The new DTM – Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters – gets underway at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, with the series switching to GT3-based regulations, replacing the Class One rules from previous seasons, albeit with a BoP ballast system. Ferrari will be on the starting line for the first time in history.
Top-notch drivers. In this scenario, Red Bull returns to the series after a two-year absence, choosing AF Corse to field two 488 GT3 Evo 2020 cars, entrusted to Thai driver Alex Albon and New Zealander Liam Lawson. Albon will take to the track aboard the #23 AlphaTauri, having previously competed on the Lombardy circuit in the F1 world championship, while Lawson, who won at Monza in Formula 3 in 2019, will take charge of the #30 Ferrari in the Red Bull colours.
Testing. Ferraris were among the protagonists, registering some of the best laps on the timesheets, in the pre-season testing held at Hockenheim and at the Lausitzring, with sessions focusing on the refinement of the Balance of Performance. New Zealander Nick Cassidy, who will alternate with Albon during the season, was also present on that occasion, getting himself acquainted with the Maranello machine.
Latest developments. Compared to the traditional GT series, each car in the DTM will be driven by a single driver who can adapt the set-up according to needs. The races have been cut down to a fifty-minute duration with a mandatory tyre change and no refuelling. The race will get underway with a rolling start, another novelty compared to the previous format. Based on the result of the previous round, the top three finishers will carry success ballast of 25, 18 and 15 kg, making the competition both more even, but also more intriguing.
Schedule. On Friday, the cars will face the 5793-metre Monza track for the first time for free practice, while on Saturday from 10:30 to 10:50, the first challenge for pole position will be held. The race itself kicks off at 13:30. On Sunday, the twenty-minute session that will define the starting grid for Race 2 begins at 10:10, with the race, once again, getting underway at 13:30.