Simply days earlier than the season opener in Spielberg this weekend, the DTM revealed the ultimate rules for the 2026 season.
The important thing innovation this season is the unique DTM particular tyre, which is designed not solely to ship higher lap occasions and higher tyre degradation, but additionally to permit higher management of DTM testing restrictions. It is because the tyres are used completely within the DTM and have to be returned to Pirelli by the groups.
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Whereas it was initially mentioned that groups would possibly obtain, for instance, 50 units of tyres per automobile for all the season after which be free to resolve when to make use of them, the organisers have now opted for a two-pool system.
As for the race-day tyre pool, the foundations stay largely unchanged: as earlier than, groups will obtain 4 units of latest tyres for the 2 race days on the season opener in Austria, the season finale in Hockenheim, and on the tyre-demanding tracks of Zandvoort and Sachsenring.
At Lausitzring, Norisring, Oschersleben, and Nurburgring, groups will obtain three units. The rule of 1 obligatory pit cease on Saturday and two on Sunday additionally stays in place for 2026.
A separate tyre pool for testing and apply periods
Main modifications apply to the tyre pool for restricted DTM checks and free apply periods: these tyre units are not merely allotted per race weekend, however are as a substitute tracked in a operating account.
Every automobile is credited with one set of latest tyres when it participates in a DTM weekend. Tyres for the 4 official check days and one personal check day are all the time allotted, no matter whether or not the workforce really takes half.
When tyres are used, they’re deducted from the account. The account could by no means go damaging. This forces groups to assume strategically: in the event that they use many new tyres early within the season, they are going to have fewer obtainable later.
The DTM grid for 2026
Photograph by: ADAC Motorsport
Three new tyre units allowed in a single apply session
This season, it’s theoretically doable to make use of three new units of tyres in a single free apply session. Nonetheless, there are limits on what number of new units can be utilized:
Free apply: most of three new setsOfficial check day: most of six new setsPrivate check day: most of 4 new units
So, even when a workforce nonetheless has many tyres in its account, it can not use extra units than this restrict permits.
Throughout the 2 free apply periods in a race weekend, a most of three tyre units could also be used. Groups might also use older tyres – so-called carry-over units from earlier race weekends or checks.
After every check day and race weekend, a strict restrict applies: a workforce could hold not more than 5 tyre units per automobile in its possession. Any units past that have to be returned to Pirelli and are then completely faraway from the allocation. These tyres might not be used once more later.
How DTM desires to stop a tyre black market
There is just one exception: for the formally accredited personal check day, every automobile could obtain as much as 4 further new tyre units from its present allocation. The catch: these further tyres have to be returned earlier than the following occasion.
With this rule, the collection goals to stop the brand new DTM tyre from being bought on the black market and to eradicate alternatives for unauthorised testing.
Personal testing on DTM circuits was already restricted to 5 check days per automobile with the present Pirelli P Zero DHG tyre.
Nonetheless, checks on circuits not included within the 2026 DTM calendar are nonetheless allowed for DTM members utilizing the brand new particular tyre. In that case, groups should use tyres from their seasonal allocation.
Rene Rast, Schubert Motorsport
Photograph by: Markus Toppmöller
The Rene Rast rule: regulatory loophole closed
Apart from that, a loophole in final 12 months’s rules has additionally been closed, and a form of “Rene Rast rule” has been launched.
Final 12 months, the Schubert Motorsport workforce exploited a loophole in the course of the Nurburgring victory for retired racer Rene Rast. Due to a broken rim earlier than the restart, the workforce was allowed to herald an extra tyre from Friday’s allocation.
Since Schubert later changed the broken rim on the opposite wheel with an intact one, they successfully had one further tyre obtainable in comparison with their rivals.
That benefit will not be doable: below the 2026 guidelines, the discarded wheel should now be faraway from the tyre allocation, stopping groups from gaining an additional tyre by means of such a manoeuvre.
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