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The 2026 DTM championship opens at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg over the weekend of 24 April to 26 April 2026. This season presents a compact, high-quality entry of 21 drivers drawn from top factory programmes and independent outfits. With a mix of experienced champions, established winners and young rookies, the grid promises tight competition from the first practice session through to the second race.
Behind the headline numbers lies a shift in personnel that will shape intra-team battles and title hopes. Four prominent names who featured last year are absent: Ayhancan Guven (now in Formula E), three-time champion Rene Rast, Jack Aitken and Jordan Pepper. Several other regulars also moved on, opening seats for newcomers. The field includes drivers from 11 nations, with Germany supplying eight entries; it also counts 11 race winners and three former DTM champions. The average age sits at 29.5, a touch older than last season.
What changed and why it matters
Driver departures are more than names on a list: they alter team hierarchies and strategy. Guven switched to Formula E, while Rast and Aitken focus on prototype programmes. Jordan Pepper moved to BMW, but with no DTM seat available he won’t contest the series. Additional exits include Morris Schuring, Fabio Scherer, Ben Green and Gilles Magnus, bringing the total turn-over to eight drivers. Into those vacancies step five newcomers — four true rookies — who must adapt quickly to the series’ peculiar demands, such as the ban on tyre warmers and limited on-track preparation.
Drivers to watch
The roster blends veterans and rising talents. Keep an eye on Kelvin van der Linde (Schubert BMW), who returns to DTM as the driver replacing Rene Rast and arrives with momentum after success in other categories. At Schubert the experienced two-time champion Marco Wittmann becomes a clear team leader. The Manthey pairing of Thomas Preining and Ricardo Feller sets up a compelling internal duel as Manthey is widely regarded as the benchmark in the Porsche camp.
Young guns and storylines
Several younger drivers could disrupt the established order. Ben Dorr (Dorr McLaren), who topped qualifying last season, and Finn Wiebelhaus (HRT Ford), the first Road to DTM winner to graduate into the series, bring pace and hunger. Other notable names include Marco Mapelli debuting with Abt Lamborghini, the returning Mirko Bortolotti at Grasser, former F1 driver Timo Glock aiming to rebound, and consistent frontrunner Maro Engel with Winward Mercedes. The field also includes drivers such as Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, Arjun Maini and Luca Engstler, each carrying distinct expectations and team roles.
Broadcast, the Spielberg timetable and pre-season testing
Fans can watch the weekend live on free-to-air television and through streaming. Both races at the Red Bull Ring will be broadcast on ProSieben, while practice sessions, qualifying and additional coverage stream on Joyn. ran will provide a live ticker for both qualifying sessions and races. The official schedule lists Friday 24 April for practice, Saturday 25 April for the first race (13:30 local), and Sunday 26 April for the second race (13:30 local); the circuit measures 4.318 km, with Race One set over 38 laps and Race Two over 37 laps.
Test impressions
Pre-event running at Spielberg offered clues: Ben Dorr posted the test pace with a 1:28.199 lap, underlining McLaren’s potential, while his teammate Timo Glock suffered mechanical troubles that limited mileage. With the series enforcing strict limits — only four official test days after the Spielberg opener — teams will need to maximize every minute. Add the emphasis on cold tyre management because no tyre warmers are permitted, and the result is a championship where setup fidelity and driver skill in tyre warming will be decisive.
With a tightly composed grid of factory-supported entries, headline driver moves, and several high-potential rookies, the DTM opener at Spielberg promises intense racing and strategic intrigue. Expect close qualifying battles, careful tyre work, and team rivalries that will only deepen as the season unfolds.