2002 DTM Season

2002 DTM Season
File:Laurent Aiello.png Laurent Aïello: The first man to best Schneider
Season Information
No. Rounds	10 (20 Races)
First Round	2002 Hockenheim Opening Qualifying Race
Last Round	2002 Hockenheim Finale Feature Race
Makers	Abt-Audi; AMG-Mercedes; Opel
Tyre(s)	Dunlop
Drivers' Championship
Champion	Second	Third
Laurent Aïello	Bernd Schneider	Mattias Ekström
70 Pt(s)	64 Pt(s)	50 Pt(s)
Teams' Championship
Champion	Second	Third
Vodafone AMG-Mercedes	Team Abt Sportsline	Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes
88 Pt(s)	85 Pt(s)	54 Pt(s)
Brands' Championship
Champion	Second	Third
{{{{{brandchampnat}}}}} Unknown	{{{{{brand2nat}}}}} Unknown	{{{{{brand3nat}}}}} Unknown
unknown Pt(s)	unknown Pt(s)	unknown Pt(s)
Season Guide
2001	2003

The 2002 DTM Season, officially known as the 2002 DMSB Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship, was the third edition of the reborn DTM Championship, and sixteenth season of German top-tier touring car racing. The season was dominated by the season long duel between Bernd Schneider and Laurent Aïello, a fight that would come down to the final race of the season.

The structure of the race weekends was maintained from 2001, featuring a short qualifying race, named a Qualifikationslauf, staged on Sunday after a qualifying session on Saturday. The full 100 km Feature Race would be held later on during the day, with points awarded to the top three in the Qualifikationslauf, and top six in the Feature.

But, the attention for the 2002 season was on the title fight, as Aïello claimed four of the first five Feature victories on offer. Schneider responded during the second half of the season, but fell short at the final round despite winning the final race of the season, ultimately six behind. Mattias Ekström continued to show promise with the Abt Sportsline team, finishing third overall.

Although Schneider was defeated, his team Vodafone AMG-Mercedes claimed their third successive title in the Teams' Championship. Abt Sportsline claimed second, their best showing since the reborn DTM started, while Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes backed their sister team by finishing third. Opel, however, struggled and saw their best team down in fifth with only 11 points to their name.

Calendar

2001 had been seen as an important step for the DTM, as the first rounds outside of Germany were hosted near the end of the season. Both the A1 Ring and the Circuit Park Zandvoort were retained, while the organisers were so encouraged by the attendance figures that they added two further international rounds. Donington Park in the UK, and Circuit Zolder in Belgium were the latest circuits to join the DTM, while the round at Oschersleben was dropped to make room.

Schedule

The full calendar for the 2002 DTM Championship is shown below:

2002 DTM Championship Calendar
Round	Event	Circuit	Date	Report
I	ADAC-Preis Hockenheim 2002	Hockenheimring	21 April 2002	Report
			21 April 2002	Report
II	DTM Zolder 2002	Circuit Zolder	5 May 2002	Report
			5 May 2002	Report
III	DTM Donington Park 2002	Donington Park	19 May 2002	Report
			19 May 2002	Report
IV	ADAC-Preis Sachsenring 2002	Sachsenring	2 June 2002	Report
			2 June 2002	Report
V	ADAC Norisring Trophäe 2002	Norisring	30 June 2002	Report
			30 June 2002	Report
VI	2002 Lausitz 200	Lausitzring	14 July 2002	Report
			14 July 2002	Report
VII	Großer Preis der Tourenwagen 2002	Nürburgring	26 August 2002	Report
			26 August 2002	Report
VIII	DTM A1-Ring Austria 2002	A1-Ring	8 September 2002	Report
			8 September 2002	Report
IX	Rundstreckenrennen Zandvoort 2002	Circuit Park Zandvoort	29 September 2002	Report
			29 September 2002	Report
X	DMV-Preis Hockenheim 2002	Hockenheimring	6 October 2002	Report
			6 October 2002	Report
2002 DTM Tests

Entrants

Twenty one cars were entered for the 2002 DTM season, with Mercedes and Opel providing full factory built cars, and Audi continuing to provide a semi-works effort with Abt. Mercedes brought the biggest compliment of cars with ten, four of which were new "2002-spec", with Opel providing six. Abt-Audi supported five drivers in 2002, expanding their entry from four in the previous two seasons.

Season Entry

The full entry list for the 2002 DTM Championship is outlined below:

2002 DTM Championship Entry List
Entrant	No.	Name	Abbr.	Rnds.	Livery
Vodafone AMG-Mercedes AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002	1	Bernd Schneider	BSC	All
	2	Jean Alesi	ALE	All
Team Abt Sportsline Abt-Audi TT-R 2002	3	Laurent Aïello	AIE	All
	10	Christian Abt	ABT	All
Team Abt Abt-Audi TT-R 2002	4	Karl Wendlinger	WEN	All
	9	Mattias Ekström	EKS	All
Warsteiner AMG-Mercedes AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002	5	Uwe Alzen	ALZ	All
	6	Marcel Fässler	FAE	All
OPC Team Phoenix Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002	7	Manuel Reuter	REU	All
	8	Joachim Winkelhock	WIN	All
Original Teile AMG-Mercedes AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2001	11	Thomas Jäger	JAE	All
	12	Peter Dumbreck	DUM	All
OPC Team Holzer Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2002	14	Timo Scheider	TSC	All
	15	Michael Bartels	BAR	All
OASE/CEB AMG-Mercedes AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2001	16	Marcel Tiemann	TIE	1
		Bernd Mayländer	MAY	2-10
	17	Patrick Huisman	HUI	All
OPC Euroteam Opel Astra V8 Coupé DTM 2001	18	Alain Menu	MEN	All
	19	Yves Olivier	OLI	1-7
	31	Johnny Cecotto	CEC	10
	43	JJ Lehto	LEH	8
	44	Éric Hélary	HEL	9
Team Abt Sportsline Junior Abt-Audi TT-R 2002	23	Martin Tomczyk	TOM	All
Service 24h AMG-Mercedes AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2001	24	Stefan Mücke	MUC	All
	42	Christijan Albers	ALB	All

Season Report

Intrigue built ahead of the 2001 season with the introduction of rounds outside of Germany, despite the fact that it was the evolution of the DTM into an international series that had ended its original run in 1996. If the trips to the A1 Ring and Circuit Park Zandvoort drew large attendance figures then the reborn DTM would be a success, although if they flopped then the new DTM may well have been snuffed out before it had properly begun.

Round I: ADAC-Preis Hockenheim 2002

The 21 April would be the date for the first races of the season, held at Hockenheimring in Hockenheim Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on the National/Sprint circuit.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Hockenheim Opening Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Hockenheim Opening Feature Race article.

Round II: DTM Zolder 2002

The Circuit Zolder hosted its, and Belgium's, first DTM race on 5 May 2002, using the full Grand Prix circuit.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Zolder Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Zolder Feature Race article.

Round III: DTM Donington Park 2002

Donington Park was added to the calendar for the 2002 season, with the United Kingdom hosting the DTM for the first time on 19 May 2002.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Donington Park Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Donington Park Feature Race article.

Round IV: ADAC-Preis Sachsenring 2002

Round four of the 2002 Championship was held at the Sachsenring on 2 June, with the organisers managing to avoid a clash with the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Sachsenring Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Sachsenring Feature Race article.

Round V: ADAC Norisring Trophäe 2002

The Norisring in Nuremburg got its chance to host the DTM on 30 June, the headline act of the Norisring Speedweekend.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Norisring Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Norisring Feature Race article.

Round VI: 2002 Lausitz 200

The Lausitzring was scheduled for the DTM once again before the summer break, with the field again using its unique version of the in-field circuit.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Lausitzring Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Lausitzring Feature Race article.

Round VII: Großer Preis der Tourenwagen 2002

Late August saw the return of the Championship to the Nürburgring, again using the national layout on 26 August 2002.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Nürburgring Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Nürburgring Feature Race article.

Round VIII: DTM A1-Ring Austria 2002

The revived DTM's maiden weekend abroad would come on the 8 September 2002, when the Austrian based A1 Ring hosted the Series.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Spielberg Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Spielberg Feature Race article.

Round IX: Rundstreckenrennen Zandvoort 2002

The DTM would be the arrive in North Holland in the Netherlands for the penultimate round of the 2002 campaign, with the Circuit Park Zandvoort hosting its races on 29 September.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Zandvoort Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Zandvoort Feature Race article.

Round X: DMV-Preis Hockenheim 2002

The first weekend of October saw the conclusion of the Championship back at the Hockenheimring, using the full Grand Prix circuit for the first time since the circuit's renovation.

Qualifying

For the full qualifying report, head to the 2002 Hockenheim Finale Qualifying Race article.

Race

For the full race report, head to the 2002 Hockenheim Finale Feature Race article.

Regulations

Once again, the DTM continued with unchanged regulations, although updated "2002-spec" machines were allowed into the Championship. The standard FIA points system was also introduced in 2002, combined with points for the top three in qualifying. "2001-spec" cars were to be used in the series too, run by customer teams with limited factory support.

Sporting

Feature Race Points

The standard FIA points system, as used in Formula One was introduced for 2002, and saw the winner awarded 10 points for victory. Second would receive 6, third 4, with the points then split by a single point until sixth, where a single point was awarded. Fastest lap was not awarded points during the "main race".

The full points scoring system for the 2002 DTM campaign is outlined below:

2002 DTM Championship Feature Race Points
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
10	6	4	3	2	1

Qualifying Race Points

Th qualifying format also awarded points, intended to increase the excitement in the session by using a race format. First, second and third would be rewarded three, two and one point respectively, with the field starting in the order that the quali-race finished.

The full points scoring system for qualifying races in the 2002 DTM campaign is outlined below:

2002 Qualifying Race Points
1st	2nd	3rd
3	2	1

Fastest lap remained an unrewarded feat in the DTM.

Standings

2002 saw two titles on offer, one for drivers and one for teams. The driver's would compete for the DTM Championship, awarded with a trophy at the season finale, while the Teams' would be offered prize money based on their finishing position. There would be no prize on offer for the three manufacturers, with Mercedes-Benz, Opel and Abt-Audi content not to pursue a third title.

2002 DTM Championship for Drivers

Outlined below are the Championship standings for the 2002 DTM Championship for Drivers:

2002 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship for Drivers
Pos.	Abb.																					Pts.
		Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F
1st	AIE	2nd	1st	1st	1st	18th	DSQ	1st	1st	4th	1st	1st	4th	2nd	2nd	3rd	5th	DSQ	6th	1st	6th	70
2nd	BSC	11th	4th	6th	3rd	8th	12th	3rd	2nd	3rd	2nd	2nd	1st	3rd	3rd	2nd	2nd	6th	2nd	2nd	1st	64
3rd	EKS	3rd	2nd	2nd	4th	9th	3rd	14th	7th	1st	3rd	4th	2nd	16th	10th	1st	11th	3rd	1st	3rd	2nd	50
4th	FAE	6th	Ret	10th	9th	4th	6th	9th	4th	Ret	DNS	6th	3rd	4th	4th	10th	1st	1st	3rd	Ret	5th	30
5th	ALE	8th	3rd	9th	10th	1st	1st	16th	Ret	5th	4th	14th	8th	11th	Ret	4th	3rd	14th	8th	Ret	Ret	24
6th	ALZ	9th	11th	8th	7th	Ret	DNS	11th	9th	2nd	5th	9th	Ret	1st	1st	5th	4th	7th	17th	8th	3rd	24
7th	ABT	4th	7th	5th	2nd	12th	2nd	8th	16th	DSQ	DNS	3rd	7th	5th	9th	12th	9th	2nd	7th	5th	13th	15
8th	TSC	5th	5th	4th	5th	5th	Ret	7th	6th	Ret	DNS	13th	10th	9th	7th	11th	8th	8th	5th	7th	4th	10
9th	MEN	17th	9th	17th	14th	6th	8th	2nd	3rd	14th	Ret	8th	11th	7th	Ret	7th	6th	4th	Ret	18th	Ret	7
10th	REU	18th	17th	11th	15th	3rd	14th	18th	Ret	8th	7th	11th	5th	8th	6th	8th	7th	5th	4th	6th	Ret	7
11th	TOM	1st	Ret	21st	Ret	2nd	Ret	4th	Ret	DNS	DNS	5th	9th	10th	5th	6th	Ret	11th	18th	Ret	Ret	7
12th	ALB	Ret	Ret	13th	6th	11th	4th	13th	8th	10th	6th	20th	14th	18th	17th	19th	13th	Ret	12th	11th	9th	5
13th	WIN	16th	10th	18th	17th	Ret	DNS	5th	5th	6th	Ret	7th	6th	13th	15th	9th	19th	15th	10th	9th	7th	3
14th	WEN	10th	6th	12th	18th	7th	5th	21st	DNS	Ret	12th	10th	Ret	6th	12th	13th	16th	9th	19th	4th	Ret	3
15th	BAR	13th	14th	3rd	8th	13th	Ret	10th	11th	DSQ	11th	19th	17th	19th	11th	21st	15th	10th	Ret	16th	Ret	1
16th	HUI	20th	12th	7th	12th	16th	7th	20th	14th	Ret	10th	15th	12th	14th	18th	17th	12th	13th	16th	17th	Ret	0
17th	DUM	7th	16th	16th	13th	17th	10th	12th	10th	12th	9th	16th	15th	17th	8th	15th	18th	18th	13th	13th	12th	0
18th	JAE	19th	8th	14th	19th	10th	11th	15th	15th	7th	Ret	12th	13th	7th	13th	14th	17th	12th	9th	15th	11th	0
19th	MAY			19th	16th	14th	9th	19th	13th	11th	8th	17th	Ret	21st	14th	16th	Ret	17th	11th	12th	Ret	0
20th	MUE	12th	Ret	15th	11th	15th	13th	17th	Ret	9th	Ret	18th	16th	12th	17th	20th	14th	19th	15th	10th	8th	0
21st	LEH															18th	10th					0
22nd	CEC																			14th	10th	0
23rd	OLI	14th	13th	20th	DNS	19th	Ret	6th	12th	13th	13th	21st	Ret	15th	19th							0
24th	HEL																	16th	14th			0
25th	TIE	15th	15th																			0
Pos.	Abb.	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Pts.

2002 DTM Championship for Teams

Outlined below are the Championship standings for the 2002 DTM Championship for Teams:

2002 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Championship for Teams
Pos.	Abb.	No.																					Pts.
			Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F
1st	VOD	1	11th	4th	6th	3rd	8th	12th	3rd	2nd	3rd	2nd	2nd	1st	3rd	3rd	2nd	2nd	6th	2nd	2nd	1st	88
		2	8th	3rd	9th	10th	1st	1st	16th	Ret	5th	4th	14th	8th	11th	Ret	4th	3rd	14th	8th	Ret	Ret
2nd	ABT S	3	2nd	1st	1st	1st	18th	DSQ	1st	1st	4th	1st	1st	4th	2nd	2nd	3rd	5th	DSQ	6th	1st	6th	85
		10	4th	7th	5th	2nd	12th	2nd	8th	16th	DSQ	DNS	3rd	7th	5th	9th	12th	9th	2nd	7th	5th	13th
3rd	WAR	5	9th	11th	8th	7th	Ret	DNS	11th	9th	2nd	5th	9th	Ret	1st	1st	5th	4th	7th	17th	8th	3rd	54
		6	6th	Ret	10th	9th	4th	6th	9th	4th	Ret	DNS	6th	3rd	4th	4th	10th	1st	1st	3rd	Ret	5th
4th	ABT	4	10th	6th	12th	18th	7th	5th	21st	DNS	Ret	12th	10th	Ret	6th	12th	13th	16th	9th	19th	4th	Ret	53
		9	3rd	2nd	2nd	4th	9th	3rd	14th	7th	1st	3rd	4th	2nd	16th	10th	1st	11th	3rd	1st	3rd	2nd
5th	HOL	14	5th	5th	4th	5th	5th	Ret	7th	6th	Ret	DNS	13th	10th	9th	7th	11th	8th	8th	5th	7th	4th	11
		15	13th	14th	3rd	8th	13th	Ret	10th	11th	DSQ	11th	19th	17th	19th	11th	21st	15th	10th	Ret	16th	Ret
6th	PHO	7	18th	17th	11th	15th	3rd	14th	18th	Ret	8th	7th	11th	5th	8th	6th	8th	7th	5th	4th	6th	Ret	10
		8	16th	10th	18th	17th	Ret	DNS	5th	5th	6th	Ret	7th	6th	13th	15th	9th	19th	15th	10th	9th	7th
7th	EUR	18	17th	9th	17th	14th	6th	8th	2nd	3rd	14th	Ret	8th	11th	7th	Ret	7th	6th	4th	Ret	18th	Ret	10
		19	14th	13th	20th	DNS	19th	Ret	6th	12th	13th	13th	21st	Ret	15th	19th
		31																			14th	10th
		43															18th	10th
		44																	16th	14th
8th	ABT J	23	1st	Ret	21st	Ret	2nd	Ret	4th	Ret	DNS	DNS	5th	9th	10th	5th	6th	Ret	11th	18th	Ret	Ret	7
9th	ROS	24	12th	Ret	15th	11th	15th	13th	17th	Ret	9th	Ret	18th	16th	12th	17th	20th	14th	19th	15th	10th	8th	5
		42	Ret	Ret	13th	6th	11th	4th	13th	8th	10th	6th	20th	14th	18th	17th	19th	13th	Ret	12th	11th	9th
10th	MAN	16	15th	15th	19th	16th	14th	9th	19th	13th	11th	8th	17th	Ret	21st	14th	16th	Ret	17th	11th	12th	Ret	0
		17	20th	12th	7th	12th	16th	7th	20th	14th	Ret	10th	15th	12th	14th	18th	17th	12th	13th	16th	17th	Ret
11th	ORI	11	19th	8th	14th	19th	10th	11th	15th	15th	7th	Ret	12th	13th	7th	13th	14th	17th	12th	9th	15th	11th	0
		12	7th	16th	16th	13th	17th	10th	12th	10th	12th	9th	16th	15th	17th	8th	15th	18th	18th	13th	13th	12th
Pos.	Abb.	No.	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Q	F	Pts.

References

Videos and Images:

• Liveries: byggxx, 'Rennwagen (2002)', dtm.fandom.com/de, (DTM Wiki/de, 2015), https://dtm.fandom.com/de/wiki/Kategorie:Rennwagen_(2002), (Accessed 29/05/2020)

References: