2015 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Explained

The 2015 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was the twenty-ninth season of premier German touring car championship and also sixteenth season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. The season started on 2 May at Hockenheim, and ended on 18 October at the same venue, with Mercedes Benz driver Pascal Wehrlein clinching the Drivers' Championship, Mercedes Benz's HWA AG winning the Teams' Championship and BMW taking the Manufacturer's Championship after a total of nine events.

Marco Wittmann entered the season as the defending Drivers' Champion, BMW Team RMG as the defending Teams' Champion and Audi as the defending Manufacturers' Champion.

Rule changes

Sporting

Drivers were assigned permanent numbers for the duration of their DTM careers, with the championship adopting a system similar to the one used in Formula One and MotoGP. The number 1 was the champion's right, with drivers free to choose any number from 2 to 99 or 100; the champion's "regular" number was reserved while they were using the number 1.^[1]
The 2015 season saw the DTM series go back to a two races per weekend format. It was the first time since 2002 that the DTM used the format but the usual number of laps were replaced by time limit.
The usual knockout qualifying format was replaced by 20-minute single-session qualifying format (similar to 60-minute 1996-2002 Formula One single-session qualifying format).

Technical

The weight of all DTM cars were increased to 1,120 kg.
The performance weights also has been introduced.
The softer optional tyres were removed to provide overtaking manoeuvre.

Teams and drivers

The following manufacturers, teams and drivers competed in the 2015 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Hankook.

	Car	Team		Drivers	Rounds
BMW	BMW M4 DTM	BMW Team RMG^[2]	1	Marco Wittmann^[3]	All
		BMW Team RMG^[2]	36	Maxime Martin	All
		BMW Team MTEK	7	Bruno Spengler	All
		BMW Team MTEK	16	Timo Glock	All
		BMW Team Schnitzer	13	António Félix da Costa	All
		BMW Team Schnitzer	77	Martin Tomczyk	All
		BMW Team RBM	18	Augusto Farfus	All
		BMW Team RBM	31	Tom Blomqvist^[4]	All
Mercedes-Benz	Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM^[5]	Euronics/BWT Mercedes-AMG^[6]	2	Gary Paffett^[7]	All
		Euronics/BWT Mercedes-AMG^[6]	22	Lucas Auer^[8]	All
		Silberpfeil Energy Mercedes-AMG	3	Paul di Resta^[9]	All
		Silberpfeil Energy Mercedes-AMG	6	Robert Wickens	All
		gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG	8	Christian Vietoris	All
		gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG	94	Pascal Wehrlein	All
		Petronas Mercedes-AMG	12	Daniel Juncadella	All
		Petronas Mercedes-AMG	84	Maximilian Götz^[10]	All
Audi	Audi RS5 DTM	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline^[11]	5	Mattias Ekström	All
		Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline^[11]	17	Miguel Molina	All
		Audi Sport Team Abt	27	Adrien Tambay	All
		Audi Sport Team Abt	48	Edoardo Mortara	All
		Audi Sport Team Phoenix	10	Timo Scheider	1–5, 7–9
			93	Antonio Giovinazzi^[12]	6
			99	Mike Rockenfeller	All
		Audi Sport Team Rosberg	51	Nico Müller	All
		Audi Sport Team Rosberg	53	Jamie Green	All

Team changes

ART Grand Prix joined the series in 2015, and ran a Mercedes works team of two cars, for Lucas Auer and Gary Paffett.^[9]

Driver changes

Entering DTM

Maximilian Götz, who won the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series, joined Mercedes-Benz.^[10]
European Formula 3 front-runners Lucas Auer and Tom Blomqvist joined the series, driving for Mercedes-Benz and BMW respectively.^[4] ^[8]

Leaving DTM

Joey Hand, who drove for BMW between 2012 and 2014, left the series and joined the United SportsCar Championship.^[3] ^[13]
Vitaly Petrov, who drove for Mercedes-Benz in 2014, left the series.^[9]

Mid-season changes

Timo Scheider was excluded from participating in the Moscow Raceway round after pushing out both Robert Wickens and Pascal Wehrlein in the second race of the Red Bull Ring. European Formula 3 front-runner Antonio Giovinazzi replaced him at the Russian venue for Audi Sport Team Phoenix.^[12]

Performance weights

Starting from Norisring, ITR introduced a system of ballast based on the results obtained in the previous race. The basis weight is 1120 kg, and performance weight ranges from a minimum of 1105 kg to a maximum of 1140 kg^[14]

Driver	Car	Norisring^[15]	Zandvoort^[16]	Red Bull Ring^[17]	Moscow	Oschersleben	Nürburgring	Hockenheim
Marco Wittmann	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1107,5 kg	1107,5 kg	1117,5 kg	1117,5 kg
Gary Paffett	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg
Paul di Resta	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1127,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg
Mattias Ekström	Audi	1137,5 kg	1130 kg	1127,5 kg	1137,5 kg	1137,5 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg
Robert Wickens	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg
Bruno Spengler	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1115 kg
Christian Vietoris	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg
Timo Scheider	Audi	1135 kg	1125 kg	1120 kg	-	1125 kg	1115 kg	1115 kg
Daniel Juncadella	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg	1130 kg
António Félix da Costa	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1107,5 kg	1107,5 kg	1117,5 kg	1117,5 kg
Timo Glock	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1115 kg
Miguel Molina	Audi	1135 kg	1125 kg	1120 kg	1125 kg	1122,5 kg	1115 kg	1115 kg
Augusto Farfus	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1107,5 kg	1107,5 kg	1117,5 kg	1117,5 kg
Lucas Auer	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1127,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1122,5 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg
Adrien Tambay	Audi	1130 kg	1120 kg	1117,5 kg	1125 kg	1122,5 kg	1112,5 kg	1112,5 kg
Tom Blomqvist	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1112,5 kg	1105 kg	1105 kg	1115 kg	1115 kg
Maxime Martin	BMW	1107,5 kg	1107,5 kg	1115 kg	1105 kg	1105 kg	1112,5 kg	1112,5 kg
Edoardo Mortara	Audi	1140 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1135 kg	1137,5 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg
Nico Müller	Audi	1135 kg	1125 kg	1120 kg	1127,5 kg	1130 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg
Jamie Green	Audi	1137,5 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1130 kg	1132,5 kg	1125 kg	1125 kg
Martin Tomczyk	BMW	1105 kg	1105 kg	1110 kg	1105 kg	1105 kg	1112,5 kg	1112,5 kg
Maximilian Götz	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1125 kg	1120 kg	1120 kg	1117,5 kg	1117,5 kg	1117,5 kg
Pascal Wehrlein	Mercedes-Benz	1120 kg	1130 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg	1130 kg	1130 kg	1130 kg
Antonio Giovinazzi	Audi	-	-	-	1137,5 kg	-	-	-
Mike Rockenfeller	Audi	1140 kg	1130 kg	1125 kg	1135 kg	1137,5 kg	1127,5 kg	1127,5 kg

Race calendar and results

The nine event calendar was announced on 3 December 2014.^[18]

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning team	Winning manufacturer
1	R1	Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg	2 May	Jamie Green	Paul di Resta	Jamie Green	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	Audi
1	R2	Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg	3 May	Mike Rockenfeller	Timo Scheider	Mattias Ekström	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	Audi
2	R1	Lausitzring, Brandenburg	30 May	Miguel Molina	Jamie Green	Jamie Green	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	Audi
2	R2	Lausitzring, Brandenburg	31 May	Jamie Green	Jamie Green	Jamie Green	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	Audi
3	R1	Norisring, Nuremberg	27 June	Christian Vietoris	Jamie Green	Pascal Wehrlein
3	R2	Norisring, Nuremberg	28 June	Bruno Spengler	Robert Wickens	Robert Wickens	Silberpfeil Energy Mercedes-AMG
4	R1	Circuit Park Zandvoort, North Holland	11 July	Augusto Farfus		Marco Wittmann	BMW Team RMG	BMW
4	R2	Circuit Park Zandvoort, North Holland	12 July		Timo Glock		BMW Team Schnitzer	BMW
5	R1	Red Bull Ring, Spielberg	1 August	Edoardo Mortara	Edoardo Mortara	Edoardo Mortara	Audi Sport Team Abt	Audi
5	R2	Red Bull Ring, Spielberg	2 August	Mattias Ekström	Mattias Ekström	Mattias Ekström	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	Audi
6	R1	Moscow Raceway, Volokolamsk	29 August	Marco Wittmann	Pascal Wehrlein	Pascal Wehrlein	gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG
6	R2	Moscow Raceway, Volokolamsk	30 August	Mike Rockenfeller	Mike Rockenfeller	Mike Rockenfeller	Audi Sport Team Phoenix	Audi
7	R1	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Saxony-Anhalt	12 September	Timo Glock	Timo Glock	Timo Glock	BMW Team MTEK	BMW
7	R2	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Saxony-Anhalt	13 September	Augusto Farfus	Tom Blomqvist	Tom Blomqvist	BMW Team RBM	BMW
8	R1	Nürburgring, Rhineland-Palatinate	26 September	Lucas Auer	Maxime Martin	Maxime Martin	BMW Team RMG	BMW
8	R2	Nürburgring, Rhineland-Palatinate		Miguel Molina	Miguel Molina	Miguel Molina	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	Audi
9	R1	Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg	17 October	Maxime Martin	Timo Scheider	Timo Scheider	Audi Sport Team Phoenix	Audi
9	R2	Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg	18 October	Gary Paffett	Edoardo Mortara	Jamie Green	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	Audi

Calendar changes

The round at the Hungaroring – which had been included on the DTM calendar in 1988 and 2014 – was discontinued.

Championship standings

Scoring systemPoints were awarded to the top ten classified finishers as follows:

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Points	25	18	15	12	10	8	6	4	2	1

Drivers' championship

	Driver	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points
1	Pascal Wehrlein	2	8	5	13	1	5	10	6	2	21†	1	10	5	5	3	5	8	20	169
2	Jamie Green	1	13	1	1	7	18	Ret	13	Ret	17	4	5	Ret	8	Ret	17	2	1	150
3	Mattias Ekström	12	1	3	2	17	4	13	7	5	1	Ret	3	14	11	10	11	9	2	147
4	Edoardo Mortara	4	2	2	5	11	15	Ret	Ret	1	3	6	8	19†	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	3	143
5	Bruno Spengler	11	9	11	19	5	3	5	3	15	15	3	2	2	10	19†	3	19†	8	123
6	Marco Wittmann	9	5	13	17	9	13	1	5	9	11	2	7	6	3	7	18	6	Ret	112
7	Maxime Martin	7	14	7	8	Ret	10	3	17	14	19	18	4	11	9	1	13	3	6	94
8	Paul di Resta	3	22	14	15	Ret	6	Ret	14	3	9	14	15	13	6	12	2	4	4	90
9	Gary Paffett	Ret	3	23	Ret	3	7	11	10	7	2	7	6	Ret	13	4	Ret	Ret	9	89
10	Mike Rockenfeller	5	6	9	10	14	Ret	8	11	8	4	10	1	Ret	19	11	7	5	15	83
11	António Félix da Costa	13	20	19	14	12	12	2	1	13	10	11	22	3	4	9	15	11	7	79
12	Augusto Farfus	10	21	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	4	2	6	18	15	11	4	2	18	8	Ret	14	77
13	Robert Wickens	Ret	7	6	18	2	1	Ret	19	Ret	20†	12	23	Ret	16	8	Ret	Ret	18	61
14	Tom Blomqvist	Ret	17	22	Ret	Ret	DSQ	7	18	17	22†	8	12	7	1	Ret	4	7	17	59
15	Timo Glock	8	10	18	12	13	Ret	6	4	19	14	Ret	17	1	7	13	20	18†	21	56
16	Christian Vietoris	14	11	17	7	4	2	12	8	4	8	Ret	20	18	21	15	14	12	Ret	56
17	Miguel Molina	Ret	18	4	3	20	17	Ret	12	18	13	Ret	14	9	Ret	Ret	1	17	11	54
18	Timo Scheider	Ret	12	8	4	16	16	14	15	16	DSQ			12	12	Ret	Ret	1	5	51
19	Martin Tomczyk	Ret	4	12	11	6	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	17	Ret	8	20	WD	9	15	10	27
20	Daniel Juncadella	Ret	15	10	6	10	8	16	Ret	11	23†	5	13	10	15	17	10	13	12	26
21	Nico Müller	6	19	20	9	18	19†	9	21†	12	5	9	9	Ret	Ret	16	16	14	16	26
22	Maximilian Götz	16	16	15	16	Ret	Ret	15	16	20	7	16	18	16	18	5	6	10	13	25
23	Lucas Auer	Ret	DNS	21	21†	15	9	17	20	21	6	13	19	15	17	6	19	16	19	18
24	Adrien Tambay	15	Ret	16	20†	19	14	18	9	10	16	Ret	16	17	14	14	12	Ret	Ret	3
25	Antonio Giovinazzi											19	21							0
	Driver	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 75% of the winner's race distance.

Teams' championship

	Team	Car	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points
1	gooix/Original-Teile Mercedes-AMG	8	14	11	17	7	4	2	12	8	4	8	Ret	20	18	21	15	14	12	Ret	225
1	94	2	8	5	13	1	5	10	6	2	21†	1	10	5	5	3	5	8	20		225
2	BMW Team RMG	1	9	5	13	17	9	13	1	5	9	11	2	7	6	3	7	18	6	Ret	206
2	36	7	14	7	8	Ret	10	3	17	14	19	18	4	11	9	1	13	3	6		206
3	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline	5	12	1	3	2	17	4	13	7	5	1	Ret	3	14	11	10	11	9	2	201
3	17	Ret	18	4	3	20	17	Ret	12	18	13	Ret	14	9	Ret	Ret	1	17	11		201
4	BMW Team MTEK	7	11	9	11	19	5	3	5	3	15	15	3	2	2	10	19†	3	19†	8	179
4	16	8	10	18	12	13	Ret	6	4	19	14	Ret	17	1	7	13	20	18†	21		179
5	Audi Sport Team Rosberg	51	6	19	20	9	18	19†	9	21†	12	5	9	9	Ret	Ret	16	16	14	16	176
5	53	1	13	1	1	7	18	Ret	13	Ret	17	4	5	Ret	8	Ret	17	2	1		176
6	Silberpfeil Energy Mercedes-AMG	3	3	22	14	15	Ret	6	Ret	14	3	9	14	15	13	6	12	2	4	4	151
6	6	Ret	7	6	18	2	1	Ret	19	Ret	20†	12	23	Ret	16	8	Ret	Ret	18		151
7	Audi Sport Team Abt	27	15	Ret	16	20†	19	14	18	9	10	16	Ret	16	17	14	14	12	Ret	Ret	146
7	48	4	2	2	5	11	15	Ret	Ret	1	3	6	8	19†	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	3		146
8	BMW Team RBM	18	10	21	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	4	2	6	18	15	11	4	2	18	8	Ret	14	136
8	31	Ret	17	22	Ret	Ret	DSQ	7	18	17	22†	8	12	7	1	Ret	4	7	17		136
9	Audi Sport Team Phoenix	10	Ret	12	8	4	16	16	14	15	16	DSQ			12	12	Ret	Ret	1	5	134
	93											19	21
	99	5	6	9	10	14	Ret	8	11	8	4	10	1	Ret	19	11	7	5	15
10	Euronics/BWT Mercedes-AMG	2	Ret	3	23	Ret	3	7	11	10	7	2	7	6	Ret	13	4	Ret	Ret	9	107
10	22	Ret	DNS	21	21†	15	9	17	20	21	6	13	19	15	17	6	19	16	19		107
11	BMW Team Schnitzer	13	13	20	19	14	12	12	2	1	13	10	11	22	3	4	9	15	11	7	106
11	77	Ret	4	12	11	6	11	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	17	Ret	8	20	WD	9	15	10		106
12	Petronas Mercedes-AMG	12	Ret	15	10	6	10	8	16	Ret	11	23†	5	13	10	15	17	10	13	12	51
12	84	16	16	15	16	Ret	Ret	15	16	20	7	16	18	16	18	5	6	10	13		51
	Driver	Car	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

Manufacturers' championship

	Driver	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points
1	BMW	13	25	6	4	24	16	69	80	10	1	37	36	88	79	33	33	29	19	602
2	Audi	55	51	76	83	6	12	6	8	40	0	23	56	2	4	19	31	55	68	595
3	Mercedes-Benz	33	25	19	14	71	73	1	13	51	38	41	9	11	18	49	37	17	14	534
	Driver	HOC		LAU		NOR		ZAN		RBR		MSC		OSC		NÜR		HOC		Points

Notes and References

News: The DTM numbers 2015 have been assigned. Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. ITR e.V.. 27 February 2015. 27 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150227190905/http://www.dtm.com/en/News/The-DTM-numbers-2015-have-been-assigned.html. 2015-02-27. dead.
News: A strong squad for the 2015 DTM season. . 6 February 2015 . . . 6 February 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150206154915/http://www.bmw-motorsport.com/en/news/current-news/2015/02/dtm_teams_2015.html . 6 February 2015 .
News: BMW retains seven drivers for 2015, drops Joey Hand. Aller. Tamara. TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. 9 December 2014. 6 December 2014.
News: European F3 runner-up Tom Blomqvist to race BMW M4 in 2015 DTM. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 2 February 2015. 2 February 2015.
Web site: Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM. Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. ITR e.V.. 16 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222085945/http://www.dtm.com/en/cars/mercedes-amg-c-63-dtm. 22 December 2015. dead.
News: GP2 superteam ART joins DTM with Mercedes for 2015. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. van Leeuwen. Andrew. 29 November 2014. 3 December 2014.
News: Gary Paffett extends Mercedes DTM deal into 2015. van Leeuwen. Andrew. 17 October 2014. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 9 December 2014.
News: European F3 frontrunner Lucas Auer gets 2015 Mercedes DTM seat. 29 January 2015. van Leeuwen. Andrew. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 29 January 2015.
News: Gary Paffett to lead ART's new DTM Mercedes campaign in 2015. van Leeuwen. Andrew. 30 January 2015. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 30 January 2015.
News: Maximilian Gotz lands Mercedes DTM race seat for 2015. 26 January 2015. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 26 January 2015.
News: Audi and the 'DTM 2015' project. 18 February 2015. Audi. Audi. 18 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150218130645/https://www.audi-motorsport.info/v2/public/en/2015/press-release/single/id/9832. 2015-02-18. dead.
News: F3 leader Giovinazzi to replace Scheider at Moscow. 28 August 2015. Motorsport. 28 August 2015. 1 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150901042131/http://www.motorsport.com/dtm/news/f3-leader-giovinazzi-to-replace-scheider-at-moscow/. dead.
News: Ex-BMW DTM racer Joey Hand gets 2015 Ganassi United SportsCar seat. 17 December 2014. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. 18 December 2014.
News: DTM 2015: Alles Wissenswerte zum Performance-Gewicht. de. DTM 2015: everything worth knowing performance weight. Motorsport-total.com. Auto Bild. Stefan. Ziegler. 28 May 2015. 11 August 2015.
News: DTM 2015 Norisring: BMW mit großem Gewichtsvorteil. de. DTM Norisring 2015: BMW with big weight advantage. Motorsport-total.com. Auto Bild. Stefan. Ziegler. 25 June 2015. 11 August 2015.
News: DTM 2015 in Zandvoort: Gewichtsvorteil erneut bei BMW. de. DTM 2015 Zandvoort: weight advantage again at BMW. Motorsport-total.com. Auto Bild. Stefan. Ziegler. 9 July 2015. 11 August 2015.
News: DTM 2015 in Spielberg: BMW weiter mit Gewichtsvorteil. de. DTM 2015 Spielberg: BMW continues with weight advantage. Motorsport-total.com. Auto Bild. Stefan. Ziegler. 29 July 2015. 11 August 2015.
News: DTM goes back to two-race format for 2015 season. Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Andrew. van Leeuwen. 3 December 2014. 3 December 2014.