The brand new DTM season kicks off this coming weekend in Spielberg with a subject of 21 drivers. In comparison with final yr, there are 4 notable departures: along with Manthey champion Ayhancan Guven, who’s shifting to Formulation E, three-time champion Rene Rast, Emil Frey Ferrari driver Jack Aitken, and Grasser star Jordan Pepper will not be competing.
Rast and Aitken are specializing in prototypes this yr, whereas Pepper has moved to BMW, the place there are presently no openings within the DTM. These departures supply different top-tier drivers from totally different collection the possibility to fill the void. Right here, Motorsport.com takes a more in-depth have a look at all of the drivers and explains what to anticipate from them in 2026.
Regardless of the departure of 4 high drivers, the beginning grid for the brand new season continues to be completely top-notch, because the DTM attracts the creme de la creme of GT manufacturing facility drivers with its one-driver-per-car idea, which is exclusive in GT3 racing aside from the GT World Cup in Macau.
Drivers from 11 nations, with Germany offering the lion’s share
There are 21 drivers on this yr’s grid, hailing from a complete of 11 nations. As standard, the DTM’s dwelling nation, Germany, accounts for the lion’s share with eight drivers. Italy ranks second with three drivers, adopted by Austria and Denmark with two every. Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, India, and South Africa have one driver every.
In whole, 2026 will see 11 race winners and three DTM champions on the beginning grid. The typical age this yr is 29.5. By the way, it was 28.6 initially of final season, so the sphere has aged barely.
5 rookies in contrast with 2025
However has the sphere truly modified considerably in comparison with the 2025 season finale? Along with the 4 top-tier drivers already talked about who’ve left the DTM, Manthey Porsche driver Morris Schuring, HRT Ford’s Fabio Scherer, Emil Frey Ferrari’s Ben Inexperienced, and Comtoyou Aston Martin driver Gilles Magnus will even not be on the grid this yr, bringing the overall variety of departures to eight.
In distinction, there are 5 newcomers on the beginning grid for the 2026 season, 4 of whom are true rookies and haven’t but competed in a single DTM race. The transition to the DTM shouldn’t be underestimated, as within the ADAC collection — not like within the GT World Problem Europe — the tyres will not be allowed to be heated.
Getting the tyres as much as temperature for the optimum qualifying lap is a nice artwork within the DTM — and requires expertise. What doesn’t make it any simpler is that the DTM has strict testing restrictions, permitting drivers solely 4 check days after the season opener in Spielberg this coming weekend.
2026 DTM grid
DTM 2026: Starterfeld mit 21 Autos steht – wer dabei ist und wer fehlt
Photograph by: ADAC Motorsport
#3 Kelvin van der Linde (RSA/Schubert BMW)
After a yr’s break from the DTM, the previous Abt driver is again – because the successor to Rast within the Schubert BMW, the automotive his brother Sheldon drove to the DTM championship title in 2022. The 29-year-old South African is extremely motivated to repeat that feat in 2026. He already proved his potential to drive the BMW to the highest in different classes in 2025.
#7 Nicki Thiim (DEN/Comtoyou Aston-Martin)
For the ‘Viking’, 2026 is a dream come true. After two powerful DTM years in a Lamborghini, due to a particular allow from his employer Aston Martin, he is lastly behind the wheel of a Vantage and not has to consistently readjust. Will the 37-year-old now be persistently on the entrance of the pack?
#8 Nicolas Baert (BEL/Comtoyou Aston Martin)
The son of workforce proprietor Jean-Michel Baert entered his debut season as a whole outsider, however was surprisingly quick on the Norisring. Though his pole place was revoked as a consequence of unlawful turbo settings, he proved sturdy once more on the second day. Can he replicate this efficiency?
#10 Marco Mapelli (ITA/Abt Lamborghini)
Hardly any driver is aware of the brand new Temerario in addition to the Lamborghini manufacturing facility driver, who accomplished nearly all of the testing and is making his DTM debut with Abt on the age of 38. The Italian is a certain factor on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, however is he quick sufficient to compete for wins within the DTM?
#11 Marco Wittmann (GER/Schubert BMW)
The 35-year-old from Franconia is getting into his 14th DTM season, however his final title was 9 years in the past. This yr, the indicators are optimistic, as his Schubert crew stays steady – and with Rast’s retirement, the two-time champion is now the workforce chief. Will he prevail in opposition to van der Linde?
#14 Matteo Cairoli (ITA/Emil Frey Ferrari)
His former AMG colleagues are warning in regards to the 29-year-old rookie, who was introduced in as a substitute for Aitken. The person from Como has already been a Lamborghini manufacturing facility driver and gained the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2021 within the “Grello”. The workforce, automotive, and collection are all new to him, which is why he might have a while to regulate.
#16 Timo Glock (GER/Dorr McLaren)
The 44-year-old former F1 driver is the oldest within the subject – and after a troublesome comeback yr with Dorr, throughout which he incessantly skilled issues along with his automotive, he needs to show himself once more in 2026. He has misplaced key confidants throughout the workforce and noticed little driving time throughout testing. Does this actually supply any hope?
#19 Maximilian Paul (GER/Grasser Lamborghini)
The 26-year-old from Dresden returns to Grasser in 2026 after two years along with his personal Lamborghini workforce, with which he sensationally celebrated his first DTM victory in 2023. The newly-appointed Lamborghini manufacturing facility driver faces an unlimited problem, nevertheless: his team-mate is Mirko Bortolotti.
#22 Lucas Auer (AUT/Landgraf Mercedes)
Gerhard Berger’s nephew has been racing within the DTM since 2015 and is already a fixture within the collection. The change of surroundings did him good in 2025: Driving for Landgraf-Mercedes, he was virtually consistently on the high of the standings and completed as runner-up. Anybody who is aware of him is aware of that he labored arduous over the winter to succeed in the highest.
#25 Ben Dorr (GER/Dorr-McLaren)
The 21-year-old son of workforce proprietor Rainer Dorr secured McLaren’s first DTM pole place in 2025 and outpaced team-mate Glock. His collaboration with Jamie Inexperienced’s former race engineer, Erich Baumgartner, is working properly, and he will even compete in different collection in 2026. Will he make the leap to a manufacturing facility driver?
#29 Bastian Buus (DEN/Land Porsche)
Final yr, the previous Porsche Supercup champion appeared to have secured a DTM cockpit, however then the Allied challenge fell via. He is lastly landed a seat with the Land workforce, however the 22-year-old Dane and his crew face a Herculean process: Within the Porsche camp, Manthey is the benchmark.
#36 Arjun Maini (IND/HRT Ford)
For years, the quick Indian driver was AMG’s junior driver, however at HRT-Ford he has lengthy since change into the workforce chief. The 28-year-old is getting into his sixth DTM season and needs to lastly fulfil his dream of a primary victory. A lot will depend upon whether or not the Ford Mustang is less complicated to regulate due to the Evo package deal.
#48 Jules Gounon (AND/Winward Mercedes)
The French “Mamba” driver, who lives in Andorra, confirmed his class in his first DTM yr, but in addition struggled along with his automotive at occasions. Can the 31-year-old persistently compete on the entrance in his second yr after the chassis change?
#63 Mirko Bortolotti (ITA/Grasser Lamborghini)
After a disappointing yr as defending champion with Abt, by which he completed no greater than sixth, arguably the quickest Lamborghini driver returns to Grasser. And he is reunited along with his profitable engineers from SSR. Solely the brand new Temerario GT3 is not operating but.
#64 Finn Wiebelhaus (GER/HRT Ford)
For the primary time, a Highway to DTM winner has made it into the championship, because the 20-year-old from Hesse snatches the Ford Mustang seat from Fabio Scherer this yr. Wiebelhaus, who’s supported by legend Manuel Reuter, has two years of GT Masters expertise underneath his belt, however the step as much as the DTM is an enormous one.
#69 Thierry Vermeulen (NED/Emil Frey Ferrari)
Max Verstappen’s protege will proceed to compete underneath the Verstappen Racing banner, however won’t change to AMG, remaining loyal to his Emil Frey workforce and Ferrari. Will he lastly obtain his first victory in his fourth season? The 23-year-old Dutchman is bettering with expertise.
#80 Maro Engel (GER/Winward-Mercedes)
Wanting on the previous two years, the 40-year-old has been probably the most constant DTM driver, ending third within the total standings twice. And few drivers are pretty much as good at outlaps after pit stops. Nevertheless, Engel hasn’t gained a DTM race since 2023. He goals to alter that in 2026.
#84 Tom Calendar (GER/Landgraf Mercedes)
The youngest DTM driver of all time is now 18 years outdated and needs to take the following step in 2026. After a troublesome debut season, he shocked everybody on the finale in Hockenheim, a monitor he is aware of properly, and was virtually in a position to match the tempo of his team-mate Lucas Auer. Can he present that extra typically in 2026?
#90 Ricardo Feller (SUI/Manthey Porsche)
The 25-year-old Swiss driver has made the leap to the highest Porsche workforce Manthey after his surprising stint with Land Audi. He proved he can compete for the title in 2023 with Abt, however his team-mate Thomas Preining will not be solely among the best within the DTM, but in addition is aware of the workforce and the automotive higher.
#91 Thomas Preining (AUT/Manthey Porsche)
The 2023 DTM champion needed to watch his team-mate Ayhancan Guven capitalise on his errors and take the title final yr. The 27-year-old from Linz goals to strike again in 2026, his fourth yr with Manthey. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how the inner battle with Ricardo Feller performs out.
#130 Luca Engstler (GER/Abt-Lamborghini)
After two DTM victories in 2024, the 25-year-old son of touring automotive legend Franz Engstler had a troublesome yr alongside the sturdy Jordan Pepper within the Grasser Lamborghini. The contemporary begin with the Abt workforce, which, like him, hails from the Allgau area, might do him good! He’s additionally now a Crimson Bull athlete.
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