HOCKENHEIM, Germany — The DTM is making its junior development program, “Road to DTM,” even more targeted for the 2027 season. In the program’s third year, young talents will be supported on their career path with a funding pool of €1.5 million in cash and prizes.
The focus is on direct progression to the next higher motorsport league.
To achieve this, the support packages at all levels will be even more closely aligned with the next career step. The “Road to DTM” leads from the German Kart Championship through the BMW M2 Cup and the ADAC GT4 Germany to the ADAC GT Masters and ultimately to the DTM.
“Starting next year, we are clearly refining the ‘Road to DTM’ pathway from junior racing series to professional top-level motorsport in the DTM,” emphasizes ADAC Motorsport Director Thomas Voss. “It is crucial for us that talented drivers receive the support they need to take the next step after achieving success. Therefore, we have redistributed existing prize money pools and bonuses and are focusing our support even more specifically on direct advancement from the respective series in 2027. Finn Wiebelhaus is a prime example of how this path can work. He made it through junior racing and the ADAC GT Masters all the way to the DTM. We want to facilitate such careers even more effectively with the ‘Road to DTM’ in the future.”
The prize money pool in the ADAC GT Masters will increase to €775,000. Starting next year, the winner of the “Road to DTM” in the ADAC GT Masters will receive a support package worth €620,000. This includes entry fees for one DTM season, a package of Pirelli tires for the entire season, and a cash prize.
The ADAC GT4 Germany series will be significantly restructured and integrated into the program with its own “Road to DTM” classification, similar to the ADAC GT Masters. This new classification will consider not only race results but also qualifying performances and a factor for sporting fairness. The prize money pool will increase to approximately €330,000 in cash and prizes. The winner of the newly created “Road to DTM” classification will receive a support package worth €235,000 to facilitate their move up to the ADAC GT Masters.
In the BMW M2 Cup, the total funding package increases to €305,000. The winner of the “Road to DTM” standings will receive €170,000 in funding, which is intended to facilitate their promotion to the ADAC GT4 Germany series the following season.
The German Kart Championship serves as the entry point to the “Road to DTM.” The junior development program is integrated into the OK-N category there. The winner of the “Road to DTM” receives €78,000 in support for a full season in the BMW M2 Cup or the ADAC GT4 Germany, thus offering the chance for a direct transition from karting to motorsport.
