Amid struggles to get temperatures into Pirelli tyres that are new to the DTM for 2023, teams have come up with creative ways to circumvent the ban on using electric blankets.
According to Autosport's sister website Motorsport-Total.com, several teams have been found leaving the garage doors wide open and placing tyres in a way to take advantage of direct sunlight.
Teams also appear to have used tyre tents to heat up the Pirelli rubber. Some outfits use a black tarpaulin for this purpose, which can store more heat in direct sunlight than a white-coloured tent.
Another clever trick involves teams placing tyres early on the grid trolley, which happens to be positioned in the sun outside the pit.
These incidents were recorded most recently at the Lausitzring and the Sachsenring rounds and appear to be in contravention of the rules. Article 25.1 of the DTM regulations for the 2023 season states that "any device or measure to increase the tyre temperature above the ambient temperature is inadmissible".
For this reason, the DTM issued a clarification to the rules on Saturday evening of the Sachsenring weekend, preventing teams from using sun rays to heat up tyres.
"Exposing the complete wheels to sunlight is considered a measure to increase the tyre temperature above the ambient temperature,” it said.
“The only exception is the duration of the stay of tyres on trolleys on the grid. The teams are therefore obliged to make every effort to protect the wheels from sunlight.”
Source: Autosport