DTM organisers have confirmed, through a press release, several changes that will be intorduced in the upcoming season. On one hand, race weekends schedule will be standarised, with an exception, the seventh round of the championship at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Italy, which will hold the first ever night races on the series. On the other hand, some minor changes regarding the second round, at EuroSpeedway Lausitz, have also been announced.
First, a change in all race weekends schedule has been confirmed and all races starting from this year will begin at 13:30 local time; both the Saturday and Sunday race of each round. This changes, as the organizers stated, fulfills fans petitions and is possible thanks to the series’ new TV partner SAT.1.
However, there are a few exceptions, and not every single race will actually start at that time. The season finale at Hockenheim will see its last race begin at 15:05. This decision has been taken with the intention that the race is the last one held that day at the track, which would allow the marshalls to open the gates and let the fans be on track and pit-lane for the podium celebrations.
But the most important change will affect the seventh round of the season at the Misano Circuit. Due to a clash with the F1 Belgian GP, held on the same weekend, and to the high temperature that can be found in Italy by that time of the year (August 25-26), the races on that weekend will begin at 22:20 local time, being the first ever night races on the series’ history. Both cars and track have light systems, so it is expected to be an innovative event, with proper conditions for racing and more thrilling for the fans.
Finally, there is also a change on the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, the second round of the season held between the 19th and 20th of May. The track layout the championship will use is to switch from the usual 3.478km track to the longer GP layout, which is 4.534km long.
2018 DTM season will begin the 5th of May in the Hockenheimring circuit.