DTM Press Release
11 races, one debut: in its 14th season since the revival back in 2000, DTM will enter virgin soil. For the first time in its history, the most popular international touring-car series is going to contest a race in Russia, next year. On 4th August, 2013, reigning DTM Champion Bruno Spengler and his fellow BMW drivers as well as his opponents representing the Audi and Mercedes-Benz camps will start into the race held at the new circuit located just outside of Moscow. With this new race at Russia’s capital, DTM keeps on pressing ahead with its internationalisation - just a week after the signing of a cooperation deal with the Japanese Super GT for the years from 2014.
“For DTM, the race in Moscow is an important step on the way to breaking into new markets,” says Hans Werner Aufrecht, Chairman of DTM rights holder and promoter ITR e.V. “For the series and our manufacturers - Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz - racing in a country such as Moscow represents a big chance of presenting themselves internationally in front of a new crowd.”
Nonetheless, DTM will remain rooted in Germany, with six of the eleven races of the 2013 season being held on German soil. Traditionally, the season will be kicked off at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg - on 5th May. The other German races will be held at the Lausitzring (16th June), Nuremberg’s Norisring (7th July), the Nürburgring in the Eifel region (18th August), the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben (15th September) - and for the big season finale (20th October) DTM will return to Hockenheim.
In addition to the race at Moscow, the 2013 calendar comprises another four abroad races. On 19th May, DTM will race at Brands Hatch/UK and two weeks later (2nd June), the DTM teams and drivers will battle it out for championship points at Austria’s Red Bull Ring. On 21st July, Zandvoort, Netherlands, will be the venue of the next abroad race and on 29th September, DTM will be racing in Spain - with the venue still having to be determined.
At the same time, the event in Munich’s Olympic Stadium has lost its position on the DTM calendar. Following the two successful appearances in 2011 and 2012, ITR e.V. and Olympiapark GmbH jointly opted for not exercising the option for a third DTM appearance in the tradition-rich stadium. The reason: the wish to award points in this extraordinary event just couldn’t be realised.
“We had two great years in Munich’s Olympic Stadium and we thank all those involved for this opportunity to entertain the DTM enthusiasts in an unfamiliar environment and virtually right at their doorsteps,” says Hans Werner Aufrecht. “Meanwhile, we weren’t able to make the next step - turning the event into a championship round - as ensuring absolute equality of opportunities is just impossible, on a parallel racetrack.”
“We always made clear that there was only one way to establishing the DTM event in the Olympic Stadium as constant on the DTM calendar - by turning it into a championship round,” added Ralph Huber, the Olympiapark GmbH CEO. “That’s what we owe to the Munich crowds that are true sports enthusiasts. Nonetheless, we have to thank ITR for the extraordinary cooperation in the past two years.”
The 2013 DTM calendar at a glance*
5th May Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D)
19th May Brands Hatch (GB)
2nd June Red Bull Ring Spielberg (A)
16th June Lausitzring (D)
7th July Norisring (D)
21st July Circuit Park Zandvoort (NL)
4th August Moscow (RUS)
18th August Nürburgring (D)
15th September Motorsport Arena Oschersleben (D)
29th September
TBA
20th October Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D)
* Subject to approval by FIA
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