Tag Archives: DTM

Automobiles

Report: GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US

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By Jonathon Ramsey

Audi A5 DTM racer - profile view

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It won’t be until 2015 at the earliest, but the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), Grand-Am and the Internationale Tourenwagen-Rennen have agreed to a licensing and cooperation deal that could bring a version of Germany‘s DTM series to the US.

When the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am are officially combined next year, the resulting body will be called United SportsCar Racing (USCR). IMSA will be the sanctioning body for that series, and DTM races could be run as support events. It was also suggested by an ALMS chief that DTM races could be standalone or join NASCAR and IndyCar weekends.

With the so-called DTM America finally agreed to, there is now a way for manufacturers to run the same DTM-type cars in Europe, the US and Japan – last year Japan‘s Super GT series agreed to adopt “the basic technical regulations” of DTM for the GT500 class, the top class in the series. That already puts six manufacturers in play: Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW that run in Germany‘s DTM and Honda, Nissan and Lexus that run in Super GT. The DTM oversight body has invited American brands to Germany for the opening round of the 2013 season, and will begin actively courting their participation in the US series. Check out the press release from Audi with comments on the deal below.

Continue reading GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US

GRAND-AM, IMSA announce deal to bring DTM racing to US originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Read This: Robert Kubica would give it all back to be in F1 again

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By Zach Bowman

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Robert Kubica hasn’t been in a Formula One grand prix race since a rally crash left him injured in early 2011, but that doesn’t mean the driver has stopped thinking about F1. According to Autosport.com, Kubica is headed back to WRC2, but remains focused on getting back into an F1 driver’s seat. While he had received offers to race in DTM, he chose to stick with rallying because the demanding physical challenges should provide better preparation for a return to open-wheel racing.

“I would pay all the money I have to be back in the cockpit of a Formula One car,” he said while speaking to reporters.

Kubica believes that physically, he may be able to compete on a course like Barcelona, but the more challenging Monaco Grand Prix would be beyond his reach. Kubica is expected to work with Citroën in the testing phase of the company’s World Touring Car Championship program in 2014 as well.

Robert Kubica would give it all back to be in F1 again originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

BMW Shows Off Its ALMS-Ready Z4 GTE: Video

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By Kurt Ernst

BMW Z4 GTE

For the past four years, BMW Team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has campaigned a specially-prepared BMW M3 in American Le Mans Series (ALMS) competition. During that time, Team RLL has won two manufacturer’s championships, two team championships, one driver’s championship and the Michelin Green-X championship. With success like that, you’d think that Team RLL would stick with a proven platform for the final year of ALMS racing.

BMW, however, has other plans for its racing future. Now that the current M3 is essentially end-of-life, BMW wants to replace it with a current product from its catalog. Enter the BMW Z4 GTE, which will replace the Me at Team RLL for the 2013 season. Neither BMW nor Team RLL will be starting from scratch, however, as the Z4 GTE is based on the race-proven, championship-winning BMW Z4 GT3.

Still, any new race car (new to a series, anyway) needs time to shake out the bugs, and Team RLL is hoping to do so in 2013, ahead of the 2014 ALMS – Grand-Am Series merger. They’ll have plenty of help on-track, as one Z4 GTE will be driven by Bill Auberlen, Joey Hand (or John Edwards, if Hand is fulfilling his obligations to BMW in DTM) and Dirk Muller. A second car will be run by Maxime Martin, with Uwe Alzen and Joerg Mueller stepping in to drive during endurance events.

The 2013 season of the American Le Mans Series kicks off on March 16, with the 12 Hours of Sebring from Sebring, Florida.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Automotive Addicts

Automobiles

Motorsports: This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS

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By Jonathon Ramsey

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The Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are a month of racing and reveals, with the season’s metal going for the flag at races like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and other cars being introduced to the public. In the latter category is the BMW Z4 GTE (click the image above to enlarge) joining the American Le Mans Series GT class this year with BMW Team RLL (Rahal, Letterman and Lanigan). This machine replaces the M3 GT that completed four years of service and won the class title in 2010 and 2011. Naturally, the team is tempering expectations for the Z4 GTE by repeating the fact that it sees this season as a development year.

BMW Team RLL drivers for its two cars will be Bill Auberlen and series rookie Maxime Martin in the No. 55, aided by Jörg Müller for the endurance races at Sebring and Road Atlanta. The No. 56 car gets Dirk Müller on a full-time basis, Joey Hand when he’s not competing in the DTM series, and John Edwards when Hand isn’t available. Uwe Alzen will help out with driving duties in the No. 56 at endurance races.

Want to know more? Scroll down below for the complete press release.

Continue reading This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS

This is the BMW Z4 GTE that will wear the Roundel in ALMS originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog