Nürburgring to remain on the DTM calendar for three more years

The DTM has confirmed a new deal with that will see the Nürburgring feature on the calendar for the next three years.

The DTM has been running on the short ‘Sprint’ layout of the track since 2002 in a move that allows fans to see the cars more often, although ITR boss Gerhard Berger has also said he would considering using the longer Grand Prix layout in future.

“This contract represents an important component of our future-strategy,” said Frederic Elsner, head of Operations & Event Programm Manager at series’ promoter ITR. “We decided to continue this consistent and successful cooperation. The Nürburgring is a circuit with outstanding fascination and perfect infrastructure. Drivers, teams and we as DTM umbrella organisation always love to come back to the Eifel. It is hard to imagine DTM without this traditional race venue.”

“DTM just is a part of the Nürburgring and also will be a constant highlight of our event calendar for the coming three years,” added Mirco Markfort, CEO of Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co. KG, the company managing the legendary track. “Components such as Fan Village, Pit View and Fan Terrace as well as this year’s combination with the ‘Olé Party’ (open air concert) at the Müllenbachschleife provided the visitors a multifaceted adventure package.”

The ever present question is whether the series would race again at the Nordschleife, as it did on ten occasions between 1984 and 2001, with four-lap races.

“Of course, it would be great to race at the ‘Green Hell’,” Berger told TouringCarTimes. “But it would be difficult, not only from the organisation, safety and TV broadcast point of view, but also because the fans couldn’t be around the track.”

Both the date and the chosen layout for the event at the Nürburgring will be announced at a later date, with ITR working on confirming next year’s calendar at the season finale at Hockenheim at the latest, an ITR spokesman confirmed to TouringCarTimes.