DTM Preview: 2026 season

Written by Ayla Krachai, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

Credit: ADAC Motorsport

The 2026 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) shifts into gear this weekend, as the championship commences its first outing at the Red Bull Ring, from 24-26 April. The Styrian track is the fastest on the calendar and is set to be a sensational season opener for the eight starting teams. 

The local favourite and 2023 champion, Thomas Priening (Manthey EMA - Porsche) will be looking to perform in front of their home crowd, and hit the ground running in the race for the DTM title, as well as other national hero Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG). 

Auer says:  "The best drivers and teams go head to head in the DTM. I prepared meticulously during the winter and spent a lot of time in the car. Plus, I am obviously extremely motivated, as I am at home and racing in front of my own fans." 

On top of new driver line-ups, this opening round, in particular, will be especially interesting for seeing how the teams and their drivers adapt to the new Pirelli tyres that have been developed exclusively for the Deutsche series. Teams have reported about the compound being difficult to warm up, especially due to the tyres being designed for high speed and fast degradation. 

They now must balance aggressive qualifying pace and out-lap preparation to avoid prematurely degrading the rubber. It makes qualifying all the more critical, and an absolute must-watch this weekend. 

The 2026 DTM season features a 21-car grid with drivers from 11 nations, making up one of the strongest fields the series has seen in recent years, featuring three former champions, multiple race winners, and several skilled newcomers. 

Eight drivers departed the championship after the 2025 season; the most notable being reigning champion Ayhancan Güven, three-time world champion René Rast, Jack Aitken, and Jordan Pepper. This has opened the door for five new rookies to enter the challenge. 

Güven celebrating with Manthey EMA after winning the 2025 title | Credits: ADAC Motorsport

Manthey EMA enters 2026 as one of the strongest forces on the grid, fielding the updated Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo for a refreshed driver pairing. Thomas Preining, the 2023 DTM champion, continues his long‑standing relationship with the team and remains one of the favourites for the title. 

Alongside him is Ricardo Feller, who switched to Porsche after the departure of 2025 champion, Güven, to the World Endurance Championship. 

The combination of previous title victories and this Preining–Feller duo is widely expected to shape the front of the field from the opening round. Priening says: “I am pleased that the season is finally getting underway after a long winter. Kicking off the season at the Red Bull Ring is an absolute highlight for me.”

BMW’s Schubert Motorsport enters 2026 with a driver lineup built for a championship push as well. Marco Wittmann, a two‑time DTM champion, brings unmatched experience and consequent deep understanding of tyre management - a skill that becomes even more valuable with the new Pirelli compound. However, his last championship was nine years ago in 2017: Is he still up for the challenge?

 longside him, Kelvin van der Linde returns to DTM with renewed focus and experience driving the BMW to the top in other categories in 2025. He now drives the BMW M4 GT3 Evo, a car known for its strong response and stability over long stints. The BMW has traditionally been gentle on tyres, which could prove advantageous as teams adapt to the new compound’s narrow operating window.

Maintaining continuity, Mercedes‑AMG enters the 2026 season with a sense of stability, retaining its unchanged four‑driver lineup of Auer, Maro Engel, Jules Gounon, and Tom Kalender. Few teams can match this. 

Auer once again leads the charge after pushing the 2025 title fight to the final round, while Engel and Gounon bring GT3 expertise and proven race‑winning capability. Kalender continues his rapid development as one of AMG’s most promising young drivers as well. 

With Mercedes entering 2026 as the defending manufacturers’ champion, the team is expected to be a constant presence at the front and a major force in the title battle.

Auer driving his Mercedes-AMG GT3 at a Red Bull Ring test - 2026 | Credits: ADAC Motorsport

As the engines start up in Spielberg, the stage is set for a season sure to be defined by precision and relentless competition. Manthey, Schubert and Mercedes‑AMG each arrive with the tools to shape the championship from the starting line, but only one will seize the early momentum. 

With the new Pirelli era adding a layer of unpredictability, the opening laps at the Red Bull Ring will offer the first glimpse of who is ready to lead the fight for the 2026 DTM trophy.