The first day of official ITR testing has got underway at Estoril for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), as the final preparations for the forthcoming season opener at Hockenheim are in full swing.
Audi Sport, who have had the likes of Timo Scheider, Martin Tomczyk, Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström win the DTM drivers’ title five times in the last eight years, will now benefit from the added assistance with the BP Group.
Apart from Team Abt’s Edoardo Mortara, the liveries for the remaining RS5 DTM race cars that Audi will field this year have seen little change. Mortara will now be racing in the colours of Castrol EDGE and Aral Ultimate, brands owned by BP.
Audi has had a long association with Castrol, who have used the high-tech lubricant since the R18 was introduced to Audi’s sportscar program back in 2011.
Until the turn of the season, BMW Motorsport’s Augusto Farfus was sporting the Castrol colours for the past three years, before the Munich manufacturer announced its new association with its latest Premium Partner, Shell.
Aral Ultimate is also the official fuel supplier for the series, having begun its partnership with the DTM from the beginning of the 2005 season, bringing in the 102-Octane rated fuel in 2010.
Along with the likes of top brands, that include exhaust systems producer Akrapovič, Swiss watch manufacturer ORIS, suspension specialists Eibach and leading automotive and industry suppliers the Schaeffler Group, it shows great balance and continuity for the Ingolstadt manufacturer.
“We’re proud to have such strong partners supporting Audi Sport,” explained Head of DTM, Dieter Gass. “That Castrol is broadening its commitment makes is equally happy, as the fact that all our major partners continue to be with us.”
Along with the unveiling of the liveries for all eight drivers, Audi Sport also announced the team line-ups for the forthcoming campaign, which starts during the first weekend in May.
The line-ups remain unchanged, as Mortara will partner France’s Adrien Tambay at Team Abt, Scheider and Rockenfeller stay with Ernst Moser’s Team Phoenix, who took the team title in 2013.
The Hockenheim finale pole sitter from last year, Spain’s Miguel Molina will work alongside Ekström at Team Abt Sportsline, with Britain’s Jamie Green and Swiss racer Nico Müller holding the fort at Team Rosberg.
