Audi RS5 DTM
At the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Wolfgang Dürheimer, Member of the Board for Technical Development of AUDI AG, and Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich presented the racecar for the DTM 2013 - the Audi RS5 DTM. The driver line-up for the new DTM season was also confirmed.
"Motorsport is an integral part of the Audi DNA and is not an end in itself for our company," said Wolfgang Dürheimer. "At the end of the day, our customers benefit from the victories on the racetracks, because we attach great value to technology transfer between motorsport and production. Our new Audi RS6 Avant, which we present here in Geneva, is a prime example: it combines downsizing of the engine with significantly less weight. And where do you learn this? In motorsport."
The technical specifications of the DTM cars were frozen in accordance with the regulations as the checkered flag fell at the last race of the 2012 season. Nonetheless, further development was possible in a limited form. Over the winter, the Audi Sport DTM team focused on identifying and optimizing any of the 4,000 components in the racecar from the 2012 season. "Our technicians proved to be quite resourceful in the process," according to Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
Audi renames their DTM car the Audi RS5 DTM. The company thus establishes a direct reference in the DTM to the company's successful production models. Efforts were also made to make the performance data for the current RS5 and RS5 DTM similar. As Dr. Ullrich explains, "We are of the opinion that both fit perfectly to one another."
Eight Audi RS5 DTM will join the grid for the 2013 DTM. These cars will be fielded by the three proven Audi Sport squads Abt Sportsline, Phoenix, and Rosberg, which have added to their personnel. The allocation of the eight Audi drivers between the teams is now also fixed. Jamie Green (Great Britain) joins two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström (Sweden) as part of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline. Green drove the new Audi RS5 DTM onto the stage during the presentation. "I already feel at home here at Audi and can hardly wait to contest my first DTM race for the four rings," said the Briton.
The driver teams of Audi remain almost the same as the 2012 season. Together, they have a combined total of 25 race wins and two championship titles within the DTM. Timo Scheider (Germany) and Adrien Tambay (France) make up Audi Sport Team Abt, Miguel Molina (Spain) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) partner in Audi Sport Team Phoenix, while Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal) and Edoardo Mortara (Italy/France) represent Audi Sport Team Rosberg. The potential of the Audi RS5 DTM is definitely something to watch out for.
The Audi RS5 DTM 2013 is the perfect way to show your love for racing. Get official merchandise like posters, mousepads, t-shirts, and calendars, and be part of the race team! Buy now and join the Audi revolution!
