BMW has issued a statement today that it will enter the DTM - the German Touring Car Championship - from 2012. BMW will be back in 1012 DTM for the first time after it has left the series back in 1994. BMA says that it now can plan is DTM return in 2012 in more detail, thanks to new technical regulations that will help the internationalization of the championship. You've probably already guessed which model will BMW throw in the 2012 DTM battle. It will be the BMW M3 of course. The details of the BMW M3 2012 DTM race car will be revealed at a later date, obviously, but at this moment, there are no doubts that the German carmaker will return to the popular race series.
Dr Klaus Draeger, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG with responsibility for development, says: “The return of BMW to the DTM is a fundamental part of the restructuring of our motorsport activities. With its increased commitment to production car racing, BMW is returning to its roots. The race track is the perfect place to demonstrate the impressive sporting characteristics of our vehicles against our core competitors in a high-powered environment. The DTM is the ideal stage on which to do this.”
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen comments: “The entire team at BMW Motorsport is approaching
this exciting project with absolute commitment. We began making technical preparations following our declaration of intent in April, and established parameters for a high-performance vehicle concept for deployment in the DTM. The positive decision of the BMW Board of Management means we can now shift up a gear and give the green light for development.”
Hans Werner Aufrecht, 1st Chairman of the Board of ITR e.V. (DTM commercial rights holder and promoter): “We welcome the decision by BMW to enter the DTM from 2012. This is a further milestone for the future of our popular racing
series, and proves that our efforts over the past few years have paid off. We laid the foundation for this in conjunction with the DMSB and the existing DTM manufacturers, namely Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Thus I would like to heartily thank all parties. I am personally looking forward to again seeing the three premium brands of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz competing against each other on the race track. Our fans have waited a long time for this.”
