THE promoter of Germany’s DTM series has mentioned Australia as a possible destination for a mooted next-generation car.
An Autosport report has revealed the companies behind Super GT and DTM recently met to discuss a successor to the Class 1 cars which for a time ran in both categories.
DTM switched to GT3 machinery ahead of the 2021 season, while Class 1 has remained in operation in Super GT.
Not only could the two series collaborate on a future project, there is a desire to create a platform that could also appear in other markets including Australia and the United States.
The timing of such a concept comes against the backdrop of an uncertain Supercars Gen3 future in Australia given the demise of the Chevrolet Camaro.
The Camaro will cease to be produced early next year and is set to finish racing in Supercars at the end of 2025.
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“Isolated solutions no longer make sense,” said Thomas Voss, the motorsport director at ADAC, which has taken over the running of DTM.
“A manufacturer will not build a car with which it only races in the DTM.
“If it can also race IMSA, SUPER GT and maybe in Australia with the same car, then it’s a different challenge for the manufacturer.
“That’s why it makes sense for us (promoters) around the world to ask each other: what are you actually doing?
“The car manufacturers are now waiting for a group of promoters who, also together with the FIA, propose framework conditions for the future.
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“We have a clear signal from the car manufacturers: ‘Please come to an agreement, because we will not build a separate car for each championship’.
“That is one of the tasks for the next few years.”
Masaaki Bandoh, chair of GTA which promotes Super GT, indicated a new class would ideally come in above GT3.
During the recent Melbourne SuperSprint, Supercars CEO Shane Howard admitted to being unsure what the post-Camaro future looks like but remained committed to Supercars’ bespoke Gen3 formula.
“We’re an entertainment category and that’s why we are so popular,” he said.
“We’ve got great looking cars, beautiful sound, dynamic racing, we’ve got the best drivers in the cars and the competition level is really strong – and what that provides is excellent entertainment.
“We have got great relationships with our manufacturers and I think we have designed a very good race car.
“That’s what we’re here for, to entertain fans and for good racing.
“I think we have got the right formula to do that and it is recognised globally by how exciting the racing is.”
