A New Series on The Horizon?
How DTM and Super GT can create an F1 Challenger. If the FIA lets them.
This year the German touring car racing championship, DTM adapted the new CLASS 1 regulations. There Japanese counterpart Super GT500 is set to take on these regulations next year. The purpose of these new regulations is to equalize both of these championships so they can race each other in the future. The cars run in these championships are not your standard front wheel drive hatchback touring cars. With the new regulations comes a new engine, a turbo charged 4-cylinder. The new engine produces 625BHP. Now the DTM cars are capable of over 300KPH. They are the Formula 1 of touring cars. In fact multiple current and past F1 driver have come from DTM, such as Esteban Ocon, Pascal Wehrlein and Paul Di Resta. Not to mention that Jenson Button is the current Super GT Champion. Also, DTM is ran by ex Formula 1 driver Gerhard Burger.
The Start of A New Era
This year, the championships will race each other twice, even though the CLASS 1 regulations have not been implemented in Super GT yet. The first will be at Hockenheim, and the second will be at Fuji. This means that there is actually a chance they could combine for an entirely new series in the coming years. So, what effect would this have on global motorsport as a whole? Answer, a big one. A new series combining these two championships could become a new Formula 1 challenger, and that, is a very big deal. When you think about it, currently their is no real challenger for F1. Or at least nothing that runs on 4 wheels. Not WEC, not IndyCar, and certainly not Formula E.
The Problems With A New Series...
In the 80's there was a series similar to what this merger would create. It ran the Group 2 cars, cars that were comparable in speeds to the F1 cars at the times. It's surprisingly difficult to find information about this class of cars. Would you like to know why? The FIA, that's why. The FIA couldn't let their baby be out classed by anyone else. They slowly killed off that class and all other potential challengers, either by introducing ridiculous regulations or driving up prices. I'm very worried that if this new series was formed, the same thing would happen. While it's not the 80's anymore and the FIA is slightly less corrupt, I just can't see them letting this series succeed. There hasn't been a bigger threat to F1 until now. How far though, can this series make it. Can it make it at all before its shut down?
The Conclusion
If this series does come to be, it will be absolutely incredible. There will be great racing, great drivers, it will be worldwide, and there will be more manufactures in it than in F1. That's a very big if though. First off there is the challenge of combining two completely different series, even with the new regulations. Then there's the challenge of making sure it draws attention. The biggest challenge though will be surviving the FIA. I certainly hope it can succeed and survive all of the challenges that face it. I also hope, that the FIA can realize there is a need for more diversity in global motorsport. So, best of luck to you.
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Comments (14)
Fr, hopefully this can save and improve DTM, which unlike GT500 has been performing pretty atrociously recently.
I hope Class One can do well. I am seriously hoping. 🙏
Maybe it can end up in some SRO GT multi class enduro races, that would be cool, tho I am not sure what FIA will says about that.
I am hoping FIA doesn't screw this one up with their "Anti Midas Touch". Please please please!
Let's see tho. WEC HyperSport and SuperGT/FIA Class One. Maybe the future of motorsports can be brighter.
Another thing is that it's good to see motorsports is evolving with Indycar changes and DPi and Rally with hybrid boost. Formula E Gen 3 that too sounds quite interesting with possible addition of rapid charging and 4WD.
In future. With...
Read moreI’m 100% ok with this as Formula 1 has never interested me. I’ve always preferred touring cars like Super GT and DTM. This would actually be a race series I wouldn’t mind watching.
Is now a good time for a new motorsport series to rise? @tribe
Yes. People sick of F1 and NASCAR and the like now have a new series to watch. Although any time is a good time. Bring it on!
Everyday 24/7 365 days of the year.
Really tho, once a year. Maybe every few years. 🤔 Any time is a good time that's a good time..
It would be incredible to see the best of DTM and JGTC compete, sort of a Dutch Supercar Challenge only much much bigger. I'm all for it
Unfortunately I dont think these series will come to be one or create a new class. The manufacturers in each series as well as the organisers have different goals for their series with DTM wanting hybrids in 2021/2022 and SuperGT wanting to keep its multi class and tyre war etc as well as no Hybrids it will be unlikely that they'll join to create a super series. I don't think the class one regs will last.