2012 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

Rule changes for 2012

Sporting

• The points system for the 2012 season was changed to reflect the system used by the FIA for world championships. The top ten drivers in each race are awarded points on a scale of 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1.
• Refuelling during the race was banned after 12 years due to safety concerns and also avoid cut costs.

  Technical

• For the first time since 2003 season the DTM reintroduced the two-door coupé-style cars respectively. The four-door sedan-style cars were permanently retired after the 2011 season. The engine configuration remained unchanged until 2018 despite the coupé-style cars' reintroduction.
• After 12 years, the manual gearbox shifters were replaced by newly-mandatory sequential semi-automatic gearbox paddle shifters respectively for all DTM cars to make easier shifting rather than manual shifters.
• The minimum weight of the cars has been increased from to. From 2000-2003, the all DTM cars weight were. From 2004-2006, all DTM cars weight were. From 2007-2011, the all DTM cars weight were.
• The rear wing of all DTM cars has been changed to single-element plane wing instead of dual-element plane wing to create downforce.
• The fuel tank capacity of all DTM cars were increased to instead of usual due to refuelling ban rules.
• The seat of all DTM cars was integrated into the carbon fibre monocoque that is connected to a roll cage of high-strength steel due to safety concerns.
• The year-old aging DTM cars were banned due to previous year cars were 4-door saloon model types.
• As a result of the transition from the outgoing four-door sedan-style cars to two-door coupé-style cars, the tyre sizes of Hankook Ventus DTM tyres were also altered from 260/660-R18 on fronts and 280/660-R18 on rears to 300/680-R18 on fronts and 320/700-R18 on rears in order to improve more mechanical grip and handling while cornering to suit the driving style.

  Teams and drivers

	Car	Team		Drivers	Rounds
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team RMG	1	Martin Tomczyk	All
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team RMG	2	Joey Hand	All
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team Schnitzer	7	Bruno Spengler	All
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team Schnitzer	8	Dirk Werner	All
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team RBM	15	Andy Priaulx	All
BMW	BMW M3 DTM	BMW Team RBM	16	Augusto Farfus	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Abt Sportsline	3	Mattias Ekström	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Abt Sportsline	4	Timo Scheider	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Phoenix Racing	9	Mike Rockenfeller	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Phoenix Racing	10	Miguel Molina	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Audi Sport Team Abt	17	Rahel Frey	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Audi Sport Team Abt	18	Adrien Tambay	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Team Rosberg	21	Edoardo Mortara	All
Audi	Audi A5 DTM	Team Rosberg	22	Filipe Albuquerque	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Mercedes AMG	5	Jamie Green	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Mercedes AMG	6	Ralf Schumacher	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	HWA Team	11	Gary Paffett	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	HWA Team	12	Christian Vietoris	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Mücke Motorsport	19	David Coulthard	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Mücke Motorsport	20	Robert Wickens	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Persson Motorsport	23	Roberto Merhi	All
Mercedes-Benz	DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé	Persson Motorsport	24	Susie Wolff	All

Driver changes

• 2011 champion Martin Tomczyk left Team Phoenix and Audi to join Team RMG, one of the three teams running BMW machinery.
• 2011 runner-up Bruno Spengler left Mercedes' HWA Team and also joined BMW with Team Schnitzer.
• Rahel Frey left Team Phoenix to join Abt Sportsline, with Mike Rockenfeller and Miguel Molina moving over from Abt to fill the seats at Team Phoenix.
• Christian Vietoris switched from Persson Motorsport to HWA Team.

• Long-time BMW factory drivers Augusto Farfus, Joey Hand, Andy Priaulx and Dirk Werner made their début in the series with BMW. Farfus and Priaulx are driving for Team RBM, Hand for Team RMG and Werner with Team Schnitzer.
• Formula 3 Euro Series champion Roberto Merhi and Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion Robert Wickens joined Mercedes teams Persson Motorsport and Mücke Motorsport respectively.
• After competing in Auto GP, French driver Adrien Tambay joined Abt Sportsline for his debut in the series.

• Maro Engel left the series.
• Oliver Jarvis was promoted to the Audi LMP1 sportscar squad and the FIA GT1 World Championship with Team WRT, and was replaced by Adrien Tambay.
• Renger van der Zande left the DTM series.

  Race calendar and results

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

• † — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 90% of the winner's race distance.
• ‡ — No points are awarded for the non-championship Munich Olympiastadion event.

  Teams' championship

• † — Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 90% of the winner's race distance.
• ‡ — No points are awarded for the non-championship Munich Olympiastadion event.

  Manufacturers' championship

• ‡ — No points are awarded for the non-championship Munich Olympiastadion event.