Circuit Park Zandvoort now returns to the 2014 DTM calendar and takes the place of Guangzhou as the penultimate round of the championship. The North Sea-based track saw Mike Rockenfeller take the drivers’ last year, with Augusto Farfus securing his third win of the season.
The DTM last visited China for the 2010 season finale that saw Paul Di Resta win the title at Shanghai, but the efforts to try and get the proposed standards in place at Guangzhou was a tall order, and with no real alternative in place, it was decided to cancel the return to Asia this coming September.
Zandvoort, which has its fair share of technical challenges, gradients and high-speed corners like Schivlak, is a firm favorite with the teams and all the drivers, having held a DTM race over the last 12 seasons.
However, ITR Chairman Hans-Werner Aufrecht said that they are still focusing on returning to China, which is part of the core markets that Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz will sell a lot of cars to.
But standards have to be upheld, as Aufrecht said that no compromise can be made: “This applies to the safety aspects around the respective circuit, the paddock, the pit facilities including the garages and the spectator areas such as the grand stands. In addition, a solid funding also must be ensured. When it comes supposed to be held in China, this year, all this couldn’t be realised on the necessary level. And we will keep on working on realising this goal.”
