Audi squad Abt Sportline has known as on the DTM to make sure “equality of alternative” in subsequent month’s Hockenheim finale after feeling it was let down by BoP on the Purple Bull Ring.
Abt endured considered one of its hardest weekends of 2024 in Austria, with its pair of Audi R8 LMS GT3s struggling for velocity in each qualifying and race trim.
The outfit’s lead contender Kelvin van der Linde went from main the standings by seven factors to trailing Lamborghini’s Mirko Bortolotti by 15 over the span of the weekend, placing him on the again foot for the ultimate two races in Germany on 19-20 October.
Qualifying a distant seventeenth out of 20 vehicles in a moist session on Saturday, van der Linde may solely get better to eighth within the opening race as he watched Bortolotti snatch the championship lead from him with a maiden win of the season.
The South African fared marginally higher on Sunday as he completed inside the highest 5 after qualifying eleventh, however with Bortolotti ending forward of him he misplaced extra floor to the SSR Efficiency driver within the title race.
The skinny air on the Purple Bull Ring, which is situated 670 metres above sea degree, places the naturally aspirated Audi GT3 automobile at an inherent drawback over its turbo-powered rivals.
The DTM tried to compensate for that by permitting Abt to run its vehicles with a bigger 37mm air restrictor in the beginning of the occasion, which was 0.5mm greater than what was allowed on the earlier spherical on the Sachsenring.
Kelvin van der Linde, Staff ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3, Marco Wittmann, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
Extra BoP adjustments adopted over the weekend, with Audi given a 10kg break after Saturday’s race and Lamborghini being hit with a complete of 25kg of further ballast below two separate changes.
Nevertheless, Bortolotti, who needed to do with one other 20kg of added weight after his victory within the opening race of the weekend, was nonetheless in a position to end fourth and one spot forward of van der Linde on Sunday after qualifying on pole.
Contrasting the fortunes of the 2 title contenders, Abt Motorsport director Martin Tomczyk expressed his frustration at what he believes was an unfavourable BoP for Audi on the Purple Bull Ring, earlier than ‘requesting’ the ADAC to make amends for it within the title decider subsequent month.
“Sadly, from a sporting standpoint, this was not a DTM weekend as we’d think about it,” he mentioned.
“There was no equality of alternative among the many totally different manufacturers. For us, that is very annoying as a result of we’ve got misplaced loads of factors within the title battle.
“With a 15-point deficit, Kelvin is now within the position of the pursuer, and it is going to be very tough for him at Hockenheim.
“I wish to make a transparent request to the promoter to make sure equality of alternative and a good sporting foundation on the finale.
Kelvin van der Linde, Staff ABT Sportsline Audi R8 LMS GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
“An enormous thanks to the entire staff for the good work below what had been extraordinarily tough situations for us.”
Bortolotti himself was sad with the BoP after Saturday’s working, saying the fourth place which he achieved in opening qualifying was right down to the altering climate at Spielberg.
“I hoped for precisely these situations as a result of we’ve got no likelihood within the dry anyway with the present constellation,” he informed German broadcaster ran.de.
“The direct competitors from Mercedes and Audi had extra energy earlier than the weekend. The Audi particularly is extraordinarily mild in comparison with us and has an enormous benefit in that regard. Successful right here is price twice, thrice as a lot.”
These remarks significantly irritated van der Linde, who claimed that the Lamborghini has loved a powerful BoP all through the season.
“Did he actually say that? “I can solely chuckle!,” he informed Motorsport.com’s sister web site Motorsport-Complete.com.
“Mercedes and Lambo have been within the prime 5 or prime 3 for the final six weekends. On the final 4 weekends that weren’t fully moist, we had been fully screwed on Saturday. You possibly can see the outcomes.
“Our consistency is an actual shame. Both you are racing for victory otherwise you’re in no man’s land.”
