URD DTM 2018 Audi RS 5 DTM 2018

With the enhanced championship-winning car Audi Sport will start the 2018 season. First of all, the aero package of the Audi RS 5 DTM was massively modified compared to 2017. Since 2013, the Audi RS 5 DTM has clinched 32 victories and set as well as 26 pole positions and 42 fastest race laps in 73 events of the popular international touring car series. In each of the past three years, Audi won the largest number of DTM races with a strong overall package.

The scope for development has been reduced in major ways this year as aerodynamics areas that used to be subjected to discretionary design efforts, such as the area around the wheel wells, are now specified for all the DTM race cars. "Basically, all cars now have the same aerodynamics package," says Andreas Roos, Audi's new Project Leader DTM. "Subject to each manufacturer's individual design are the transition areas between the aerodynamics components and the bodywork of the respective vehicle." This means that intensive aerodynamics developments as witnessed in the past are history.

The reduction of downforce has a major effect on the suspension setup and the handling of the tires. Overall, there are fewer setup options for the suspension as well and so, Audi had to change their previous philosophy. "We felt the reduced downforce even during the first virtual tests in the simulator," says René Rast. This impression was confirmed on the race track. "The cars are now even more challenging to drive than before. For me, personally, this is great fun and the spectators, too, will enjoy the races that in all likelihood will be more exciting than ever."

The latest generation of the Audi RS 5 DTM is internally called RC7 and apart from the new aerodynamics and the once again simplified suspension its design is widely the same like the one of its predecessor, the RC6, that was used for the first time in 2017.