DTM — the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — is Germany's premier GT sprint series, promoted by the ADAC. It carries a German touring-car tradition dating back to the 1980s, and 2026 marks its 40th season.
Since 2021, DTM has run GT3 cars: customer racing machinery built to a common international standard, rather than the bespoke touring cars of its earlier eras. 2026 is the sixth season under these Group GT3 rules. Eight manufacturers line up — Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Ford and McLaren — giving the grid unusual variety for a single national championship.
The format is built for short, intense racing: eight weekends, each with two sprint races, for sixteen races a season. Every race runs about 55 minutes plus a lap and includes a mandatory pit stop. Points reward the top fifteen finishers, with a bonus for the fastest qualifiers.
The calendar mixes permanent circuits with the famous Norisring street race in Nuremberg — long the series' biggest draw.