Troubled DTM "didn't really evolve", says Mortara
Former DTM frontrunner Edoardo Mortara has expressed his concern over the series' future, and believes it “didn't really evolve so much” over the past few years.
Mortara raced in the DTM between 2011 and 2018, spending six seasons with Audi before making a surprise switch to Mercedes.
Mercedes subsequently withdrew from the series, and Mortara now races in Formula E for its powertrain customer Venturi.
The possibility of Audi following Mercedes' example in exiting DTM and focusing on FE recently prompted anti-FE comments from DTM chairman Gerhard Berger – and while Mortara in response said Berger “should be free to express what he wants”, he used the opportunity to voice his worries over the German series.
“I think at the moment DTM is not really looking so good, obviously I think all these years Audi and Mercedes have done an incredible job trying to keep this championship alive,” Mortara told Motorsport.com.
“If you have Audi leaving, I think it's going to be a big problem for DTM. Not sure that it's going to survive if they leave. And more than keeping it alive - Audi was putting a lot of passion into this championship, and you could really feel it, especially during the Dr. [Wolfgang] Ullrich years, also with Dieter [Gass] after, they were really passionate people.
“And I think that's very important, to have those passionate people at the top of this championship, it's really important, they really make it possible to survive. If they leave, I can see it as a big problem.”
Mortara said that the time he'd spent in the DTM meant the championship's current predicament “for sure hurts”.
“It was a mega championship, the level was always very, very high, you had some really, really talented drivers, also it was amazing, the developments they were doing on these cars.
“There's also a part of me that thinks it's kind of like disappointing and frustrating to see that that championship didn't really evolve so much. They had some changes but it didn't really change so much in a way, and it's a shame.”
Asked whether the DTM could change sufficiently without losing its identity, Mortara said: “I don't know and I don't want to speak too much because I don't want to be the one having too negative comments, I obviously didn't decide anything in that championship and I'm pretty sure that people who are in charge and were in charge already considered all the options and all the decisions.
“I'm pretty sure that when they took the decisions they took, it was for a good reason. Nevertheless there are a few things that I think they probably should have done slightly better.
“Afterwards it's always easy to say, but that's my opinion.”
Audi rejects Berger’s comments on Formula E
Audi adds ninth DTM car for Habsburg
How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir
OPINION: Questionable driving standards and farcical team orders meant the DTM's first season under GT3 regulations ended under a cloud. But the organisation has responded firmly by banning team orders and welcomed new manufacturers, making for an intriguing season ahead as new and returning names prepare for battle.
The remarkable career of 'classy' champion Martin Tomczyk
Over two decades as a factory driver with Audi and BMW, Martin Tomczyk earned the respect of teammates and rivals as a hard but fair racer. After calling time on his racing career, the 2011 DTM champion sat down with Motorsport.com to look back.
Jamie Green: The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival
On his rise through the ranks before reaching Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton was usually a cut above the rest. But he never truly asserted himself over a Mercedes-backed fellow Briton who traded single-seaters for touring cars and is now seeking new opportunities after a year largely spent on the sidelines.
How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions
OPINION: The scenes at the Norisring as Mercedes used blatant team orders to secure the first DTM title of the new GT3 era totally undermined the credibility of the championship. But as well as overshadowing the season, it also presents uncomfortable questions to series bosses about the direction it is headed in.
How Audi's new DTM flagbearer is closing on his "childhood dream"
Having learned the ropes in GT3 alongside Rene Rast, Kelvin van der Linde is in line to take up the three-time champion's baton as Audi's new DTM king. From humble origins in South Africa, it's been a remarkable journey so far for the current series leader, but he knows that the 2021 title is a long way from settled just yet.
The number-crunching behind the new-look DTM's equalisation drive
Switching to GT3 regulations marked a fresh start for the DTM in 2021, but it has also drawn a line in the sand against other series using similar cars by engaging AVL Racing to develop a bespoke Balance of Performance system. Here’s how it works.
The initial verdict on DTM's move to GT3 cars
OPINION: Facing collapse last year, the DTM has shifted its philosophy from a championship for silhouette-based touring cars to GT machines not too dissimilar to those racing across multiple series worldwide. But despite some initial BoP-based teething troubles, there were some pleasant findings as the 'new DTM' got underway at Monza
Why Albon has his work cut out in the new-look DTM
The DTM moves into its bold new GT3 era with welcome support from Red Bull, which enters two AF Corse-run Ferraris. That includes one for ex-F1 driver Alex Albon, who’s determined to make a success of his GT switch