MUNICH, Germany — The DTM, during its pre-season test at the Red Bull Ring, just over 10 days before the April 24-26 season opener in Styria, offered a strong preview of the 2026 season.
An international field of top drivers, eight premium brands, and a new exclusive tire from Pirelli promise spectacular motorsport action.
In the highly competitive field of drivers from 11 nations, the three DTM champions Mirko Bortolotti (Italy/TGI Team by GRT) in his Lamborghini, Porsche driver Thomas Preining (Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo/Manthey), and Marco Wittmann (Fürth) in the Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 Evo are all aiming for another title.
Wittmann’s teammate Kelvin van der Linde (South Africa), runner-up in the 2024 DTM championship, is targeting his first title in his comeback. The same applies to Mercedes-AMG driver Lucas Auer, who secured the runner-up title in 2025. His fellow Mercedes driver Maro Engel (Monaco) is celebrating an anniversary this year: the veteran is entering his 10th DTM season.
The new Lamborghini Temerario GT3 makes its DTM debut this year. The new car succeeds the Huracán GT3 Evo2 and will be fielded by Red Bull Team Abt and TGI Team by GRT. Ferrari, Ford, and Porsche will compete with further developed versions of their proven cars.
Tire partner Pirelli has developed a new tire exclusively for the DTM this year. The slick tire is optimally tailored to the needs of the DTM cars and is produced at Pirelli’s German plant in Breuberg, Hesse, one of the most modern of the group’s 18 global production sites. All DTM cars are powered by the 100% sustainable fuel “DTM Pro Climate,” which reduces CO₂ emissions.
“The DTM is starting this year with a first-class field, and the new exclusive DTM tire from Pirelli is an important building block for the development of the series. The quality of the drivers and teams is exceptional, and we can look forward to another exciting season,” says DTM Managing Director Thomas Voss.
The DTM’s event program and fan zone are being further expanded. Visitors to the DTM at the Dekra Lausitzring and the final weekend in Hockenheim can look forward to concerts by “Dick Brave,” also known as Sasha, on the DTM Powerstage presented by Pirelli. In addition to Europe’s largest mobile ball pit and an action course, new attractions await in the fan zone.
“The DTM appeals to the whole family; children and young people make up almost 30 percent of the audience, and the DTM is also increasingly attracting female fans. Going forward, we are focusing on more entertainment off the track and are consistently expanding the event platform this year to offer visitors an even better experience,” says the new DTM Managing Director, Claudia Wagner. “We have further expanded our TV and streaming offerings; this year, the DTM can be seen live or on replay in around 200 territories worldwide.”
