DTM looks back on more than 40 years of ups and downs: the most important milestones – from its inaugural season in 1984 to the current GT3 era – at a glance
For more than 40 years, DTM has stood for spectacular motorsport in Germany. Founded in 1984 as the “Deutsche Produktionswagen-Meisterschaft”, or DPM for short, the series offered an affordable alternative to the Deutsche Rennsport-Meisterschaft (DRM) and laid the foundation for a new era in German motorsport with production-based touring cars.
Known only from 1986 under the name “Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft” (DTM), the series quickly developed into a stage for factory teams competing for the championship with innovative concepts and intense competition.
In its more than 40-year history, the DTM has experienced both glorious highlights and difficult phases, including an interim cancellation of the series.
In the early years, manufacturers such as Audi and Ford set new standards with advanced powertrains and technical innovations. However, the rapidly rising development costs led to tensions and ultimately even the withdrawal of several manufacturers and teams.
1996: Attempt at internationalization fails
The attempt to create a global platform with the International Touring Car Championship (ITC) failed in 1996 due to the immense financial burden, and the series temporarily disappeared from the scene for a few years.
It was only the relaunch in 2000 as the “Deutsches Tourenwagen-Masters” that brought a fresh breeze again: with simplified regulations and spectacular vehicles, the DTM was able to regain its position as one of the leading racing series in the world, even though silhouette prototypes were now used instead of touring cars.
This was also the reason why the three letters eventually ceased to be used as an abbreviation, with only the name DTM being used. Brands such as Audi, Mercedes and Opel shaped the era after the turn of the millennium. But again, crises, such as the withdrawals of Opel in 2005, Mercedes in 2018 and Audi in 2020, as well as the consequences of the Corona pandemic, pushed the popular racing series to its limits.
2021: The DTM becomes a GT3 championship
With the introduction of GT3 regulations in 2021, the DTM embarked on a new path. A stronger focus on cost reduction and greater brand diversity made the series more attractive again – and thus also attracted new manufacturers and teams.
Since 2023, the DTM has been run by the ADAC and remains a central part of international motorsport.