MG Rover In DTM In 2005[merged]

[Mike_Wooshy]

I throught reid was inline for a seat ???

[Kicking-back]

More details on this are in tomorrow's Autosport.

[John Winter]

MSA says it's on with MG. Zytek wants a German and a British driver, the ITR (financer) wants The Bleek.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by John Winter

MSA says it's on with MG. Zytek wants a German and a British driver, the ITR (financer) wants The Bleek.

I hope it will be The Bleek (As Dutchmen I think we agree )

[touringlegend]

MG can't be seen in the DTM without a British driver - it'd just be criminal!

[flor]

maybe hell get the 3rd car

[gwyllion]

It's official now (on http://www.dtm.de). 2 cars, powered by a Zytek 4.0 V8. The drawings look promising.

[FIRE]

Looks great!

[flor]

indeed this car looks great

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by gwyllion

It's official now (on http://www.dtm.de). 2 cars, powered by a Zytek 4.0 V8. The drawings look promising.

umm I wonder who did those drawings

[cybersdorf]

Zytek engine, 2004 Merc DTM chassis, well at least the badge is British. DTM is getting phonier by the year.

[flor]

its not a merc chassis....

MSA wrote that if someone helped them it was Audi and usually they are right

[racingdad]

Oh and by the way, the Zytek engine is also British, just in case you didn't know

[racingdad]

And while we're about it, I have to say that I find this all very strange - who is funding this? Last year MGR decided (probably tightly) that they couldn't afford to run in the BTCC, which probably osts less than 1/3 the DTM, and they also missed the Geneva Motor show, again due to lack of finance. Clearly this has the company's official backing, but who, who who is paying the bills?

[Super Tourer]

The previous stumbling block on their entry was paying the DTM entry fee (in order to be represented as a manufacturer entry), perhaps MG have met this?

The costs thus far have allegedly been met by the promoters of the DTM and the companies building the car (IIRC).

[touringlegend]

MG's Press Release:

MG TURNS UP THE REVS

A RETURN TO THE DTM RACE SERIES TO BATTLE IT OUT WITH AUDI, MERCEDES-BENZ AND OPEL

MG, a name synonymous with motor sport is to make a welcome return to the DTM in 2005. The season kicks off on April 17 at Hockenheim, Germany. Taking on the might of Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel, MG starts a new and exciting chapter in its illustrious sporting history.

"Racing against prestigious brands in DTM is an exciting way to raise the MG profile," said Rod Ramsay, managing director, sales & marketing, MG Rover. "We see the young audience that the series attracts as key to the growth of the marque across Europe."

David Sharples, director, MG Sport and Racing added: "DTM is a race series the public really connects with. It is a perfect opportunity for MG to showcase the racing qualities of its V8 muscle car, the ZT 260. We are delighted to be working with Oxfordshire based automotive technology specialists Zytek and are confident we will make a real impact in our first season."

The fast, furious and highly competitive series attracts top names such as ex Formula One drivers Mika Hakkinen, Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Allan McNish. Close racing, spectacular overtaking and tight championship battles will be seen by viewers in 175 countries, as well as attracting record numbers of trackside spectators. The 11 race series visits seven circuits in Europe, as well as Istanbul and for the first time, Brno in the Czech Republic.

Hockenheim will mark the return to a series in which great success was enjoyed in 1986. Driver Kurt Thiim won the championship amassing 130 points and collected three wins along the way. This time out, powered by V8 4.0 litre engines developing 500 bhp, the MG-Zytek team will race two MG ZTs.

More details concerning sponsors and driver line-up will be announced over the coming weeks.

Well it's the sales & marketing dept that's paying for it. Is it the HQ though or are MGRover Germany involved too ?

Nonetheless a positive and exciting entry. If MG can gain the support at DTM rounds they get at BTCC ones, there'll be many flags flying!

[Mike_Wooshy]

according to the website (www.dtm.de) there will only be 2 MG's next year
who would be the drivers if there are only 2 ???

[touringlegend]

Mark Blundell, Johnny Herbert, Jereon Bleekemolen are three names that have been mentioned. Pretty certain there's gotta be 1 Brit driving for them, it make's sense to me.

[cybersdorf]

Originally Posted by flor

its not a merc chassis....

MSA wrote that if someone helped them

IF, mind you! We have no proof!

it was Audi and usually they are right

Never argue with your Audi, it's always right! - Okay, so I got this wrong, and Mercedes is just funding the whole thing. Naah I'm sorry, of course it's the ITR that's coughing up the cash! Nothing to do with Merc at all, silly me. Still, way to go MGR, a DTM programme for free! With the money they've saved they can build a replacement for the 45.

Originally Posted by racingdad

Oh and by the way, the Zytek engine is also British, just in case you didn't know

As is Merc, I mean, Audi - no that is news to me!

This may sound a very foolish concept but, didn't manufacturer-based racing use to be about building, or at least commissioning, your own car and racing it against others who built their own cars to see who built the better cars - instead of being donated one? This whole MGR deal sounds a bit like Formula Fake to me. Why not just rebadge the surplus Opels next year. Anyway, at least it'll look nice (anything based on the 75 will look nice). I hope they don't owe anyone any favours now, and will be allowed a win now and again, or just go out and win a few anyway ("...vas zis in ze script?")

I wonder if MG would not like to give the Nürburgring 24 Hours a go. Might be more fun.

[Mike_Wooshy]

Originally Posted by cybersdorf

I wonder if MG would not like to give the Nürburgring 24 Hours a go. Might be more fun.

thats music to my ears !!!

[BSchneiderFan]

So who will run the cars? Zytek? MG Sport? Someone else?

[racingdad]

The MG ZT project isn't really a fake - at least the road car is already fitted with a big V8, unlike some of the cars in the DTM. As for the chassis design - I had a good look at the DTM cars when they were in the UK and the chassis is actually close in concept to a sports racing car, so DTM is really about putting a body that resembles a road car onto a racing chassis with a racing engine, which is not a new concept in motor racing.

[Duffacus]

It looks a very stunning car!

I just hope that where ever they have got this money from there is enough to develop the car over the season.... it would be dreadful to see them trailing around at the back for the whole year....

Despite that, I really do like the car and I hope they will be successful.

[Silk Cut Jaguar]

I still suspect this year will be a development year on the track, expect them to get seriously good results once Opel drop out and it's back to 3 teams.

[cybersdorf]

Originally Posted by racingdad

The MG ZT project isn't really a fake - at least the road car is already fitted with a big V8, unlike some of the cars in the DTM.

A different (non-MGR) V8.
But at least those other DTM engines are labelled Merc, or Opel, or Audi. This one doesn't even pretend to be an MG/Rover. That's a bit embarrassing.

As for the chassis design - I had a good look at the DTM cars when they were in the UK

And you probably saw the 2005 Rovers right there and then! Too bad they were actually different cars back then.

and the chassis is actually close in concept to a sports racing car, so DTM is really about putting a body that resembles a road car onto a racing chassis with a racing engine, which is not a new concept in motor racing.

But which is for touringcar racing, and even pretend-touringcar racing. (So do we stop pretending this is anything else than prototype racing, and lose the phoney "sedan" bodies? Go back to the coupés, they were much nicer to look at. Bring in dedicated chassis and engine manufacturers. That'll be Super Saloons then, though - and you can't call it that in Germany because the abbreviation would be illegal. )

Unlike prototype or single seater racing, where you can put together your preferred chassis/engine combination, DTM is still ostensibly a series where each manufacturer builds, or commissions, his own car, with its own engine, and you can't swap them around. At least you couldn't, until now. But never mind, you've got your Rover in DTM, somehow, and isn't this all that counts.