Aha. If you don’t want to bother reading any of my random ramblings, please click on this LINK and go directly to the gallery page.

As promised, today we’re featuring some prehistoric, pre-Iberianmph content in the shape of vintage DTM pics, related to Mercedes’s DTM past more specifically.

All DTM Mercs must pass and they did. At present the bindy-grindy star car manufacturer prefers Formula E’s silent soundtrack to violent V8 noise. I get it, I get it. I’m a little old-fashioned and over and above that I deprived Greta of her future and proud of doing so.

Say no to decarbonize. Just kidding, issa yoke. I was just pulling your wooden leg, corporal Clegg.

At Iberianmph we enjoy a good yoke every so often

So there’s basically a whole bunch of photos from, I dunno, 2006-2009 that we have never published before, plus I’m too lazy to scan my printed photos prior to digital photography becoming the norm. Forget about it. I don’t want to be staring at the m-effing computer screen for days on end.

You know, traditionally, DTM teams have been fairly secretive when it comes to revealing testing dates/venues. I had no idea, I swear.

Dude, I’m going to Cascais Shopping in order to do some shopping, spend some cash; yeah; I stop at the circuit because I heard some noise from the road. What do I see? DTM cars in action. Luckily I had my camera with me on that fateful day (21/02/2009).

Needless to say, all grandstands are safely locked, as per DTM’s request. How fan-friendly. But what do you expect, they’re Germans. They even call Gerhard Berger, their current boss, a ‘BMS’. Whatever that means. Biologically modified saloons? Ja. Das Bremspedal.

I decided not to bother with trying to find any vantage points (despite the fact that it’s possible), it was getting rather late (almost sunset time). Alright, sod it, I’ll shoot some pics through the fence. No worries. I’ve 20 minutes at best.

Sure enough, I spot Ralf Schumacher’s helmet, I guess most 2009 Merc drivers were roaring around my local track as well. The way the drivers sit in a DTM car, it’s not easy to tell who’s who, they’re sat sort of where the back seat would be for the centre of gravity’s sake or gravy.

I suspect it won’t be any different with GT-based DTM: private testing. No press release, no media, no nothing.

Pathetic.

No fans. Because we have to stay at home in 2021. But in 2022 I want to be at a DTM test. You hear me, BMS?

DTM obviously trades on its history now, I mean who wouldn’t? We do! Thank you ever so much.

1980s and 1990s DTM seasons were awesome, we feel it maybe got too crazy with budgets towards the finish line for the original DTM 0.1 in constant search of mad science in wanting to go fast.

2000s, DTM 0.2, I think is where the balance must’ve been perfect, spot on. Um den Nagel auf den Kopf zu treffen, as they say in Germany. I can relate to that: smash on Sunday, sell on Monday. V8, loud cars, Jean Alesi, Bernd Schneider, Laurent Aïello, Manuel Reuter. You name a name that wasn’t cool.

Then they started to lose their way in the mid-2010s, it got too repetitive and boring. It’s like Groundhog Day, every day is the same thing. It wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t great either. In the middle. Mediocre on average.

We’ve had a few brushes with the DTM kind of recently and I think it’s safe to say it met our basic expectations. At least in the stance/overall presence department. And who can forget a lying DTM mechanic! https://iberianmph.com/2012/12/03/dtm-otion/ I asked the guy when they’d be testing and he lied to me on purpose. The trucks looked nice tho. Expensive. Germanic.

We obviously wish DTM GT-reloaded, 0.3, all the best in the their quest to become fully electric one day. All yokes aside, I’ll be watching DTM in 2021. I have to stay at home, I need to watch stuff, I know you know.

If you feel like refreshing your 2009 DTM knowledge, I’ve gone and downloaded a Wikipoopdia page, DTM’s official website doesn’t seem to have any history page in any shape of form dedicated to their, well, history or milestones. Odd. Don’t trust Wiki, it’s plain wrong. However peeps don’t really care about their online presence, here’s the result: fat kids editing your life story from the toilet.

Hope you’ve enjoyed the gallery. Don’t leave me any comments below. Bye-bye.