Registration for the 2026 DTM season is coming to an end: What is the current status, which cars could still be added, and what about new manufacturers?
There are 73 days to go until the start of the 2026 DTM season in Spielberg – and the early bird registration period for the 2026 DTM season ended on January 31. Two projects have already been unveiled: the Aston Martin team Comtoyou and the Porsche team Land.
According to reports, the teams have taken advantage of the slightly more favorable conditions to name their vehicles, which already paints a clear picture for the 2026 season. However, there are indications that not many more cars will be added: there is talk of one or at most two cars, but it is currently unclear whether these will materialize.
But what does all this mean in concrete terms? The DTM field is currently extremely stable. Apart from the Lamborghini team Paul Motorsport, which will not be getting a new Temerario GT3 and will therefore be leaving the DTM, all teams from last year are expected to remain in the series.
Which cars are still uncertain
After 24 cars were on the grid in 2025, there will be fewer cars in 2026 – unless there is another surprise. This is due to the fact that, in addition to Paul’s departure, the championship-winning Manthey team is also reducing its commitment from three to two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.
Another reduction is also looming for the Emil Frey team: the third Ferrari, which was driven by Briton Ben Green in 2025 and was also a last-minute addition at the time, is one of the cars whose participation is unclear.
The other car that is marked with a question mark is the second Land Porsche: In November 2025, Wolfgang Land made no secret of the fact that, in addition to the 911 GT3 R already presented by Bastian Buus, he would like to field a second 911 in the DTM. In both cases, it cannot be ruled out that the project will fail due to financing issues.
Current status: How many cars can be expected?
If the additional Porsche and Ferrari are not realized. If they are, there will be 23 cars.
Nevertheless, apart from the departure of champion Ayhancan Güven, DTM star Rene Rast, and title contenders Jack Aitken and Jordan Pepper, the DTM will in all likelihood have to make do with one less brand in 2026 than in 2025: So far, there are no signs that anyone else will be competing in the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II this year after the Land team switched from Audi to Porsche.
However, that’s exactly how it looked a year ago, before the Allied team ran into financial turmoil and Ricardo Feller, together with the Land team, brought the Audi onto the starting grid after all. Without Audi, there will most likely be eight brands in the DTM in 2026.
What about new manufacturers?
What about new manufacturers? “There will be new cars—and one Japanese manufacturer in particular is relatively far along,” says ADAC motorsport boss Thomas Voss. “But the cars won’t be ready for 2026.”
It’s no secret what Voss is alluding to: Toyota has already presented its new GR GT3 car, but it won’t replace the Lexus until 2027. And even after the use of a Corvette, which has not yet made the leap to Europe, it doesn’t look like it will happen at the moment.
“Of course, a Toyota or a Corvette would be nice,” Voss knows. “But unlike in the past with the ITR, that’s not our job as promoters. That’s something the teams have to take care of.” So it will be interesting to see whether anything happens in the next two and a half weeks before the entry deadline on February 28 and whether there will be any last-minute surprises, as has so often been the case in previous years.