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02 October, Wednesday

DTM 2025 with renowned circuits in Germany and Europe

The DTM has released the race dates for the 2025 season and is sticking with proven locations. Drivers, teams and fans can look forward to 16 championship races at eight events. The first two DTM victories will be contested at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben from April 25 to 27 next year. The season finale will traditionally take place at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (October...
DTM 2025 with renowned circuits in Germany and Europe

02.10.2024

The DTM has released the race dates for the 2025 season and is sticking with proven locations. Drivers, teams and fans can look forward to 16 championship races at eight events. The first two DTM victories will be contested at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben from April 25 to 27 next year. The season finale will traditionally take place at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (October 3rd-5th). In addition to six race weekends in Germany, the DTM will also travel to the Netherlands and Austria. Tickets for the 2025 DTM will be available from October 20th, 2024 here. After the season opener at Oschersleben, the DTM stars will head to the Dekra Lausitzring (May 23rd-25th). The first foreign race of the year will be at the Circuit Zandvoort on the Dutch North Sea coast from June 6th to 8th. After that, the DTM will be transformed into the fastest city traffic in Germany: the Norisring (July 4th to 6th) in Nuremberg, the only street circuit in the country, is one of the highlights on the calendar. The Nürburgring (August 8th to 10th) marks the start of the second half of the season, in which all remaining events will be held at two or three-week intervals. The Sachsenring (August 22nd to 24th) will be another stop at a traditional German circuit, before the mountains of Austria provide the backdrop for the DTM at the Red Bull Ring (September 12th to 14th). The season showdown will be held at Hockenheim (October 3rd to 5th), with the finale taking place 14 days earlier than in the past two years. “The fans' enthusiasm for the DTM is high, which shows that we are on the right track with the calendar. In recent months, we have intensively examined exciting venues for the DTM. However, since we have seen a significant increase in visitor numbers at all events in Germany this year, we will stick to the proven venues for the 2025 season,” says ADAC Head of Motorsport Thomas Voss. The 2024 season finale and title decision is still to be held at Hockenheim. From October 18th to 20th, 2024, Mirko Bortolotti (Lamborghini), Kelvin van der Linde (Audi) and Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG) will fight for the title in a three-way battle in the DTM's anniversary season. Tickets for the finale are available from 39 euros here. Race calendar DTM 202525.04.-27.04.2025 Motorsport Arena Oschersleben23.05.-25.05.2025 Dekra Lausitzring06.06.-08.06.2025 Circuit Zandvoort (NL)04.07.-06.07.2025 Norisring08.08.-10.08.2025 Nürburgring22.08.-24.08.2025 Sachsenring12.09.-14.09.2025 Red Bull Ring (A) presented by VKB BankOctober 3-5, 2025 Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg

Nürburgring gives outlook on the 2025 annual calendar

04.09.2024

With the current season still in full swing at the Nürburgring, the race track and event location is already giving a preview of the coming year. From international highlights to event exotics and from motorsport to entertainment, the 2025 calendar once again promises the unique Nürburgring mix. A current overview: Exciting motorsport highlights in the Green HellNaturally, the world's longest permanent race track is also characterised by an attractive motorsport calendar in 2025. Particularly popular with fans: endurance motorsport on the Nordschleife. The highlight is the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring, which will once again put man and machine to the ultimate test from 19 to 22 June 2025 and promise a gigantic motorsport party together with tens of thousands of fans. As usual, the ADAC Nürburgring Endurance Series (NLS) will kick off the motorsport year. After the first race on 22 March, eight more race days will follow until October, each of which usually falls on a Saturday. Only on 13 and 14 September are two race days scheduled on one weekend for the NLS and therefore also the only race Sunday in the series. The dates of the Nürburgring Rundstrecken Challenge (RCN) are another Nordschleife format on the calendar. Regularity and performance tests offer popular sport from road-legal to race-ready vehicles. From GT3 to XXL: thrilling motorsport from racing cars to race trucksFans of thrilling motorsport will once again get their money's worth on the Grand Prix circuit. The giants of motorsport will compete against each other on the sprint version of the International ADAC Truck Grand Prix from 10 - 13 July. Every year, the event delights visitors with a family-friendly concept of motorsport, festival, colourful paddock and trade fair. Included in the supporting programme: the ADAC GT Masters. The Fanatec GT World Challenge (29 - 31 August) and the Porsche Sports Cup (30 May - 1 June) will feature high-quality racing cars from the world's best-known automotive brands. The Nürburgring Drift Cup, which will host its first round on 26 and 27 April, and GRIP - the motor event that will attract the tuning community to the Eifel on 6 July, are also high on horsepower and, above all, action-packed drifting. The date for the DTM at the Nürburgring has already been finalised. However, fans will have to wait a little longer before the announcement. The racing series will present its annual calendar in the coming days. Experiences with music and muscle powerAway from the roaring sounds of engines, powerful guitar riffs await at the beginning of June. Rock am Ring will get visitors' hearts racing from 6 to 8 June. According to the recently published first wave of bands, ‘Slipknot’ and ‘Bring me the Horizon’ have already been confirmed as headliners for the festival's 40th anniversary alongside other well-known bands. A similar-sounding event name, but with a completely different intention, can be found in the 2025 calendar with Rad am Ring. In mid-July, thousands of tireless participants will once again take to the start line to conquer the Green Hell with their own muscle power. Incidentally, this is also required for the Hotfoot Run - but not on two wheels, but on foot. The obstacle course takes place on 10 May. Fast-paced PS classics in racing actionThe heroes and automotive jewels of days gone by have also once again secured several permanent places on the Ring calendar. Old and youngtimers and memories of many decades of motorsport will be brought to life on the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife. The Nürburgring Classic will kick off 2025 from 13 to 15 June. This will be followed in August by the BELMOT Oldtimer Grand Prix (1st - 3rd) and the legendary ADAC 1000km race from 20th to 21st September. The ADAC RGB season finale, the ADAC Westfalen Trophy and, last but not least, the Kölner Kurs as a historic motorbike event round off the historic programme. Motorbike service and racing on two wheelsSpeaking of motorbikes: after returning to the Nürburgring this year, the International Motorcycle Championship (IDM) is also on the calendar for the coming season. From 5 to 7 September, the series will kick off with thrilling two-wheel racing. There will be impressive pictures of thousands of motorbikes off the racing line at the ‘Anlassen’ motorbike service on 27 April. One of the highlights of the programme: the joint parade around the legendary Nordschleife. Diverse indoor events: entertainment away from the racetrackThe Nürburgring also continues to see a steady increase in events away from the tarmac. And so the 2025 season in the Green Hell starts and ends with indoor events throughout the year. The International Rhine Shiai Karate Tournament will kick off the season on the second weekend in January, while the German Carnival Garda Dance Championship will be the event finale in December. Both events will take place in the ring°arena, as will two cheerleading competitions on 15 and 16 February and the ‘Darts am Ring’ gala in March. The latter is set to become the undisputed fan magnet in the indoor calendar with over 3,000 fans expected. The exact date for the flying darts event will be announced shortly. Further music and entertainment formats at the Nürburgring venues are also scheduled for next year. Comedy at NightWash live, the Nürburgring Family Day and a colourful afternoon at the Disney Channel cinema have been decided for 2025 and will soon be added to the calendar.

ring°guide DTM: Everything at a glance

18.08.2024

Everything you need to know about the DTM from August 16 - 18, 2024. TICKETS Here you will find an overview of the ticket categories. Info: Advance sales continue until August 15, 23:59, after which the box office prices apply. Open box offices: Box office 1 (Historic paddock) Box offices 11 and 11a (Stefan-Bellof-Straße) Box office 12 (Bilstein grandstand T4) Box office 13 (T4) Ticket office 14 (T4a) Ticket office 51 (T12) info°center PARKING Grand Prix circuit A2, A5, A8, A10 B2, B2a, B3, B5 D10, D11 SCHEDULE Click here for the complete race schedule. PROGRAM ON SITE You can find the site plan here. All information for visitors can be found here. DTM Fan Zone The center of the paddock: the DTM Fan Zone. Chill out and enjoy the DTM on a big screen or get an autograph at Meet the Drivers. A visit to the Fan Zone is always worthwhile. Pitwalk Saturday, August 17 from 12:00 - 12:40 p.m. Sunday, August 18 from 12:00 - 12:40 p.m. Award ceremony Saturday, August 17 from 14:30 - 14:45 Sunday, August 18 from 14:30 - 14:45 Meet the Drivers (DTM Fanzone) Saturday, August 17 from 16:15 - 16:45 Autograph session Saturday, August 17 from 14:55 - 15:15 (PSCCD Paddock) Sunday, August 18 from 12:50 - 13:10 (DTM fan zone) DTM Trucks Go & Stop (on the GP track) Saturday, August 17 from 18:30 - 19:30 Sunshine Live After Race Party (in the DTM Fan Zone) Saturday, August 17 from 18:30 - 20:30 German Championship in inclusive e-kart slalom (in the historic paddock) Sunday, August 18 from 09:00 - 16:30 DRIVERS You can find an overview of the DTM startershere here and download the spotter guide here. TIP An additional incentive for motorsport fans to come to the Nürburgring this weekend is the comeback of former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher at the race track. He will be competing together with his son David in the Prototype Cup Germany support series. MEET LEGEND Legend will be on the Nürburgring circuit on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18. Saturday, August 17, 2024 | DTM DTM Fan Zone (Pitwalk) | approx. 11:30 am to approx. 12:00 pm DTM fan zone (autograph session) | approx. 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm ring°boulevard | approx. 1:45 pm to 2:15 pm ring°boulevard | 2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. DTM fan zone (autograph session) | 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm Sunday, August 18, 2024 | DTM ring°boulveard | approx. 09:45 am to approx. 10:15 am ring°boulveard | approx. 10:30 am to approx. 11:00 am DTM Fan Zone (Pitwalk) | approx. 11:30 am to 12:00 pm DTM fan zone (autograph session) | approx. 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ring°boulevard | approx. 1:45 pm to 2:30 pm *Subject to change due to weather conditions LIVE Click here to go directly to the livestreams. FAQ If you have any questions, please take a look at our FAQ.

Maro Engel retains the upper hand in tire poker

18.08.2024

Veteran driver Maro Engel kept his cool in the second DTM qualifying session  at the Nürburgringon Sunday morning  and secured his first pole position of the season. In difficult mixed conditions, the Mercedes-AMG driver opted for wet tires and set the fastest lap of 1:33.750 minutes on the 3.629-kilometer Eifel circuit. “We had to wait a long time for this moment as Mercedes-AMG Team Winward. From my point of view, the tire choice was crucial. I said on the radio that I wanted to continue on wet weather tires. That was the right decision. I'm looking forward to the race and hope for dry conditions,” said a delighted Engel, who is in first place on the grid for the third time in his DTM career. Only 0.007 seconds slower was Ricardo Feller from Abt Sportsline, who was also on wet tires in his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2. Marco Wittmann from Schubert Motorsport, on the other hand, set the third-best time with the Pirelli slicks in his BMW M4 GT3. Luca Stolz drove his HRT Mercedes-AMG GT3 to fourth place, while Mirko Bortolotti, second in the standings, finished the qualifying session in fifth place in the SSR Performance Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2. Abt Sportsline's front-runner Kelvin van der Linde will start Sunday's race at the Nürburgring from seventh place behind Frenchman Franck Perera. On Sunday morning, it did not initially look as if the 20 DTM stars would be able to tackle qualifying at 9:20 am. Typical Eifel fog hung over the traditional circuit, but cleared just in time for the start. Then the tire poker began. On the partly damp track, some drivers opted for slicks, others for the rain tires from Pirelli. The decision was only made shortly before the end: all of the top five drivers set their respective best times in the final seconds of qualifying and were within 0.4 seconds of each other. Due to the different tire strategies, the gaps in the field were much larger than usual in DTM qualifying. Qualifying result, 10th race of the season, Nürburgring Maro Engel (D/Mercedes-AMG Team Winward), 1:33.750 minutesRicardo Feller (CH/Abt Sportsline), +0.007 secondsMarco Wittmann (D/Schubert Motorsport), +0.160 secondsLuca Stolz (D/Mercedes-AMG Team HRT), +0.242 secondsMirko Bortolotti (I/SSR Performance), +0.398 seconds The complete result is available here.

DTM celebrates motorsport festival with 62,500 spectators at the Nürburgring

18.08.2024

The Nürburgring experienced a top-class motorsport festival last weekend, which turned into a real family affair. The two van der Linde brothers, Kelvin and Sheldon, each won one of the two DTM races at the weekend. At the same time, father-son duo Ralf and David Schumacher dominated both Prototype Cup Germany races, while 62,500 motorsport fans young and old witnessed the spectacle up close. The focus of the spectators on both race days: the main races of the DTM, which once again impressively demonstrated what makes this series so special. A starting field with 21 drivers and GT3 cars from seven manufacturers, all of whom can fight for points and surprises. This was also confirmed in the races. While Kelvin van der Linde took both pole position and race victory in his ABT Audi on Saturday, Mercedes-AMG driver Maro Engel came out on top in an extremely exciting qualifying session on Sunday. A little later, in the no less thrilling race, the name van der Linde was once again at the top of the podium. This time, however, with the first name Sheldon. Away from the DTM championship, the supporting program offered Nürburgring visitors a special highlight: the racing comeback of Ralf Schumacher. Together with his son David, the former Formula 1 driver competed in the Prototype Cup Germany for his first race in 12 years and celebrated an impressive one-two victory at the guest appearance in the Eifel. The father-son pairing secured pole position on both Saturday and Sunday and went on to win both races in commanding style. For Ralf Schumacher, it was a return to a familiar venue: the now 49-year-old celebrated his victory in the 2003 European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Last year, he also thrilled the fans at the Red Bull Formula Nürburgring event at the same venue, where he drove demo laps for the spectators in his former Formula 1 car. Meanwhile, the most unusual sight of the weekend was provided by a special fan highlight: the DTM Track Safari. Three coaches took to the track as part of the special DTM session, offering passengers a unique view of the cars. The DTM is the only racing series ever to offer this special, up-close experience. “The DTM celebrated its premiere on the newly opened Grand Prix circuit 40 years ago, and everything came together perfectly again this year,” summarized Nürburgring Managing Director Ingo Böder. “The fact that 62,500 spectators attended this year, around 13,000 more than last year, shows that the DTM is on the right track with its concept and is successfully developing the motorsport format. I think that the Nürburgring once again played its part in an exciting weekend this year and I look forward to welcoming the DTM here again next year.” The ADAC will announce when exactly the DTM will return to the Nürburgring in 2025 when it presents the DTM calendar for next year.

Kelvin van der Linde back in DTM lead after rain gala

17.08.2024

It was a rain gala from Kelvin van der Linde (ZA). The Audi driver from Abt Sportsline was in a different league to the rest of the field at the ninth round of the DTM season at the Nürburgring on Saturday. The South African crossed the finish line in first place with a lead of over 15 seconds and regained the top spot in the standings with his second win of the season. “Winning the race and taking the overall lead is just great. Sometimes it rained more, sometimes less. It was a big challenge to always hit the right braking points in these changing conditions. But despite the rain, I felt really comfortable in the car from the very first lap,” said the 28-year-old van der Linde. Second place went to Mirko Bortolotti (I), who had been the overall leader up to that point, in the SSR Performance Lamborghini, who is second in the championship, just one point behind. Maro Engel (Monaco) from Mercedes-AMG Team Winward secured third place on the podium. Key facts, Nürburgring, Nürburg, Race 9 of 16 Track length: 3,629 meters Weather: 19 degrees, rain Pole position: Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 #3), 1:25.350 minutes Winner: Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 #3) Fastest race lap: Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 #3), 1:38.011 minutes The ninth DTM race of the season was started behind the safety car in the rain. Pole-setter Kelvin van der Linde immediately pulled away from the field in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 and continuously increased his lead. Behind him, Lamborghini works driver Bortolotti was able to defend his second place against Engel in the Mercedes-AMG GT3, who was coming on strongly. His brand colleague Lucas Auer (A) followed in fourth place ahead of Nicki Thiim (DK) from SSR Performance. After the mandatory pit stops, during which all the drivers had Pirelli rain tires fitted again due to the persistent rain, the first four cars held their positions. At the front, van der Linde drove a commanding lead, set the fastest lap shortly before the end and was waved off first after 37 laps ahead of Bortolotti, Engel and Auer. Jack Aitken (GB) in the Ferrari 296 GT3 of the Emil Frey Racing team finished the wet race on the Eifel circuit in fifth place. In the field behind them, the DTM drivers thrilled spectators and fans with fierce wheel-to-wheel duels and many battles for position. Marco Wittmann (GER) from Schubert Motorsport once again showed great fighting spirit and in sixth place in the BMW M4 GT3 made up five places compared to the start. The same applied to Porsche works driver Thomas Preining (A) from Manthey EMA. The defending champion improved by eight positions at his team's home race, impressing with spectacular overtaking maneuvers, especially in the second half of the race, to finish seventh. Thiim was unlucky to lose a lot of ground after contact with Ayhancan Güven (TR) and crossed the finish line in eighth place. Ricardo Feller (CH) in the second Abt Sportsline Audi was unable to finish higher than ninth after a strong start, while Arjun Maini (IND) from Mercedes-AMG Team HRT completed the top ten. Mirko Bortolotti: “Difficult race, great result. That sums up Saturday from my point of view. Kelvin van der Linde was on a completely different level and I couldn't keep up with his pace. Before the start, I would have taken second place immediately in these difficult weather conditions, so I'm very satisfied.” Maro Engel: “It always feels great to be on the podium in the DTM. I tried everything to put pressure on Mirko Bortolotti. Hopefully we can take another step forward on Sunday. You can see from Kelvin van der Linde's times that we still have potential.” Result, 9th championship race, Nürburgring1st Kelvin van der Linde (ZA/Abt Sportsline)2nd Mirko Bortolotti (I/SSR Performance), +15.232 seconds3rd Maro Engel (D/Mercedes-AMG Team Winward), +16.377 seconds4th Lucas Auer (A/Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter), +28.491 seconds5th Jack Aitken (GB/Emil Frey Racing), +30.474 seconds

Impressive triumph for father Ralf and son David Schumacher

17.08.2024

The ninth race of the Prototype Cup Germany season, which was held at the Nürburgring, was a clear victory for Ralf (49/Salzburg) and David Schumacher (22/Salzburg, both US Racing). Six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher took the lead at the start and steadily extended his lead on the track, which was still wet in places. “My father has always been strong in the rain,” said David. Ralf, who was already almost five seconds ahead of second place after two laps, also praised his team for this performance. “The car was great and the tires were quickly in the working window, so it wasn't that difficult to pull away from the front.” David completed the job with an equally good second stint and drove the US Racing Ligier to the finish line with a lead of almost 17 seconds over Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport). Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE) and Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) took third place. Right from the first meter, Ralf Schumacher showed that he is highly motivated on his motorsport comeback after a twelve-year break. He took the lead at the start and pulled away from the field seemingly effortlessly. He saw a potential risk more at the pit stop. “A few mistakes can happen there, which can also hurt. But we also managed the pit stop very well.” For part two of the race, David Schumacher drove the LMP3 car with starting number 27. “The track was already drier for me than it was for my father, so it wasn't a problem. My father was able to give me a good lead, which I had to bring to the finish.” Second place remained for Al Azhari, for which the 16-year-old had to work hard. He was in fifth place after one lap, but then benefited from a penalty against Danny Soufi (21/USA, Konrad Motorsport). The American was identified by race control as the culprit in an accident with Antti Rammo (41/EST, MRS GT-Racing) and was handed a drive-through penalty. Valentino Catalano (18/Westheim, Gebhardt Motorsport) and Apothéloz overtook Al Azhari shortly afterwards to secure second position. While Al Azhari had a lot of work to do, especially in the first half of the race, Cirelli had to give his all in the second half. He got the Mücke-Duqueine from Apothéloz and found himself under constant pressure from Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim, Gebhardt Motorsport). But the 16-year-old Italian made no mistakes, so that the reigning champion Pommer could not find a way past and, together with team partner Catalano, ultimately had to settle for fourth place. Klaus Abbelen (63, Barweiler) and Felipe Laser (36, Leipzig, both Frikadelli Racing Team) finished fifth. Laser impressed with a great chase to catch up and thus helped to ensure that Abbelen was named best Trophy driver. Soufi and Torsten Kratz (53/Mönchengladbach, Konrad Motorsport) crossed the finish line in sixth place ahead of Stefan Aust (52/Münster, Rinaldi Racing), Maxim Dirickx (20/BEL) / Jacob Erlbacher (23/Böblingen, both Gebhardt Motorsport) and Luca Link (20/Günzberg) / Suellio Almeida (30/BRA, both DataLab Sports with Rinaldi). Soufi and Kratz thus remain leaders of the Prototype Cup Germany standings, with an 18-point lead over Apothéloz and Cirelli. In the Junior classification, Soufi now has a 118-point advantage over Catalano; this means that the Konrad Motorsport protégé can no longer be denied the title of best Junior. In the Trophy classification, leader Rammo was able to maintain a narrow lead over Kratz despite his retirement. Keanu Al Azhari (second): “My start was not good because the track was still very wet in places. I didn't find the best line, but I didn't want to take too many risks either. So I lost a few places. But I stayed calm because I knew that the race was still long and my car was really fast.”Julien Apothéloz (third): “The positive thing is that we were able to score important points and, above all, finish ahead of our main rivals for the title. On the other hand, I wasn't entirely satisfied with my own performance, I was simply too slow.” Riccardo Leone Cirelli (third): “I'm delighted with our third place, which wasn't easy to achieve. I had Markus Pommer in my rear-view mirror the whole time and had to make sure that he didn't overtake me - which fortunately I managed to do. This weekend is my first time at the Nürburgring and I think I've improved over the days. I also think it's cool to be on the podium together with a well-known racing driver like Ralf Schumacher.” Click here for the results list of the Prototype Cup Germany.

DTM at the Nürburgring: Bortolotti goes into the second half of the season as the hunted man

13.08.2024

The DTM is coming out of the summer break at full throttle: the Nürburgring opens the second half of the season next weekend (August 16-18). The title fight enters its fifth round on the traditional circuit in the Eifel. The form curve favors front runner Mirko Bortolotti (I), but he has the competition close behind him and therefore needs more top results. Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde from South Africa, who is only six points behind the Lamborghini works driver, has his sights firmly set on the top of the standings. A look at the statistics also promises an exciting weekend - seven different winners have emerged from the eight races so far. An exciting DTM event also awaits Ralf Schumacher. The former Formula 1 driver is celebrating his one-off motorsport comeback alongside his son David. The father-son duo will compete for US Racing in the Prototype Cup Germany. Key facts, Nürburgring, Nürburg, season races 9 and 10 of 16 Track length: 3,629 meters Layout: Eleven corners (seven right-handers, four left-handers), driven in a clockwise direction Winner 2023, Race 1: Mirko Bortolotti (SSR Performance, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2) Winner 2023, Race 2: Maximilian Paul (GRT Grasser Racing Team, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2) Bortolotti and Rast aim to build on strong formBortolotti is currently the man of the moment in the DTM: the SSR Performance driver has scored 52 of his 104 points from the past three qualifying sessions and races. However, Bortolotti is still waiting for his first win of the season - the Nürburgring could come at the perfect time for him. The 34-year-old shone there in the 2023 season with a start-finish victory. Kelvin van der Linde in particular is pushing to reclaim the top position. The 28-year-old from Abt Sportsline led the DTM for four races and, in second place with 98 points, is within striking distance of Bortolotti. "My anticipation is huge. We are right in the middle of the title fight, which gives the whole team extra motivation. The region around the Nürburgring is full of passionate fans, as a driver you always enjoy coming here," says van der Linde. René Rast (Bregenz) from Schubert Motorsport and Maro Engel (Monaco/Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) complete the chasing trio. BMW driver Rast can call himself a true Nürburgring expert. The three-time DTM champion has already achieved three DTM victories on the circuit south of Bonn - all of them for Audi. In the Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3, Rast has scored a strong 65 points in the past four races and jumped from ninth to third place overall. Will the 37-year-old continue his high level of form at the Nürburgring? Defending champion Thomas Preining (A), who drives a Porsche 911 GT3 R with the Grello design that is particularly popular in the Eifel and is seventh overall, is also aiming for a home race. Like Ayhancan Güven (TR), the Porsche works driver will start for Team Manthey EMA, which is based in Meuspath in the immediate vicinity of the Nürburgring. Mercedes-AMG Team HRT also has a short journey. The racing team from Drees will line up with Arjun Maini from India, who lives in Troisdorf near Cologne, and Luca Stolz (Brachbach). Schumacher starts in the Prototype Cup GermanyFans at the Nürburgring can look forward to the appearance of a prominent father-son team. Ralf Schumacher is making his motorsport comeback in the Prototype Cup Germany. The former Formula 1 driver will share a 455 hp Ligier LMP3 prototype from US Racing with his son David Schumacher. "I've wanted to race with David for a long time, so I'm happy to get back into a racing car. The car is a lot of fun and we are looking forward to competing in the Prototype Cup Germany," says Ralf Schumacher. The ADAC GT4 Germany and the all-electric NXT Gen Cup will also be at the Nürburgring. The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany will provide fast-paced one-make cup action. With the DTM Track Safari, fans can look forward to a special kind of racetrack expedition on Friday, when coaches will travel to the Nürburgring together with the DTM's powerful racing cars. A premiere is also on the program in the Eifel: The "DTM Trucks Go and Stop" competition will take place for the first time on Saturday evening from 6.30 pm. The aim is to drive as fast as possible on the start-finish straight with the trucks from the DTM paddock and then brake with pinpoint accuracy. In addition, the Sunshine Live After Race Party on Saturday evening from 6.15 pm in the DTM Fan Zone invites you to extend the race day in the Eifel into the evening. Tickets for the DTM race weekend at the Nürburgring are available from 39 euros here. Children and young people under the age of 16 are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult.

Kelvin van der Linde: Attacking the top of the standings at the Nürburgring

12.08.2024

Seven different winners in eight races: The DTM has had an exciting and varied first half of the season. The second half of the season kicks off at the Nürburgring (August 16 to 18), and one driver in particular is looking forward to the trip to the Eifel: Kelvin van der Linde. "I'm finally back in the race car. I have almost always performed well at the Nürburgring in the past and have already celebrated many successes. I'm looking forward to the weekend," says the South African. So far this year, van der Linde has impressed with one win and a total of three podium finishes. Will the Audi driver from Abt Sportsline storm to the top of the standings at the Nürburgring? Van der Linde goes into the second half of the season as the closest pursuer of championship leader Mirko Bortolotti (Italy). The Lamborghini works driver from SSR Performance recently took over the overall lead from van der Linde at the Norisring and leads by a narrow margin of six points. The sprint version of the Nürburgring is one of the shortest tracks on the DTM calendar. Nevertheless, the 3.629-kilometer asphalt track offers a varied course with winding sections and long corners. "The passion of the fans is very special at the Nürburgring. I won the DTM race there three years ago, plus two victories in the 24-hour race and a joint DTM podium with my brother Sheldon," says van der Linde. The latter experience was a first for him in 2022. Back then, the duo celebrated the first and to date only one-two victory for a brother and sister in the DTM - BMW driver Sheldon won ahead of Kelvin. "Our strength this season lies in the fact that we are consistently scoring points and have not had a single retirement so far," is van der Linde's interim assessment. He has finished in the top six in five of the eight championship races and has always placed his Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo2 in the points. "We only managed one pole position in qualifying, but we put in a strong performance in the races," says van der Linde. The 28-year-old enjoyed his most successful weekend in the first half of the DTM season at the Dekra Lausitzring, where he celebrated his only win of the season so far and scored 48 of his 98 points. At the Nürburgring, the man from Kempten by choice, who has also held German citizenship since the beginning of July, wants to follow up with the next gala performance. Despite all his ambitions for the overall lead, van der Linde must also take a look in the rear-view mirror, because the chasing trio behind Bortolotti are very close together. Only five points separate van der Linde and BMW driver René Rast (Bregenz/Schubert Motorsport) in third place. His lead over Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Winward) is ten points. Thanks to this exciting starting position in the DTM title fight, it is clear that fans can expect exciting race weekends after the summer break. After the fifth tour stop at the Nürburgring, the DTM stars will head to the Sachsenring (September 6 to 8). The second foreign event of the year at the Red Bull Ring (September 27 to 29) in Austria kicks off the hot final phase of the season, before the showdown traditionally takes place at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (October 18 to 20). Tickets for the DTM are available here.