In an attempt to save the competition, the organizers of the DTM have changed the regulations and for the first time in the DTM will compete cars according to the GT3 regulations. In 2021 DTM season will compete 12 private teams.
The 35th season of the German Touring Car Championship and the 22nd edition which bear the name DTM will start on June 19.
The most important change is that GT3 models were admitted for the first time.
Thus, DTM abandons the old Class One format with 2-liter turbo engines used in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Due to the new rules, Mercedes returns to the DTM after gaining a double victory in 2018 at the last participation.
But all five participating Mercedes teams are private teams. Audi and BMW also remained in competition with private teams. Ferrari and McLaren will participate in the DTM for the first time.
The five Mercedes teams are:
| Nr. | Team | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed | Arjun Maini (IND) |
| 4 | Mercedes-AMG Team HRT | Maximilian Götz (GER) |
| 5 | Mercedes-AMG Team HRT | Vincent Abril (FRA) |
| 8 | Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing | Daniel Juncadella (ESP) |
| 18 | Mercedes-AMG Team Mücke Motorsport | Gary Paffett (GBR) |
| 22 | Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD | Lucas Auer (AUT) |
| 57 | Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD | Philip Ellis (SUI) |
The GruppeM racing team is based on the Spaniard Daniel Juncadella who has a great experience in DTM with 94 participations since 2013. Double DTM champion in 2015 and 2018, Englishman Gary Paffett will compete for the Mucke Motorsport team. Paffett has 15 seasons in the DTM. The GetSpeed Performance GT3 team marks a premiere: Arjun Maini is the first Indian driver in the DTM.
The other two teams each have two cars in competition.
WINWARD Racing team drivers are Lucas Auer, five-time DTM champion, and Philip Ellis, DTM debutant. Also, the german team Haupt Racing Team debuts in the DTM with two Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo cars driven by Maximilian Gotz and Vincent Abril.
In the 2021 season, two private Audi teams will compete – Team Rosberg and Abt Sportsline and two private BMW teams – ROWE Racing and Walkenhorst Motorsport.
Ferrari and McLaren debut in the DTM. The AF Corse team competes with Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 and 2 Seas Motorsport and JP Motorsport compete with McLaren 720S GT3 cars.
The program for the 2021 season consists of eight race weekends, each with two races of 55 minutes plus one lap. Here is the program.
| Circuit | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Autodromo Internazionale Monza / ITA | 18th-20th June | Races 1 & 2 |
| Norisring / GER | 2nd-4th July | Races 3 & 4 |
| Lausitzring / GER | 23rd-25th July | Races 5 & 6 |
| Circuit Zolder / BEL | 6th-8th August | Races 7 & 8 |
| Nürburgring / GER | 20th-22nd August | Races 9 & 10 |
| Red Bull Ring / AUT | 3rd-5th September | Races 11 & 12 |
| TT Circuit Assen / NED | 17th-19th September | Races 13 & 14 |
| Hockenheimring / GER | 1st-3rd October | Races 15 & 16 |
