– All clear for the Schubert, Winward, and Manthey teams: During the routine post-inspection of the engines of Marco Wittmann’s BMW, Maro Engel’s Mercedes-AMG, and Thomas Preining’s Porsche, no irregularities were found. This was officially confirmed by the German Motor Sport Federation (DMSB), which ensures compliance with the regulations in the DTM.
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This makes the result of the Sunday race at the Nürburgring, which took place three and a half weeks ago, now official. After Parc Fermé, the engines of the top 3 were removed under supervision at the track, sealed, and packed in sealed boxes.
Because the inspection, which requires the engine to be completely disassembled and the parts compared with the original components from the homologation, cannot be carried out at the racetrack. It usually takes place at the manufacturer in the presence of a technical commissioner.
Why the engine inspection took so long
The BMW engine was therefore disassembled in Munich at BMW M Motorsport, the Mercedes-AMG engine at the new Affalterbach Racing GmbH in Untertürkheim, and the Porsche engine in Weissach at Porsche Motorsport. According to those responsible, the fact that it took three and a half weeks for the result to be confirmed is not an indication that there were delays due to suspicions.
The inspection is not only complex and time-consuming but also took place in the middle of the holiday season.
Basically, it was a routine procedure – which was not the first time: because already in 2023, after the penultimate weekend, the engines of the top 3 were collected and checked. However, it is noticeable that this season is being checked more intensively than in the past.
Wheel bearings still in the sights of the regulators
And this did not go without consequences: after the Sachsenring weekend, the Grasser Lamborghini of winner Mirko Bortolotti was disqualified due to irregularities with the wheel bearing. The appeal hearing will take place on September 25, as the Austrian team is contesting the verdict.
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The teams must not feel safe after the disqualification, because especially now, when the title fight is getting intense, it would be no surprise if teams operate in gray areas.
Teams warned after DMSB circular
The DMSB informed the teams by circular before the Sachsenring weekend to bring the tools for removing and inspecting the wheel bearings to the remaining DTM weekends.
This mainly involves a special press without which the procedure cannot be carried out on site. The regulators want to prevent the wheel bearings from having to be collected and inspected elsewhere, as happened after the Oschersleben race.
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With the appropriate tool, this procedure can also be carried out on short notice in the pit. In addition, the teams were advised to bring spare parts. Because a wheel bearing is unusable after an inspection and must be replaced.
After Grasser, Winward also faces disqualification
The wheel bearings are currently particularly in focus, because not only was a rule violation sanctioned for the Grasser team in this regard, but also for the Winward team. However, not in the DTM, but in the Sprint series of the GT World Challenge Europe in Misano. It is organized by the SRO, which is responsible for the Balance of Performance in the DTM.
The Mercedes-AMG team, which competes in the DTM with Engel and Jules Gounon, also filed an appeal, so the case is not yet finally resolved. By processing a wheel bearing, the resistance can be reduced, making the wheel turn more easily. This has a positive effect on speed.
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