It’s been a while since we paid a visit to anything DTM-related, the closest we got to the secretive world of the DTM was in late 2012 when an unidentified mischievous DTM mechanic at Estoril gave us the wrong testing dates on purpose, thus prompting us to arrive to an empty circuit – wot a dirty bastard!

This current visit only became a reality after somebody running Mercedes DTM twitter feed tipped us with “insider info” which turned out to be 100% correct (still can’t believe it!). A major miracle considering DTM teams never allowed spectators in the grandstands at Estoril until now and would even go as far as to install panels around the track to block amateur photographers from taking pics. I’m serious.

I guess you gotta be someone like Angela Merkel to enter the DTM paddock. I find it pretty disgusting and appalling.

Sh*t. It sucks.

No paddock pass for yer humble servant. I can easily get an F1 paddock pass (GP2 and GP3 as well) but DTM apprarently hates me.

Der Teufel soll den Kerl buserieren!

The current generation of DTM boxes on wheels looks nice, it sounds even better than it looks: a good old angry German V8 is just what the doctor ordered. It’ll be a real shame if they chop the V8 in favour of “green” stuff à la F1 circa 2015.

We had some fun in the main grandstand. Oh yeah!

We also spotted a lot of former F1 dudes, like Tim O’Glock, posing for PR photos in the pit lane. Other personal highlights included snapping a photo of Bruno Spengler and various potential F1 gonna-bes and actual has-beens.

I guess after (ma)FIA “adjusted” superlicence rules, the entire DTM field can be classified as “will-never-bes” or whatever in relation to Formula 1.

A fun series all in all but I would say DTM is suffering from the same syndrome as Formula 1: it’s called the old fart syndrome (I’m referring to the organizers of course, dem bigwigs). It occurs in motor racing series around the world. Old farts, aka baby boomers, lose their way in modern times and start coming up with mad ideas about saving the planet instead of entertaining innocent people in the grandstands.

Check out some of my “from a fan’s” perspective blurry shots (on Flickr) by clicking HERE or check out the same thing below (hit F11 for better viewing quality).

Click on the image below to watch my shaky video from the test.