Customer GT3 cars
Every entry is a series-derived GT3 car, so eight manufacturers share one grid under Balance of Performance.
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
DTM
Germany’s leading touring car championship: two races every weekend, eight manufacturers on the same GT3 grid, and success ballast for anyone who dares to reach the podium.
1984First Deutsche Tourenwagen season
8Manufacturers on the 2026 grid
16Races across the 2026 season
TeamsDriversTwo races a weekendGT3Success ballast
What is the DTM?
The DTM is Germany’s leading touring and GT car championship, promoted by ADAC. Since 2021 it has run to Group GT3 regulations, putting series-derived cars from eight manufacturers on the same grid under Balance of Performance. Every event carries two qualifying sessions and two races, and podium finishers take success ballast into the next race.
- First season
- 1984
- Promoter
- ADAC
- Car regulations
- Group GT3
- 2026 grid
- 8 manufacturers · 11 teams
01 — How it began
How the DTM began.
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was founded in 1984 as a German national championship for production-based touring cars. It grew into one of the most watched series in Europe, drew works entries from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Opel and Alfa Romeo, and collapsed in 1996 when costs outran the manufacturers’ appetite.
The name returned in 2000 as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — same three letters, different rulebook. The cars were now silhouette racers: purpose-built machines wearing production bodywork. That approach hardened into the Class 1 regulations, which ran with naturally aspirated V8s and then, from 2019, turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
When Class 1 ended, the series switched to Group GT3 cars for 2021, trading bespoke prototypes for machinery customers can actually buy. The ITR was dissolved in December 2022 and ADAC has promoted the championship since.
- Promoter
- ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club)
- Original series
- Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, 1984–1996
- Revived
- 2000, as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
- Class 1 era
- 2004–2020, silhouette cars with V8 then turbo engines
- Current regulations
- Group GT3, since 2021
- Most titles
- Bernd Schneider, five
02 — The essentials
What makes the DTM different?
A national championship that runs customer GT3 cars, twice a weekend, with the podium actively penalised.
Two races, two poles
Each event runs two qualifying sessions and two races, and both qualifying results pay championship points.
Success ballast
Podium finishers carry extra weight into the next race and shed it the moment they finish off the podium.
Rolling starts
Both races launch from a rolling start rather than a standing grid, a change introduced with the GT3 era.
03 — Race weekend format
A DTM weekend, decoded.
Qualifying
Two sessions, one per race. The top three in each score 3-2-1 championship points.
Race 1
55 minutes plus one lap from a rolling start, with one mandatory pit stop inside a set window.
Race 2
Same length and start procedure, but two mandatory stops, each in its own window.
A stop taken cheaply under a safety car or full-course yellow does not count toward the mandatory requirement.
04 — How points are scored
DTM points system.
| Pos | Points | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 25 | 9th | 7 |
| 2nd | 20 | 10th | 6 |
| 3rd | 16 | 11th | 5 |
| 4th | 13 | 12th | 4 |
| 5th | 11 | 13th | 3 |
| 6th | 10 | 14th | 2 |
| 7th | 9 | 15th | 1 |
| 8th | 8 |
Qualifying & bonus
- +3, +2, +1 points for the top three in each qualifying session — two sessions per weekend.
- A perfect weekend, both poles and both wins, is worth 56 points.
- Paying 15 places keeps midfield results worth fighting for across a 16-race season.
- Teams score the combined results of their cars.
Points are awarded in every race, so a single weekend can swing a championship by more than two Formula 1 wins.
05 — Race calendar
Next: Sachsenring · 12–13 September 2026 DTM calendar.
| Round | Event | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Spielberg | Red Bull Ring, Austria | 25–26 April |
| 02 | Zandvoort | Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands | 23–24 May |
| 03 | Lausitzring | Lausitzring, Germany | 20–21 June |
| 04 | Norisring | Norisring, Nuremberg, Germany | 4–5 July |
| 05 | Oschersleben | Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Germany | 25–26 July |
| 06 | Nürburgring | Nürburgring, Germany | 15–16 August |
| 07 | Sachsenring | Sachsenring, Germany | 12–13 September |
| 08 | Hockenheim | Hockenheimring, Germany | 10–11 October |
Last updated: 6 September 2026, after six of eight rounds. Verify current dates with the official DTM calendar.
06 — From 1984 to today
DTM timeline.
1984
The championship begins
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft launches as a national series for production-based touring cars.
1996
Collapse
Rising costs and thinning entries end the original championship after the ITC season.
2000
Reborn as the Masters
The DTM returns with silhouette racers built to a common set of rules.
2004
Class 1 arrives
The regulations that would define the next sixteen years, run with naturally aspirated V8 engines.
2019
Turbo power
Class 1 switches to turbocharged four-cylinder engines in its final phase.
2021
The GT3 era
The series adopts customer Group GT3 cars and rolling starts.
2022
ADAC takes over
The ITR is dissolved in December and ADAC becomes the promoter.
2025
Four points
Ayhancan Güven beats Lucas Auer to the title by four points across sixteen races.
07 — Technology and competition
The eras that reshaped the grid.
Production touring cars
Works entries from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Opel and Alfa Romeo turned a national series into a European draw.
Silhouette revival
The name returned on purpose-built cars wearing production bodywork, rebuilt around cost control.
Class 1 and the V8s
Sixteen seasons of bespoke prototypes and a Mercedes–Audi–BMW duel that defined the modern DTM.
Turbo Class 1
Turbocharged four-cylinder engines arrived just as the manufacturers began to leave.
Group GT3
Customer cars, Balance of Performance and eight manufacturers sharing one grid.
08 — Champions and icons
Drivers who defined the DTM.
Current Champion
Ayhancan Güven
2025 DTM Champion · Manthey EMA · Porsche 911 GT3 R
Bernd Schneider
The benchmark of the Mercedes era and the only driver to win five DTM titles.
Record 5 titles
René Rast
Three championships in four seasons made him the defining driver of the Class 1 years.
3 titles (2017, 2019, 2020)
Ayhancan Güven
Took the 2025 crown for Manthey EMA in a Porsche 911 GT3 R, four points clear at the finish.
2025 champion
Lucas Auer
Lost the 2025 title by four points and returned with Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf.
2025 runner-up
Maro Engel
Leads the 2026 standings for Winward Racing after the first six rounds.
2026 points leader
Thomas Preining
One point off the 2026 lead for Manthey Racing, the closest title fight on the grid.
2nd, 2026
Nicki Thiim
Carrying Aston Martin's 2026 campaign with Comtoyou Racing.
3rd, 2026
Timo Glock
The former Formula 1 racer now driving a McLaren for Dörr Motorsport.
Ex-Formula 1
09 — Defining events
Turning points.
The series stops
Costs outrun the manufacturers and the original championship ends, leaving the name dormant for four years.
The name returns
A new rulebook and a new promoter bring the DTM back, this time as the Masters.
Class 1 ends
Manufacturer withdrawals leave the prototype formula without a grid and force a complete reset.
GT3 switch
Adopting customer cars reopens the series to teams and manufacturers who could never fund a bespoke prototype.
ITR dissolved
ADAC takes the promoter's role in December, ending the organisation that had run the series since its revival.
A four-point title
Güven and Auer take the championship to the final race, decided by less than a single podium.
10 — Meet the grid
Explore DTM teams.
Current Champion Team
Manthey Racing
2025 DTM Teams’ Champion · Porsche 911 GT3 R
#1
COM
Comtoyou RacingAston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo
#2
SCH
Schubert MotorsportBMW M4 GT3 Evo
#3
EFR
Emil Frey RacingFerrari 296 GT3 Evo
#4
HRT
HRT Ford RacingFord Mustang GT3 Evo
#5
ABT
Red Bull Team AbtLamborghini Temerario GT3
#6
TGI
TGI Team by GRTLamborghini Temerario GT3
#7
LGR
Mercedes-AMG Team LandgrafMercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
#8
WIN
Winward RacingMercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
#9
DOR
Dörr MotorsportMcLaren 720S GT3 Evo
#10
LAN
Land-MotorsportPorsche 911 GT3 R
#11
MAN
Manthey RacingPorsche 911 GT3 R
11 — Frequently asked
DTM FAQ.
What is the DTM?
The DTM is Germany's leading touring and GT car championship. It is promoted by ADAC and has run to Group GT3 regulations since 2021, with two races at every event.
Who organises the DTM?
ADAC, Germany's national automobile club, which took over the series after the ITR was dissolved in December 2022.
What cars race in the DTM today?
Series-derived Group GT3 cars. The 2026 grid fields Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
How does a DTM race weekend work?
Two qualifying sessions and two races. Each race runs 55 minutes plus one lap from a rolling start; Saturday has one mandatory pit stop and Sunday has two.
How are DTM points awarded?
The top 15 finishers in each race score 25-20-16-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. The top three in each qualifying session add 3-2-1, so a perfect weekend is worth 56 points.
What is success ballast?
Extra weight carried into the next race by drivers who finished on the podium. It is removed as soon as a driver finishes off the podium, and sits on top of the Balance of Performance adjustments.
Is the DTM the same series it was in the 1980s?
It is the continuation of the name, not the ruleset. The original Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft ran from 1984 to 1996; the series was reborn in 2000 as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and has changed car regulations several times since.
Who has won the most DTM titles?
Bernd Schneider, with five championships. René Rast is next with three.
Who won the 2025 DTM title?
Ayhancan Güven, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 R for Manthey EMA, by four points from Lucas Auer. Manthey Racing took the teams' championship.
How many rounds are in the 2026 DTM season?
Eight rounds and sixteen races, opening at the Red Bull Ring in April and finishing at Hockenheim in October.
Why do so many races take place in Germany?
The DTM is a national championship at heart. Seven of the eight 2026 rounds are held in Germany, with Zandvoort in the Netherlands and the Austrian opener the exceptions.
Is Kozmozracing affiliated with the DTM?
No. Unless a product page explicitly states otherwise, Kozmozracing is an independent store and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the DTM, ADAC, any team or driver.
Sources
- Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — series overview, history and regulations · Wikipedia
- 2026 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — calendar, entry list and standings · Wikipedia
- 2025 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — final championship results · Wikipedia
- DTM rules explained — weekend format, pit stops and points · Paddock Tracker
- Official DTM standings and results · DTM (official)
- Photo: DTM 2024 Hockenheim finale · Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Ayhancan Güven, Oschersleben 2025 · Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R · Der Alf, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Independent fan guide: Formats, teams and regulations can change. Verify current sporting information with the DTM and ADAC. Championship, team and driver names belong to their respective rights holders.
12 — The collection
DTM-inspired collection.
No products are assigned to DTM yet. Add products to this series in the product editor.