Rise of the original DTM of 1993 champion
Nicola Larini. The 155 holds the all-time record of 38 victories in DTM The original DTM was started in 1984 as
Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft (German Production Car Championship), with cars entered by privateer teams and under
FIA Group A rules, but was extensively modified throughout the years, allowing more modifications. In the late 1980s, works teams joined the DTM, and it became one of the most popular
motorsport championships in Europe. Turbochargers were banned at the start of 1990 season due to costs. In 1993, the Group A rules were abandoned in favor of a more liberalised 2.5 L engine category called FIA
Class 1 Touring Cars, with extensive use of
ABS,
four-wheel drive, electronic driver aids and
carbon fibre chassis, the former three were technologies that were banned from
F1.
Opel,
Mercedes-Benz and
Alfa Romeo all fielded works teams after
Audi and
BMW had abandoned earlier.
DTM to ITC and demise The DTM expanded its horizons for the 1995 season and the teams contested the inaugural FIA International Touring Car Series as well as the traditional DTM. The former was contested over ten races, all held outside of Germany and the latter over fourteen races within Germany. Plans were then made to combine the two into one new series, the International Touring Car Championship, for 1996. The ITR governing body then sought approval and support from the
FIA to begin the new series. In exchange for FIA support, the ITR let the organisation take control over many aspects of the way the ITC was run: crucially, the financial side of the championship was revolutionised. A large proportion of the revenue generated by the championship went to the FIA, with the result that less went to the teams who subsequently complained of little return on their increasingly large investment in the high-tech series (this was further exacerbated by the travel costs to the new international rounds in
Suzuka,
Japan and
Interlagos,
Brazil). The FIA also increased the price for television rights dramatically with the result that television coverage of the series disappeared from all European countries except
Italy, Germany and Finland, prices for tickets to races were almost doubled, and access to the circuit paddock to meet the drivers (which had previously been a big hit with fans) was drastically reduced. The choices of circuits on which to hold rounds of the championship were also unsuccessful – the rounds at
Magny-Cours,
France and particularly Interlagos suffered very poor attendance.
Opel and
Alfa Romeo both left the championship after the 1996 season, leaving only Mercedes; the championship was consequently cancelled.
The new DTM The DTM returned in 2000 with different rules including low-cost control method and with semi-International Championship status. The DTM initials stands for
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. ==Champions==