2013 DTM Champion Mike Rockenfeller is excited about the prospects of racing the new turbocharged 2 litre DTM cars making their debut in May this year.
“There are a lot of innovations for 2019. Surely the biggest difference is the four-cylinder turbo, which clearly has a higher power output. At the same time, our new car has more efficient aerodynamics. That’ll make us a lot faster on the straights.” he said.
“All in all, it’s the biggest change that I’ve seen in DTM. Being involved in it is very exciting. I’ve been driving with eight cylinders now for twelve years and am looking forward to something new. Plus, more power is always more fun.”
Audi RS 5 DTM 2019, Test Car
The new rules will more closely align the DTM with Japan’s GT500 class from the Super GT, although there are still many differences between the cars.
According to “Rocky” the new cars are expected to be as much as two to three seconds a lap faster than the V8 powered machines they are replacing. Although the new cars carry less downforce than the 2018 cars the extra power should see them a lot faster on the straights.
“You approach the turns quicker and the braking phases become a little longer. We pass the straights faster because we’re driving at higher speeds – maybe at more than 300 km/h for the first time! That would be fantastic and should definitely be possible with DRS and some slipstreaming.
The opening round of the DTM will be at Hockenheim on the weekend of May 4-5.
