

1986