The 2014 DTM has been fixed. This Wednesday, the 10 races of the most popular touring-car series for the 2014 season were confirmed by World Automobile Association, FIA, following the meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in Paris. The race at the Nürburgring, however, had to be postponed by a week and will be contested on 17th instead of 10th August, 2014. Thanks to the new date, the teams don’t have to hit the road for two exhausting trips within a week. Furthermore, DTM’s German TV partner ARD can provide the sports enthusiasts a joint coverage of the seventh of the ten DTM rounds and the final day of the European Track and Field Championships in Zurich.
“The postponement of the Nürburgring round by a week means two advantages for us”, said Hans Werner Aufrecht, Chairman of DTM rights holder and promoter ITR e.V. “The teams needn’t to travel from Austria’s Red Bull Ring right to the Nürburgring but can prepare for the next task in the normal two-week rhythm. This reduces the stress, in particular for the mechanics and the engineers. In addition, the new date allows ARD to combine the coverage of DTM and the European Track and Field Championships to a top-class sports afternoon.”
The other nine dates for the 2014 season – including the two new abroad races in Hungary and China – were conformed. Following the recent official signing of the deal in Budapest, DTM will contest its first race on Hungarian soil after a 26-year break on 1st June. Meanwhile, the third Chinese race in the history of the series will be contested on 26th September at a street circuit designed specially for the most popular international touring-car series in the megacity Guangzhou. In addition, the calendar comprises another two abroad races: on 13th July, DTM will race for the second time in Moscow and on third August, the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg will be the venue of the sixth DTM round.
As usual, the majority of the DTM races will be held in Germany. “The number of races on German soil will remain an integral part of DTM,” said Hans Werner Aufrecht. Traditionally, the season will begin for reigning champion Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) and his challengers racing for BMW and Mercedes-Benz on 4th May at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. Two weeks later, on 18th May, the etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben will stage round two of the 2014 season. The spectacular street race at Nuremberg’s Norisring will be held on 29th June, on 14th September the Lausitzring will be the venue of round eight and following the race in China, DTM will return to Germany for the season finale at the Hockenheimring held on 19th October.
The 2014 DTM calendar at a glance
4th May Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D)
18th May etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben (D)
1st June Hungaroring Budapest (UNG)
29th June Norisring (D)
13th July Moscow Raceway (RUS)
3rd August Red Bull Ring Spielberg (A)
17th August Nürburgring (D)
14th September Lausitzring (D)*
28th September Guangzhou (CHN)
19th October Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (D)
* Subject to contractual agreement with the organizer