2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

Bernd Schneider (left) won his third Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Drivers' Championship while Christijan Albers (right) finished second in the championship.

The 2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was the seventeenth season of premier German touring car championship and also fourth season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. Unlike 2002, there were ten race weekends with only one race at each event.

Changes for 2003

  • The races were increased in length to a total of one hour per race, as compared to the 40 minutes each race had lasted in 2002.
  • The race at Zolder, Belgium, was replaced by Adria in Italy.
  • The DTM did not return to Sachsenring. Instead, Nürburgring hosted two events.
  • The qualifying for Round 7 at Nürburgring was held at nighttime.

Teams and drivers

The following manufacturers, teams and drivers competed in the 2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. All teams competed with tyres supplied by Dunlop.

Manufacturer Car Team No. Drivers Rounds
Audi Abt-Audi TT-R 2003 Abt Sportsline 1 Laurent Aïello All
2 Christian Abt All
5 Mattias Ekström All
6 Karl Wendlinger All
Abt-Audi TT-R 2002 Abt Sportsline Junior Team 14 Martin Tomczyk All
15 Peter Terting All
Mercedes-Benz AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2003 HWA Team 3 Bernd Schneider All
4 Christijan Albers All
9 Marcel Fässler All
10 Jean Alesi All
AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002 Persson Motorsport 11 Thomas Jäger All
12 Bernd Mayländer All
20 Katsutomo Kaneishi All
AMG-Mercedes CLK-DTM 2002 Team Rosberg 24 Patrick Huisman 1–2
Gary Paffett 3–10
42 Stefan Mücke All
Opel Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003 OPC Team Holzer 7 Manuel Reuter All
8 Alain Menu All
Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2002 OPC Euroteam 16 Joachim Winkelhock All
17 Jeroen Bleekemolen All
Opel Astra V8 Coupé 2003 OPC Team Phoenix 18 Timo Scheider All
19 Peter Dumbreck All
Sources:[1][2]

Team changes

Abt Sportsline expanded from five to six cars with two cars run under the Abt Sportsline Junior Team banner, created to promote young drivers.[3][4] Danish outfit First Choice Racing helped support the team during the 2003 season.[5]

Persson Motorsport expanded to three cars.

Manthey Racing withdrew from the DTM after being part of the Mercedes squad since 2001.

Driver changes

Uwe Alzen had planned to continue with HWA Team in 2003 but decided to withdraw just days before the opening round of the season. In response, Mercedes promoted Christijan Albers from Team Rosberg to HWA Team, while Patrick Huisman took Albers vacant seat at Team Rosberg after driving for Manthey Racing.[6]

Bernd Mayländer switched from Manthey Racing to Persson Motorsport.

Three time Japan Grand Touring car Championship winner Katsutomo Kaneishi joined the DTM with Persson Motorsport.[7]

Martin Tomczyk moved to the Abt Sportsline Junior Team alongside debutant Peter Terting who had won the Volkswagen Lupo Cup in 2002.[4]

Opel would shuffle around their drivers for 2003 with Manuel Reuter and Alain Menu moving to Team Holzer while Joachim Winkelhock went to Euroteam and Timo Scheider moved to Team Phoenix. Peter Dumbreck moved from Mercedes to Opel Team Phoenix while Jeroen Bleekemolen made his DTM debut with Opel Euroteam after finishing second in the Dutch Touring Car Championship.[8]

Michael Bartels left the DTM to join the V8Star Series.

Mid season changes

Reigning German Formula Three Champion Gary Paffett replaced Patrick Huisman from the third round onwards.[9]

Race calendar and winners

Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest Lap Winning driver Winning team Winning manufacturer TV
1 Hockenheimring 27 April Bernd Schneider Bernd Schneider Bernd Schneider Vodafone AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ZDF
2 Adria 11 May Marcel Fässler Bernd Schneider Christijan Albers Express-Service AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ARD
3 Nürburgring 25 May Marcel Fässler Bernd Schneider Christijan Albers Express-Service AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ZDF
4 EuroSpeedway 8 June Bernd Schneider Alain Menu Bernd Schneider Vodafone AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ZDF
5 Norisring 22 June Bernd Schneider Bernd Schneider Christijan Albers Express-Service AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ARD
6 Donington Park 27 July Bernd Schneider Bernd Schneider Jean Alesi AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ZDF
7 Nürburgring 17 August Mattias Ekström Peter Dumbreck Laurent Aïello Hasseröder Abt-Audi Audi ARD
8 A1-Ring 7 September Marcel Fässler Bernd Schneider Marcel Fässler AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ARD
9 Zandvoort 21 September Timo Scheider Christijan Albers Christijan Albers Express-Service AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ZDF
10 Hockenheimring 5 October Mattias Ekström Alain Menu Jean Alesi AMG-Mercedes Mercedes ARD
Source:[10]

Championship standings

Scoring system

Points are awarded to the top 8 classified finishers.[11]

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th 
Points 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

Drivers' championship

Pos Driver HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
1 Bernd Schneider 1 5 4 1 3 2 3 2 2 6 68
2 Christijan Albers 5 1 1 7 1 5 2 3 1 12 64
3 Marcel Fässler 2 4 2 10 2 4 5 1 6 3 57
4 Mattias Ekström 8 2 7 3 Ret 3 4 5 3 2 46
5 Jean Alesi 4 7 Ret 5 5 1 6 Ret 5 1 42
6 Laurent Aïello 3 3 3 8 6 Ret 1 4 9 5 41
7 Peter Dumbreck 6 6 5 2 4 6 10 Ret 10 4 31
8 Timo Scheider 7 15 13 4 16 8 7 Ret Ret 7 12
9 Alain Menu 18 8 6 6 10 Ret 9 7 Ret 10 9
10 Manuel Reuter 9 Ret 9 12 13 Ret 15† 10 4 19† 5
11 Gary Paffett Ret 15 Ret 9 8 6 12 18† 4
12 Christian Abt 20† DSQ 8 9 7 Ret Ret Ret 11 9 3
13 Thomas Jäger 10 Ret 12 14 9 7 Ret 9 13 11 2
14 Jeroen Bleekemolen 14 11 11 18† 14 13 17† 12 7 15 2
15 Joachim Winkelhock 16 9 10 11 8 10 13 14 15 Ret 1
16 Karl Wendlinger 15 12 16 13 11 15 11 16 8 17 1
17 Peter Terting Ret 13 14 DNS 12 14 18† 13 14 8 1
18 Martin Tomczyk 12 Ret 18 DNS Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 13 1
19 Bernd Mayländer 11 10 17 16 Ret 12 14 15 16 20† 0
20 Stefan Mücke 17 Ret 15 DNS 15 11 12 11 17 14 0
21 Patrick Huisman 13 Ret 0
22 Katsutomo Kaneishi 19 14 19 17 17† Ret 16† 17 18 16 0
Pos Driver HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
Sources:[12][13]
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points classification
Blue Non-points classification
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired, not classified (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

  • † — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 90% of the winner's race distance.

Teams' championship

Pos. Team No. HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
1 Vodafone / Express-Service AMG-Mercedes 3 1 5 4 1 3 2 3 2 2 6 132
4 5 1 1 7 1 5 2 3 1 12
2 AMG-Mercedes 9 2 4 2 10 2 4 5 1 6 3 99
10 4 7 Ret 5 5 1 6 Ret 5 1
3 PlayStation 2 Red Bull Abt-Audi 5 8 2 7 3 Ret 3 4 5 3 2 47
6 15 12 16 13 11 15 11 16 8 17
4 Hasseröder Abt-Audi 1 3 3 3 8 6 Ret 1 4 9 5 44
2 20† DSQ 8 9 7 Ret Ret Ret 11 9
5 OPC Team Phoenix 18 7 15 13 4 16 8 7 Ret Ret 7 43
19 6 6 5 2 4 6 10 Ret 10 4
6 OPC Team Holzer 7 9 Ret 9 12 13 Ret 15† 10 4 19† 14
8 18 8 6 6 10 Ret 9 7 Ret 10
7 Service 24h AMG-Mercedes 24 13 Ret Ret 15 Ret 9 8 6 12 18† 4
42 17 Ret 15 DNS 15 11 12 11 17 14
8 OPC Euroteam 16 16 9 10 11 8 10 13 14 15 Ret 3
17 14 11 11 18† 14 13 17† 12 7 15
9 Original-Teile AMG-Mercedes 11 10 Ret 12 14 9 7 Ret 9 13 11 2
12 11 10 17 16 Ret 12 14 15 16 20†
10 S Line Audi Junior Team 14 12 Ret 18 DNS Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 13 2
15 Ret 13 14 DNS 12 14 18† 13 14 8
11 ARTA AMG-Mercedes 21 19 14 19 17 17† Ret 16† 17 18 16 0
Pos. Team No. HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
Sources:[12][14]

Manufacturers' championship

Pos. Manufacturer HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
1 Mercedes 27 21 23 16 28 29 22 27 25 19 237
2 Audi 7 14 9 7 5 6 15 10 7 13 93
3 Opel 5 4 7 16 6 4 2 2 7 7 60
Pos. Manufacturer HOC
 ADR
 NÜR
 LAU
 NOR
 DON
 NÜR
 A1R
 ZAN
 HOC
 Points
Source:[12]

References

  1. ^ "Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2003 Entry List". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ "DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - 2003: Entrylist". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Audi in the DTM - The challenger will be chased".
  4. ^ a b "Audi supports junior team in the DTM".
  5. ^ "Abt and First Choice form partnership".
  6. ^ "Alzen quits HWA Mercedes".
  7. ^ "Mercedes confirm Kaneishi for Persson".
  8. ^ "Opel finalises 2003 line-up".
  9. ^ "Paffett replaces Huisman at Mercedes".
  10. ^ "Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Results 2003". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  11. ^ "DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - 2003: Point standings". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  12. ^ a b c "Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Standings 2003". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  13. ^ "2003 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Drivers' Standings". TouringCars.net. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  14. ^ "DTM (German Touringcar Masters) - Season 2003: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
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