Jarama and Porto on the 2016 DTM agenda

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is looking at its calendar options for next year, with two possible new destinations gaining momentum: the Jarama circuit in Spain and Porto in Portugal.

At the recent WTCC race in Vila Real, Paulo Campos, a Director at FPAK (the Portuguese national motorsport authority) confirmed that the Eurosport-organised championship wasn’t the only target for them: “The North of Portugal has a long tradition and love affair with motor racing. We already have the WRC, and are confirming the WTCC for the next three years in Vila Real,” Campos said to TouringCarTimes. “We are in talks and also want to secure the DTM in Porto, especially, with a Portuguese driver, so the area becomes an important centre for Motorsport.”

The Boavista street circuit was used in 1958 and 1960 for a Formula 1 race. It was revived back in 2005 for historic car racing, hosting the WTCC four times between 2007 and 2013.

It has also emerged that the DTM could be looking into an event at the Spanish track of Jarama, located 28 kilometres north of Madrid. The move would be welcomed by the manufacturers involved in the series, as a very desirable location in the country.

Since its rebirth as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, the DTM has previously raced in Spain in Barcelona between 2006 and 2009, and then at Valencia between 2010 and 2012. Only once has the series visited Portugal, with a race in Estoril back in 2004.

There has also been interest in a race in China, the country with the fastest growing car market, with the DTM original set to have raced in Guangzhou already last year, and which was substituted at the last moment with a return to Zandvoort.

The current season features nine events in four different countries. Back in 2010, the DTM visited six countries, making it the highest count since 2000.