DTM events in 2016: Nine events, 18 races

Since last year, the DTM has been delivering a double dose of action, with two races held on each DTM weekend – the first one on Saturday and the second one on Sunday. The 2016 season features nine events with a total of 18 races. Five events are held in Germany, plus there will be races in Austria, the Netherlands, Russia and Hungary.

Hockenheim (D)

Race 1 (round 1): Saturday, May 7, 16:00 (race start)

Race 2 (round 2): Sunday, May 8, 14:30

Track length: 4.574 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Mattias Ekström (Audi), 1m 32.244s (2008)

Race record on this track: Martin Tomczyk (BMW), 1m 32.532s (2014)

Audi victories in DTM season opener at Hockenheim:

2002 Laurent Aiello, Abt-Audi TT-R; 2007 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2008 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2009 Tom Kristensen, Audi A4 DTM; 2015 (Saturday) Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Mattias Ekström, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Saturday) Edoardo Mortara, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Jamie Green:

“Hockenheim is where the DTM is at home. And the season opener is always very special. The long wait is over, all the drivers are fully motivated and the excitement of the fans is boundless. As soon as the starting lights go off, it doesn’t matter what happened before – the only thing that matters is the moment. Last season, I celebrated my first victory in a season opener, preceded by incredibly hard work, because details make the difference between success and failure. It all starts with the set-up. For the many fast and semi-fast turns the car has to generate downforce. That’s why aerodynamic efficiency is a very important aspect of the set-up. Highlights for the drivers and the crowd are the Parabolika and the hairpin. Top speed, slip stream duels and braking mistakes – this is where everything happens that makes fan and race driver hearts beat faster.”

Red Bull Ring Spielberg (A)

Race 1 (round 3): Saturday, May 21, 17:45

Race 2 (round 4): Sunday, May 22, 15:10

Track length: 4.326 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Jamie Green (Audi), 1m 22.680s (2016)

Race record on this track: Mattias Ekström (Audi), 1m 23.442s (2016)

Audi victories in the DTM at the Red Bull Ring:

2011 Martin Tomczyk, Audi A4 DTM; 2012 Edoardo Mortara, Audi A5 DTM; 2015 (Saturday) Edoardo Mortara, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Mattias Ekström, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Edoardo Mortara:

“Spielberg is one of the most beautiful facilities and there are several reasons why it’s one of my favorite tracks on the DTM’s race calendar. First of all, I’ve always been successful there, which my DTM victories show. In addition, the atmosphere on this challenging roller-coaster track is always very special, which is largely due to the Austrian fans. My favorite section is in the last sector that goes downhill and which ends in a fast but difficult corner on the start-finish straight. I also like the surroundings in Spielberg because the Red Bull Ring is embedded in fantastic scenery that is unique on the DTM race calendar.”

Lausitzring (D)

Race 1 (round 5): Saturday, June 4, 15:10

Race 2 (round 6): Sunday, June 5, 15:25

Track length: 3.478 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Miguel Molina (Audi), 1m 16.619s (2016)

Race record on this track: Jamie Green (Audi), 1m 17.840s (2016)

Audi victories in the DTM at the Lausitzring:

2004 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2005 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2011 Martin Tomczyk, Audi A4 DTM; 2015 (Saturday) Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Jamie Green, Audi RS DTM; 2016 (Saturday) Miguel Molina, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Adrien Tambay:

“At the Lausitzring, finding the right rhythm poses a challenge over and over. It’s an unusual layout because we’re driving on a part of the tri-oval and then return to a section on the infield. The walls are close to the track, so you have to be careful going to the limit. For the spectators, it’s great, as they have a unique overview from the grandstands. And at the end of the long straight, there’s a good overtaking opportunity so that they get to see a lot of action.”

Norisring (D)

Race 1 (round 7): Saturday, June 25, 13:25

Race 2 (round 8): Sunday, June 26, 13:10

Track length: 2.300 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz), 47.785s (2008)

Race record on this track: Robert Wickens (Mercedes-Benz), 48.178s (2015)

Audi victories in the DTM at the Norisring

1990 Hans-Joachim Stuck, Audi V8 quattro; 1991 Hans-Joachim Stuck, Audi V8 quattro; 2002 Laurent Aiello, Abt-Audi TT-R; 2016 (Saturday) Edoardo Mortara, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2016 (Sunday) Nico Müller, Audi RS 5 DTM

Track description by Jamie Green:

“With respect to thrilling racing and gripping overtaking maneuvers the Norisring – Audi’s home track – is the best race track of all. That was even the case in the days before DRS and now even more so. Obviously, I’ve got fond memories of the Norisring due to my victories there, although it’s actually not a track that’s particularly enjoyable from a driving perspective. This track is primarily about braking, slow turns and driving with little downforce, in a way we normally don’t drive in the DTM. Because the Norisring has only straights and extremely slow turns, you can get closer to the car in front. As a result, the duels are fiercer and more thrilling than on any other DTM race track. And the atmosphere with the many fans gives you goose bumps – especially, of course, as an Audi driver, because, due to Ingolstadt being so close, a lot of ‘Audians’ visit the race in Nuremberg.”

Zandvoort (NL)

Race 1 (round 9): Saturday, July 16, 18:05

Race 2 (round 10): Sunday, July 17, 13:40

Track length: 4.307 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Pascal Wehrlein (Mercedes-Benz), 1m 30.449s (2014)

Race record on this track: Marco Wittmann (BMW), 1m 32.296s (2013)

Aud-victories in the DTM at Zandvoort:

2002 Mattias Ekström, Abt-Audi TT-R; 2004 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2006 Tom Kristensen, Audi A4 DTM; 2007 Martin Tomczyk, Audi A4 DTM; 2008 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2011 Mike Rockenfeller, Audi A4 DTM; 2012 Edoardo Mortara, Audi A5 DTM; 2014 Mattias Ekström, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2016 (Sunday) Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Mattias Ekström:

“Zandvoort is one of my favorite tracks. It has many nice corners with great combinations, going up and down. The circuit has a fantastic rhythm. Zandvoort is also one of the few tracks with good overtaking opportunities, which means you can win even from a bad grid position. At the beginning of the race weekend, the tarmac has hardly any grip, but you can feel it increasing lap by lap. The thing I like most at Zandvoort is the blind corners – that’s where you need a lot of confidence in your car.”

Moscow Raceway (RUS)

Race 1 (round 11): Saturday, August 20, 14:30 (12:05 CEST)

Race 2 (round 12): Sunday, August 30, 14:10 (12:45 CEST)

Track length: 3.931 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Maxime Martin (BMW), 1m 28.523s (2014)

Race record on this track: Miguel Molina (Audi), 1m 28.305s (2014)

Audi victories in the DTM at Moscow Raceway:

2013 Mike Rockenfeller, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Mike Rockenfeller, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Mike Rockenfeller:

“I feel very comfortable at Moscow Raceway. After all, I’ve won there twice. The track is a real challenge, very difficult, with a demanding configuration. The layout combines fast and slow turns, and turns you have to enter by braking. The facility meets the highest standards and the local fans have by now become real DTM experts. Moscow is definitely an adventure and one of the most exotic stops on the DTM race calendar as far as I’m concerned. PR activities in this world metropolis are particularly enjoyable – after all, who can claim to have driven around the Kremlin in an Audi RS 5 DTM?”

Nürburgring (D)

Race 1 (round 13): Saturday, September 10, 14:55

Race 2 (round 14): Sunday, September 11, 15:10

Track length: 3.629 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Miguel Molina (Audi), 1m 21.732s (2015)

Race record on this track: Marco Wittmann (BMW), 1m 23.175s (2014)

Audi victories in the DTM at the Nürburgring:

1990 Walter Röhrl, Audi V8 quattro; 1992 Frank Biela, Audi V8 quattro; 2001 Laurent Aiello, Abt-Audi TT-R (both races); 2003 Laurent Aiello, Abt-Audi TT-R; 2005 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2007 Martin Tomczyk, Audi A4 DTM; 2009 Martin Tomczyk, Audi A4 DTM; 2011 Mattias Ekström, Audi A4 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Miguel Molina, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Miguel Molina:

“I’ll always remember the Nürburgring – after all, I lived not far from the “Ring” for half a year. But also due to my success there, it’s like a second home for me in a way. Last season, I clinched my first DTM victory at the Nürburgring – a nice confirmation of my work, because I’ve always been fast there. The track configuration makes high demands on the driver. Maximum concentration is necessary – every second, because the track combines fast and slow sections. Keeping your rhythm is extremely important as well. If your timing is wrong in the chicane in front of the last turn, that’ll cost you a lot of time. The changeable weather conditions are another challenge that makes the Nürburgring special. But, fortunately, changeable weather affects all the drivers.”

Hungaroring (H)

Race 1 (round 15): Saturday, September 24, 15:00

Race 2 (round 16): Sunday, September 25, 15:10

Track length: 4.381 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Edoardo Mortara (Audi), 1m 34.984s (2016)

Race record on this track: Mattias Ekström (Audi), 1m 36.538s (2016)

Audi victories in the DTM at the Hungaroring:

2016 (Saturday) Edoardo Mortara, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2016 (Sunday) Mattias Ekström, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Nico Müller:

“Budapest has a special flair and, for me, the Hungaroring numbers among the greatest challenges on the DTM calendar. I’ve won here before in junior series – but that was hard work. The track configuration is very technical. It’s arguably the track with the largest number of turns on the calendar, on which you mustn’t let go of the steering wheel. If you make a mistake, you’ll carry it with you for a long time, as every corner will influence the following ones. Overtaking opportunities are rare – even with DRS. In addition to its flair of a European metropolis, Budapest scores with its motorsport culture. The fans are very enthusiastic and you can immediately feel that Formula One has been at home here for many years.”

Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D), finale

Race 1 (round 17): Saturday, October 15, 14:55

Race 2 (round 18): Sunday, October 16, 15:15

Track length: 4.574 kilometers

Qualifying record on this track: Mattias Ekström (Audi), 1m 32.244s (2008)

Race record on this track: Martin Tomczyk (BMW), 1m 32.532s (2014)

Audi victories in the DTM finale at Hockenheim:

1990 Hans-Joachim Stuck, Audi V8 quattro (both races); 1991 Frank Biela, Audi V8 quattro (both races); 2008 Timo Scheider, Audi A4 DTM; 2014 Mattias Ekström, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Saturday) Timo Scheider, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2015 (Sunday) Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2016 (Saturday) Miguel Molina, Audi RS 5 DTM; 2016 (Sunday) Edoardo Mortara, Audi RS 5 DTM.

Track description by Timo Scheider:

“For me, the finale at Hockenheim is linked to a number of very special memories because, after all, I became DTM Champion there in 2008 and 2009. The Hockenheimring is regarded as the ‘DTM’s living room’ for good reason, because the atmosphere is unique and the thousands of fans flocking to the race are really enthusiastic. The two first sectors of the track are absolute high-speed sections, with the Parabolika and the hairpin as highlights for fans and drivers. My favorite section, though, is in the last sector at the entrance to the Motodrom. There, we can feel the presence of the fans in the grandstands with particular intensity – absolutely a goose bump sensation.”