Audi says "goodbye" to the DTM - a look back at the beginnings

TEXTMay 13, 2020 · 3 min

Audi AG / ZG, automatically translated

PHOTOS

Daniel Reinhard · 10 Photos

Bruno von Rotz2 PhotosHerbert Steves2 PhotosAudi AG1 Photo

Balz Schreier1 PhotoDTM1 Photo

Kai Gattermann1 PhotoOliver Kälke1 Photo

Audi V8 Quattro DTM (1990) - Hans Joachim Stuck at the Norisring

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Audi V8 Quattro DTM Evo (1992) - Frank Biela on the Avus

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Audi V8 (1990) - Hans-Joachim Stuck on Audi in the DTM

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Audi V8 Quattro DTM (1990) - Stuck and Röhrl at the Norisring

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Audi 80 quattro 2.5 DTM (1993) - with all-wheel drive in the touring car spot

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Audi TT-R (2000) - used in the years 2000 to 2003, Aiello at the wheel

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Audi TT-R (2000) - used in the years 2000 to 2003, Tomcyk at the wheel

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Audi A5 DTM (2012) - Eckström in the rain

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Audi RS5-DTM (2012) - Battle tracks in the turmoil at the Red Bull Ring

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Audi against Audi - fierce battles in the current DTM - Norisring 2017

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Audi V8 quattro (1990) - on the occasion of the presentation of the "Touring Car Classics" at the 2017 DTM race in Hockenheim

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Audi V8 (1990) - in DTM look, but with cruise control - Bremen Classic Motorshow 2019

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Audi V8 DTM (1990) - Touring Car Classics on the occasion of the Nürburgring Classics 2018

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Audi V8 Quattro DTM (1990) - Touring Car Classics - AvD OGP 2019

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Audi V8 DTM (1990) at the Touring Car Classics at the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2018

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Audi RS5 DTM (2018) - at the Classic Days Schloss Dyck 2018

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Audi A4 DTM (2009) - Field 8 - Autobau - Lenzerheide Motor Classics 2017

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Audi RS5 DTM (2018) - International Edelweiss Mountain Prize Rossfeld 2018

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Audi V8 Quattro DTM Evo (1992) - Frank Biela auf der Avus

Audi V8 (1990) - Hans-Joachim Stuck auf Audi in der DTM

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Audi V8 Quattro DTM (1990) - Stuck und Röhrl auf dem Norisring

Audi 80 quattro 2.5 DTM (1993) - mit Allrad im Tourenwagenspot

Audi TT-R (2000) - eingesetzt in den Jahren 2000 bis 2003, am Lenkrad Aiello

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Audi TT-R (2000) - eingesetzt in den Jahren 2000 bis 2003, am Lenkrad Tomcyk

"Audi is realigning its commitment to motorsport" and "Commitment to the DTM touring car racing series will not be extended after the 2020 season", reads the Audi press release. Bad news for fans of the loud touring car races in which Audi originally competed with the V8 from 1990 onwards. But tradition is not at the top of Audi's list of priorities, especially in racing, as Audi CEO Markus Duesmann explains: "We are also focusing on the racetrack and driving consistently for the lead of tomorrow"

Audi V8 Quattro DTM Evo (1992) - Frank Biela on the Avus

Influence of Corona?

On its way to becoming a provider of CO2-neutral premium mobility, Audi is realigning the brand's motorsport program: The Four Rings will not extend their involvement in the DTM touring car racing series beyond the 2020 season. This was decided by the Board of Management of AUDI AG against the backdrop of the economic challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and announced to the Internationale Tourenwagenrennen e.V. this Monday. Audi's motorsport activities will therefore focus on its successful involvement in Formula E and customer racing in the future.

The brand has been represented in Formula E since the start of the popular all-electric racing series in 2014. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler is the most successful Formula E team over the years with 41 trophies. Away from the race track, Audi aims to achieve around 40 percent of its sales with electric cars and plug-in hybrids as early as 2025.

Formula E instead of touring car combustion engines

"Audi has shaped the DTM and the DTM has shaped Audi. This demonstrates the power that lies in motorsport - technologically and emotionally," says Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. "We will use this energy to drive forward our transformation into a provider of sporty, sustainable electric mobility. That is why we are also focusing on the race track and consistently driving for the lead of tomorrow. Formula E offers a very attractive platform for this. We are also looking into other progressive motorsport formats for the future."

Success story

Audi can look back on an extremely successful past in the DTM. With 23 championship titles, including eleven drivers' titles, as well as 114 victories, 345 podium finishes, 106 pole positions and 112 fastest laps, Audi shaped the DTM from 1990 to 1992 and from 2000 onwards.

Audi TT-R (2000) - used in the years 2000 to 2003, Tomcyk at the wheel

With three out of three possible championship titles, numerous podium finishes and many other records, 2019 was the most successful DTM season in the company's history to date.

Audi V8 Quattro DTM (1990) - Stuck and Röhrl at the Norisring

The V8 saloons with which Audi introduced four-wheel drive to the DTM and in which Stuck and Röhrl ensured exciting races remain unforgotten.

The last season

The 2020 season is set to be another successful one. "We hope that the current difficult situation will improve quickly and that we will be able to hold a few more DTM races this year," says Board Member for Development Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler. "The fans deserve that, the ITR, our drivers and also our teams and partners, who now have sufficient lead time to reposition themselves for the period after 2020. Successful motorsport is an important part of Audi's DNA and will remain so."

To commemorate Audi's successful years in the DTM, we have put together some pictures from 30 years of DTM.