ARD Sportschau to cover the DTM Launch
Wiesbaden ? For all the DTM enthusiasts that haven?t got the chance of attending the great DTM Launch held in D?sseldorf on 15th April, there will be a special highlight: o Sunday, from 18.00 to 18.30hrs, the ARD Sportschau will cover the DTM Launch in D?sseldorf to attune the DTM fans to the live coverage of the first DTM weekend held in Hockenheim, broadcasted on 21st and 22nd April. Over the course of the 30-minute programme, presenter Claus Lufen Moderator will not only report about the launch alone. At the same time, he also will provide the TV audience with an up-to-date season preview and the latest news regarding the state of preparations of Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
All the DTM races up to and including the 2009 season on ARD
In the 2007 season, ARD is going to again cover live all the qualifying sessions ? on Saturday from 13.30hrs ? and the races, on Sunday from 13.45 hours. And this also applies to the coming three years. ?Das Erste? has extended the still running contract with ITR e.V., rights holder and promoter of DTM, up to the end of the 2009 season. This agreement represents the continuation of a successful cooperation that was started back in 2000, when DTM was revived
The ARD commentators for the 2007 season, however, will be new ones: Philipp Sohmer (31) will comment the DTM races for the TV audience, with former DTM ace Manuel Reuter supporting him as DTM expert. Over the course of his career, Reuter contested a total of 203 DTM races for Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Opel and in 1996, he won the title in ITC, that time?s international version of DTM, at the wheel of an Opel Calibra V6 4x4.
Hans Werner Aufrecht, ITR e.V. Chairman, was delighted with the extension of the contract: ?The cooperation with ARD has been constructive for many years and I?m happy that ARD is going to remain DTM?s official TV partner, in the coming three years. Together, we permanently are at pains to improve our product.? ARD Programme Director G?nter Struve said: ?We look forward to continuing our long-term cooperation with DTM and even having the chance of extending it.?
