Going back a few weeks, would you have believed that there would be any motor racing at all this year?
Marquardt: "Even given all the uncertainty that is inevitable when the situation is so fragile, I was still always hopeful that we would return to the racetrack this year. The signs of that happening are now a little better than they were previously. However, I feel it is important to stress that we are only able and willing to go racing again when the general situation allows it and the politicians are satisfied with the concepts. With this in mind, I would like to pay a big compliment: The hygiene concept that the manufacturers and ITR have worked on together is very well thought out and puts the health and safety of everyone involved in the DTM at the forefront of everything. We will obviously have to live with the fact that our fans will not be at the racetrack to support us. That is a real downer, but I believe we can still put on a good show on the screen."
What are your feelings as you prepare for the DTM season?
Marquardt: "To be perfectly honest - I have mixed feelings. The coronavirus pandemic obviously overshadows everything. However, when I look at it from a sporting perspective, we are more determined than ever to prove that our package is capable of more than we managed to show in the second half of last season. We have worked hard to make this possible during the long period of preparation. However, with all the anticipation ahead of the coming season, I will openly admit that the announcements by our competitors that they will be withdrawing from the series have tarnished the coming months and years."
What do you mean?
Marquardt: "We had two focusses: on the one hand, to offer fans great racing again in 2020 - on the screen, at least - and to achieve the prerequisites for this to happen. On the other hand, to prepare the DTM for the future and to work together to put the finishing touches to the 2022 hybridisation and the electrification in 2025. This second focus is now obviously no more."
What does that mean for the future of the DTM?
Marquardt: "All our works motorsport commitments have exactly the same DNA as the DTM, namely competition between manufacturers at the highest level. That is what the DTM as a series, and the underlying Class 1 regulations, are designed for. The withdrawal of Audi contradicts that. That much is clear."
When will you decide about a possible 2021 season?
Marquardt: "It is not up to
What is your focus on now?
Marquardt: "Our focus is still fully on the 2020 season. Everyone in our team is highly motivated and can hardly wait for next week's tests at the Nürburgring. The launch of the amended DTM calendar has made us all even hungrier for the start of the season. Concentrating on
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(C) 2020 M2 COMMUNICATIONS, source