Major investments, clear ambitions—and now a U-turn: Why the Salzburgring is rethinking its DTM plans following last year’s GT3 dress rehearsal
For years, the Salzburgring has been striving for a spot on the DTM calendar. The historic Austrian racetrack, located in southern Germany’s catchment area, had even already secured a contract with Gerhard Berger for 2023 before the DTM boss sold the series to the ADAC—and the dream was dashed prematurely.
Following discussions with the ADAC, the DTM dress rehearsal finally took place in September 2025, when the ADAC GT Masters made a guest appearance in front of around 10,000 spectators at the picturesque high-speed racetrack in Nesselgraben. But now the tide seems to have turned regarding a DTM comeback in 2027.
“We’ve been asking ourselves whether there’s a need for the DTM here,” Salzburgring Managing Director Ernst Penninger clarified to the Kronen Zeitung. “The track can handle it, but the surrounding logistics are an issue for us: campsites, traffic, and infrastructure. Besides, we already have a DTM race in Austria at the Red Bull Ring”
“Goal: to further establish ourselves in the second tier of motorsport”
The statement comes as a surprise, as Penninger had previously been working intensively to bring the DTM back to the Salzburgring following the guest appearances in 1987 and 1988, when the races had to be canceled after mass accidents. What triggered this change of heart?
“I was at the DTM season opener in Styria last week and saw the amount of effort that goes into it,” Penninger explains. “I had to admit to myself that a premium product like the DTM probably doesn’t really suit us. Our goal must be to further establish ourselves in the second tier of motorsport.”
What he means by this is clear: at least as long as the DTM has a home in Austria at Spielberg, the Salzburgring wants to continue hosting the ADAC GT Masters, which took place last year as part of the ADAC Racing Weekend, which focuses on grassroots racing.
Salzburgring Further Improved After Serious Accidents
An event that is significantly easier to organize in the narrow Nesselgraben with its natural grandstands than a DTM weekend like the recent one in Spielberg with 51,000 spectators, especially in bad weather conditions.
The fact that the Salzburgring—whose run-off area is limited by the topography, similar to the Nürburgring Nordschleife—is fundamentally suitable for GT3 was proven last year, although there were two serious accidents due to tire damage during the ADAC GT Masters. Analysis revealed that the tire failures were primarily due to the teams’ use of the tires.
To better secure the affected section, an FIA safety barrier was installed in the paddock curve for the 2026 season. Additionally, the run-off area in the first corner was optimized to prevent as much gravel from being carried onto the track by the cars.
This is just one of numerous improvements made in recent years to make the racetrack DTM-ready, including a state-of-the-art “Race Control” room on par with Formula 1 standards. At least the ADAC GT Masters will benefit from this, as it returns to the Salzburgring in 2026.
