Class One Touring Cars

Class 1 Touring Cars is two generations of touring car regulations employed by the FIA.

First generation

The first generation was a production-based formula introduced in 1993 along with Class 2 Touring Cars, the latter officially becoming known as Super Touring cars from 1995. Class 1 permitted more liberal modifications to the vehicles than those allowed for Class 2 cars.[1]

These Class 1 regulations restricted engines to a maximum of six cylinders, 2.5 litres capacity and four valves per cylinder.[2] The basic unit had to be derived from a production engine made in quantity by the same manufacturer as the car, although it did not have to be from the same model as that being raced and could be extensively modified.[2] All-wheel drive, traction control, anti-lock brakes and electronically controlled differentials were permitted.[2] Aerodynamic aids were free below the wheel centreline and, from 1995, suspension systems could be purpose built rather than production based.[3]

Class 1 Touring Cars contested the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft series from 1993 to 1995,[4] the International Touring Car Series in 1995 [5] and for the International Touring Car Championship in 1996.[6]

Only three manufacturers, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz and Opel, competed in Class 1 during the short history of the original category and the withdrawal of Alfa Romeo and Opel from the International Touring Car Championship at the end of 1996 effectively spelt the end of the class.[1]

Second generation

In early 2014, the DTM and the Japanese Super GT Series began a co-operation agreement in which the two series would begin to merge their technical regulations.[7] This led to an official tie-up in September of the same year, with plans for the DTM to move to 2.0L I4 engines by 2017.[8] Aerodynamic alterations were agreed in 2015, with the seeds sown for potential joint-races between the series.[9]

Later in the same year however, the regulation changes were postponed to 2019 given DTM manufacturers' reluctance to potentially engage in more costly development.[10] Super GT would also delay the implementation of the regulations to 2020, as the final regulations were signed off in 2018.[11]

The 2nd generation of Class One Touring Car is a purpose-built racer based on a two-door road-going model. The cars feature a two litre turbocharged inline-four engine, capped at 650hp and mounted in the front of the car. Push-to-pass and DRS are employed on the DTM vehicles (but not in Super GT), which benefit from 3.4t of downforce. All vehicles must be rear-wheel drive.[12]

The first Class One cars debuted at the 2019 DTM Hockenheim round. DTM and Super GT conducted joint-races at the end of 2019, however both saw the previous generation Super GT GT500 cars enter.[13] Aston Martin, entering DTM for the first time through the new regulations, concluded their program after a single season with constructors R-Motorsport claiming the cars were too expensive.[14]

List of FIA Class 1 homologated touring cars

1st Generation
Marque Picture Model Engine First race Last race
Alfa Romeo 155 Alfa Romeo PRV-based 2.5L V6 1993 DTM – Zolder 1 1996 ITCC – Suzuka
Mercedes-Benz 190E Mercedes-Benz I4 16V Evolution II 2.5L I4 1993 DTM – Zolder 1 1993 DTM – Hockenheim 2
C-Class Mercedes-Benz M112 2.5L V6 1994 DTM – Zolder 1 1996 ITCC – Suzuka
Opel Calibra General Motors C25XE 2.5L V6 1993 DTM – Hockenheim 2 1996 ITCC – Suzuka

2nd Generation
Marque Picture Model Engine First race Last race
Aston Martin Vantage HWA AFR Turbo 2.0 I-4t 2019 DTM – Hockenheim 1 2019 DTM – Hockenheim 2
Audi RS5 Turbo Audi RC8 2.0 TFSI I-4t 2019 DTM – Hockenheim 1
BMW M4 Turbo BMW P48 Turbo 2.0 I-4t 2019 DTM – Hockenheim 1
Honda NSX-GT Honda HR-414E 2.0 I-4t 2020 Super GT – Fuji 1
Nissan GT-R Nismo Nissan NR20A 2.0 I-4t 2020 Super GT – Fuji 1
Toyota Supra GR Toyota RI4AG 2.0 I-4t 2020 Super GT – Fuji 1
gollark: You *can* still say vaguely beeish things about a condition you yourself have.
gollark: It's not like pedophiles choose to be pedophiles, probably.
gollark: Only medical doctors. PhDs from each discipline form separate, smaller ones.
gollark: Doctors are actually merged into a collective consciousness upon graduating from medical school.
gollark: Yes, they are VERY high-class, as they have the "trusted user" role. We are naturally better and deserve to lord over you peasants.

See also

References
  1. Alfa Romeo 155 DTM Retrieved from www.ultimatecarpage.com on 19 November 2009
  2. European Touring Car Championships, Automobile Year, 1995/96, page 206
  3. European Touring Car Championships, Automobile Year, 1995/96, page 207
  4. DTM History 1984–2008 Archived 2010-05-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from www.dtm.com on 19 November 2009
  5. 1995 ITCS schedule and standings Retrieved from www.motorsport-archive.com on 19 November 2009
  6. 1996 ITCC schedule and standings Retrieved from www.motorsport-archive.com on 19 November 2009
  7. "Will the Class One series ever exist?". Car Throttle. 24 March 2016.
  8. "DTM moves to turbo engines for 2017 as part of Super GT alignment". Autosport. 30 September 2014.
  9. "Class One kommt ab 2017 (in German)". Auto Motor und Sport. 20 May 2015.
  10. "Streit um neuen DTM-Turbomotor (in German)". Auto Motor und Sport. 29 September 2015.
  11. "DTM and Super GT finalise 'Class One' rules tie-up and joint races". Autosport. 23 June 2018.
  12. "DTM, Super GT seal move to Class 1 regulations". Speedcafe. 24 June 2018.
  13. "'Dream race' a success but no plans for any more joint races yet". Touring Car Times. 27 November 2019.
  14. "R-Motorsport Aston Martin squad withdraws from DTM after one season". Autosport. 24 January 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.