2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Explained

The 2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was the seventeenth season of premier German touring car championship and also fourth season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. Unlike 2002 there were ten race weekends with only one race at each event.

Changes for 2003

The races were increased in length to a total of one hour per race, as compared to the 40 minutes each race had lasted in 2002.
The race at Zolder, Belgium, was replaced by Adria in Italy.
The DTM did not return to Sachsenring. Instead, Nürburgring hosted two events.
The qualifying for Round 7 at Nürburgring was held at nighttime.

Teams and drivers

The following manufacturers, teams and drivers competed in the 2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Dunlop.

	Car	Team		Drivers	Rounds
Audi	Abt-Audi TT-R 2003	Abt Sportsline	1	Laurent Aïello	All
			2	Christian Abt	All
			5	Mattias Ekström	All
			6	Karl Wendlinger	All
	Abt-Audi TT-R 2002	Abt Sportsline Junior Team	14	Martin Tomczyk	All
	Abt-Audi TT-R 2002	Abt Sportsline Junior Team	15	Peter Terting	All
Mercedes-Benz	AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2003	HWA Team	3	Bernd Schneider	All
			4	Christijan Albers	All
			9	Marcel Fässler	All
			10	Jean Alesi	All
	AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002	Persson Motorsport	11	Thomas Jäger	All
			12	Bernd Mayländer	All
			20	Katsutomo Kaneishi	All
	AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002	Team Rosberg	24	Patrick Huisman	1–2
			24	Gary Paffett	3–10
			42	Stefan Mücke	All
Opel	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003	OPC Team Holzer	7	Manuel Reuter	All
	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003	OPC Team Holzer	8	Alain Menu	All
	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2002	OPC Euroteam	16	Joachim Winkelhock	All
	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2002	OPC Euroteam	17	Jeroen Bleekemolen	All
	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003	OPC Team Phoenix	18	Timo Scheider	All
	Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003	OPC Team Phoenix	19	Peter Dumbreck	All
Sources:^[1] ^[2]

Team changes

Abt Sportsline expanded from five to six cars with two cars run under the Abt Sportsline Junior Team banner, created to promote young drivers.^[3] ^[4] Danish outfit First Choice Racing helped support the team during the 2003 season.^[5]

Persson Motorsport expanded to three cars.

Manthey Racing withdrew from the DTM after being part of the Mercedes squad since 2001.

Driver changes

Uwe Alzen had planned to continue with HWA Team in 2003 but decided to withdraw just days before the opening round of the season. In response, Mercedes promoted Christijan Albers from Team Rosberg to HWA Team, while Patrick Huisman took Albers vacant seat at Team Rosberg after driving for Manthey Racing.^[6]

Bernd Mayländer switched from Manthey Racing to Persson Motorsport.

Three time Japan Grand Touring car Championship winner Katsutomo Kaneishi joined the DTM with Persson Motorsport.^[7]

Martin Tomczyk moved to the Abt Sportsline Junior Team alongside debutant Peter Terting who had won the Volkswagen Lupo Cup in 2002.

Opel would shuffle around their drivers for 2003 with Manuel Reuter and Alain Menu moving to Team Holzer while Joachim Winkelhock went to Euroteam and Timo Scheider moved to Team Phoenix. Peter Dumbreck moved from Mercedes to Opel Team Phoenix while Jeroen Bleekemolen made his DTM debut with Opel Euroteam after finishing second in the Dutch Touring Car Championship.^[8]

Michael Bartels left the DTM to join the V8Star Series.

Mid season changes

Reigning German Formula Three Champion Gary Paffett replaced Patrick Huisman from the third round onwards.^[9]

Race calendar and winners

Round	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest Lap	Winning driver	Winning team	Winning manufacturer	TV
1	Hockenheimring	27 April	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ZDF
2	Adria	11 May	Marcel Fässler	Bernd Schneider	Christijan Albers	Express-Service AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ARD
3	Nürburgring	25 May	Marcel Fässler	Bernd Schneider	Christijan Albers	Express-Service AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ZDF
4	EuroSpeedway	8 June	Bernd Schneider	Alain Menu	Bernd Schneider	Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ZDF
5	Norisring	22 June	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	Christijan Albers	Express-Service AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ARD
6	Donington Park	27 July	Bernd Schneider	Bernd Schneider	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ZDF
7	Nürburgring	17 August	Mattias Ekström	Peter Dumbreck	Laurent Aïello	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	Audi	ARD
8	A1-Ring	7 September	Marcel Fässler	Bernd Schneider	Marcel Fässler	AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ARD
9	Zandvoort	21 September	Timo Scheider	Christijan Albers	Christijan Albers	Express-Service AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ZDF
10	Hockenheimring	5 October	Mattias Ekström	Alain Menu	Jean Alesi	AMG-Mercedes	Mercedes	ARD
Source:^[10]

Championship standings

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top 8 classified finishers.^[11]

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
Points	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers' championship

Pos	Driver	HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
1	Bernd Schneider	1	5	4	1	3	2	3	2	2	6	68
2	Christijan Albers	5	1	1	7	1	5	2	3	1	12	64
3	Marcel Fässler	2	4	2	10	2	4	5	1	6	3	57
4	Mattias Ekström	8	2	7	3	Ret	3	4	5	3	2	46
5	Jean Alesi	4	7	Ret	5	5	1	6	Ret	5	1	42
6	Laurent Aïello	3	3	3	8	6	Ret	1	4	9	5	41
7	Peter Dumbreck	6	6	5	2	4	6	10	Ret	10	4	31
8	Timo Scheider	7	15	13	4	16	8	7	Ret	Ret	7	12
9	Alain Menu	18	8	6	6	10	Ret	9	7	Ret	10	9
10	Manuel Reuter	9	Ret	9	12	13	Ret	15†	10	4	19†	5
11	Gary Paffett			Ret	15	Ret	9	8	6	12	18†	4
12	Christian Abt	20†	DSQ	8	9	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	9	3
13	Thomas Jäger	10	Ret	12	14	9	7	Ret	9	13	11	2
14	Jeroen Bleekemolen	14	11	11	18†	14	13	17†	12	7	15	2
15	Joachim Winkelhock	16	9	10	11	8	10	13	14	15	Ret	1
16	Karl Wendlinger	15	12	16	13	11	15	11	16	8	17	1
17	Peter Terting	Ret	13	14	DNS	12	14	18†	13	14	8	1
18	Martin Tomczyk	12	Ret	18	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	13	1
19	Bernd Mayländer	11	10	17	16	Ret	12	14	15	16	20†	0
20	Stefan Mücke	17	Ret	15	DNS	15	11	12	11	17	14	0
21	Patrick Huisman	13	Ret									0
22	Katsutomo Kaneishi	19	14	19	17	17†	Ret	16†	17	18	16	0
Pos	Driver	HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
Sources:^[12] ^[13]

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 90% of the winner's race distance.

Teams' championship

	Team		HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
1	Vodafone / Express-Service AMG-Mercedes	3	1	5	4	1	3	2	3	2	2	6	132
1	4	5	1	1	7	1	5	2	3	1	12		132
2	AMG-Mercedes	9	2	4	2	10	2	4	5	1	6	3	99
2	10	4	7	Ret	5	5	1	6	Ret	5	1		99
3	PlayStation 2 Red Bull Abt-Audi	5	8	2	7	3	Ret	3	4	5	3	2	47
3	6	15	12	16	13	11	15	11	16	8	17		47
4	Hasseröder Abt-Audi	1	3	3	3	8	6	Ret	1	4	9	5	44
4	2	20†	DSQ	8	9	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	9		44
5	OPC Team Phoenix	18	7	15	13	4	16	8	7	Ret	Ret	7	43
5	19	6	6	5	2	4	6	10	Ret	10	4		43
6	OPC Team Holzer	7	9	Ret	9	12	13	Ret	15†	10	4	19†	14
6	8	18	8	6	6	10	Ret	9	7	Ret	10		14
7	Service 24h AMG-Mercedes	24	13	Ret	Ret	15	Ret	9	8	6	12	18†	4
7	42	17	Ret	15	DNS	15	11	12	11	17	14		4
8	OPC Euroteam	16	16	9	10	11	8	10	13	14	15	Ret	3
8	17	14	11	11	18†	14	13	17†	12	7	15		3
9	Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes	11	10	Ret	12	14	9	7	Ret	9	13	11	2
9	12	11	10	17	16	Ret	12	14	15	16	20†		2
10	S Line Audi Junior Team	14	12	Ret	18	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	13	2
10	15	Ret	13	14	DNS	12	14	18†	13	14	8		2
11	ARTA AMG-Mercedes	21	19	14	19	17	17†	Ret	16†	17	18	16	0
	Team		HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
Sources:^[14]

Manufacturers' championship

	Manufacturer	HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
1	Mercedes	27	21	23	16	28	29	22	27	25	19	237
2	Audi	7	14	9	7	5	6	15	10	7	13	93
3	Opel	5	4	7	16	6	4	2	2	7	7	60
	Manufacturer	HOC	ADR	NÜR	LAU	NOR	DON	NÜR	A1R	ZAN	HOC	Points
Source:

External links

Official DTM website

Notes and References

Web site: Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2003 Entry List. Motorsport Stats. 31 December 2023.
Web site: DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - 2003: Entrylist. Speedsport Magazine. 31 December 2023.
Web site: Audi in the DTM - The challenger will be chased .
Web site: Audi supports junior team in the DTM .
Web site: Abt and First Choice form partnership .
Web site: Alzen quits HWA Mercedes .
Web site: Mercedes confirm Kaneishi for Persson .
Web site: Opel finalises 2003 line-up .
Web site: Paffett replaces Huisman at Mercedes .
Web site: Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Results 2003. Motorsport Stats. 31 December 2023.
Web site: DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - 2003: Point standings. Speedsport Magazine. 31 December 2023.
Web site: Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Standings 2003. Motorsport Stats. 31 December 2023.
Web site: 2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Drivers' Standings. TouringCars.net. 31 December 2023.
Web site: DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - Season 2003: Results. Speedsport Magazine. 31 December 2023.