In the case of the DTM Teams, there is currently an alarm condition. “This is clearly the worst crisis I have experienced with my company ever”, puts Phoenix Audi team principal, Ernst Moser clear in an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.com’ after 20 years at the head of his troop.
Rosberg Audi team Manager Kimmo Liimatainen agrees with him, even if he has not lost his Finnish sense of humour yet: “The weather is nice, but that was it with the positive messages. The location is pretty crappy.”
And also Abt-Audi-sports Director Thomas Biermaier paints a gloomy picture: “We have signed up for the entire company, short-time work, because no one knows how long the thing lasts.” The DTM season kick-off is planned for mid-July on the norisring, if this takes place, however, is uncertain.
Phoenix-the Team fears for existence
The Kempten-based company is not the only Audi factory teams that have requested state assistance: Rosberg Audi had on 1. April for the entire company, short-time working registered, the Phoenix force has done so far only for the customer sports sector.
The work of the sports Department will follow “probably,” says Moser. “These are the next steps, which can not be avoided.”
But the DTM works teams, already the existence of? “A certain period of time, I can bridge that, but the duration of the course is a Killer”, not shoots, the team principal at the end of his 1999 expansion team. “If it goes longer than a month or two, then it will be difficult.”
Customer racing range, as a crisis cooker
Why is the situation especially in the case of Moser’s Team is so sensitive? “In the DTM we have explained, the factory contract with Audi, which runs until the end of the year, a certain amount of Basic protection,” he said.
In the customer sports range, but will “be paid by the end customer, the service you get.” And since there is currently no VLN race to take place and soon as to not think of the inserts, is Phoenix able to provide the service. “Therefore, the direct and extreme effect,” he confirms that it remains to cover the costs.
Why the DTM-works budget cuts, not> What it means, however, that the situation in the DTM project is easily threaten You will have through short-time working and other austerity measures to lower costs, “but of course, us will collapse also because of budget. So you should come then also over the year, even if you write certainly not a black.” An advantage for the factory teams is that you complete the sponsorship contracts since a few years ago. The falls in the area of responsibility of the manufacturer. This also relates to the question of whether the services are provided to the donor in 2020, Audi and not the Teams. How does the crisis on Rosberg and Abt? But how delicate the situation in the other two Audi factory teams? Rosberg and Abt benefit from the fact that they operate with the DTM and in the case of Abt, even with the formula E exclusively work commitment. Only the Team Rosberg prepares just a side project for the self to bear the costs. “The Concerns are definitely there, but the situation is under the circumstances still okay,” says Liimatainen in conversation with ‘Motorsport-Total.com’. You’ll still survive “this or that month”. Abt-Audi-sports Director Biermaier is aware that his team is in spite of the difficult circumstances, in a privileged position: “As a work team in a different Situation than the private teams, or GT Teams, the need to Finance really with a driver of revenue.” “Trucks fully loaded”: a crisis team met unprepared The crisis had made the team in mid-March, as the ITR Test at Hockenheim on the program, completely unprepared. “The guys were in the case of Audi in Neuburg, had built the cars. We were actually finished, the Trucks were fully loaded, but then the cancellation came on the Friday before the Test,” recalls Liimatainen. You have to immediately respond to the new Situation: “The mechanics have degraded the rest of vacation, time to have taken compensation. The engineers I’ve assigned to the home office.” Currently, a hand in the Rosberg-factory in Neustadt on the wine route is not even full of people. “My assistant is still here and also someone for the logistics, but we are here distributed in the building so well, that we have easily 50 meters distance,” he smiles. While Moser at Phoenix departs in the Morning, always in the company, to take care of deliveries and the Post office, he works in the afternoon, from the home office. For Abt-Audi in Kempten is going on, however, even more, because while the field of motor sports is still working on the tuning part. “The service shop is open, but we may not currently actively selling,” said Biermaier. So the Abbot workshop equips against Corona Yet there was none of the Audi Team a Coronavirus-suspected case. But what precautions you have taken in the case of the Abbot for the employees working in the company? In addition to the necessary hygiene rules, we have formed two layers, provides Biermaier clear in an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.com’. “So the second layer can continue to work if in a layer of what is happening.” Apart from that, was “keep a safe distance to the greatest commandment. Nevertheless, there are Works in which you have to tackle the second. Because you have to be absolutely careful. And these are the people.” that was only for the employees, at first, very unfamiliar, he says: “We are a Team. And formerly it embraced also once in the Morning high-fiving. Like a football team – because there is just this Cohesion.” The Cohesion from the head, while not “already there, but physically at the moment. As each the greatest respect for the Virus.” This article was written by Sven Haidinger *The post “”The worst crisis”: Why trembles Audi factory team Phoenix to existence” published by Motorsport-Total.com. Contact with the executives here. Motorsport-Total.com
