– A dedicated camera team follows Nicki Thiim at the Norisring on his way from the podium to the mixed zone, where the journalists are waiting. The Dane shows great emotions – at that race weekend, which with two wins was to become his absolute breakthrough in the traditional series.
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Only afterwards does it become clear that these are film recordings for the new TV and streaming documentary “Behind the Grid” of the DTM, which, in the style of the Formula 1 Netflix series “Drive to Survive,” is intended to provide unique behind-the-scenes insights into the traditional series.
“In the DTM we have strong personalities and exciting characters,” says DTM Managing Director Claudia Wagner. “We want to show the viewers in ‘Behind the Grid’ a side of them they have not seen before.”
Where will “Behind the Grid” be shown?
The documentary series will be shown for free on the streaming provider Joyn, on ServusTV ON, on Red Bull TV, and on the official DTM YouTube channel. Excerpts will also be shown on ProSieben, the exclusive TV partner of the series in Germany.
The first episode of “Behind the Grid” will be released in just a few days: The series premiere is on Friday, August 28, 2026, at 8 p.m. After that, a new episode with a runtime of about 20 minutes will be released every week until the season finale.
The goal is clear: The DTM should – similar to what Liberty Media has achieved with Formula 1 – be made accessible to a mainstream audience beyond the classic “petrolheads” through an exciting TV series with an independent real-life character.
What is the concept and who is behind it?
The focus is on the 2026 DTM season: Since the season start at the Red Bull Ring at the end of April, a camera team from the company Fahrwerkfilm from Stuttgart, which already has experience with motorsport video productions for AMG and the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, has been following two DTM drivers per weekend.
According to official information, each episode “follows its own narrative line and is always very close to the protagonists. It is about expectations, pressure situations, conflicts, decisions, teamwork, passion, setbacks, triumphs – and the sporting intensity of the DTM.”
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The audience, for example, gains insights into conversations of the drivers in the shuttle bus on the way from the award ceremony to the press conference – and other moments that are actually not accessible to the public.
Unvarnished insights are intended to ensure authenticity
“With this format, we are complementing our communication strategy for the DTM with an important new component. We want to offer fans additional content and at the same time open the series to a broader audience. This can only be achieved through well-told stories. The documentary series is the ideal format for this,” says marketing expert Wagner, convinced of the chosen path.
And she thanks the drivers, teams, and manufacturers for their support. “The willingness to grant exclusive insights is really great – and that is exactly what makes ‘Behind the Grid’ so special,” says the DTM Managing Director.
By the way, the scenes were not pre-approved by the participants, which promises additional authenticity.
“During the filming, we repeatedly realize how much potential the DTM has when you tell the sport not only through results and race action but through the people behind it,” explains Fahrwerkfilm Managing Director Peter Linke, whose Stuttgart-based company is responsible for the production.
“Motorsport works particularly well in this documentary form because pressure, rivalry, teamwork, joy, and disappointment are tangibly felt at every race weekend. We are very much looking forward to showing this perspective to a larger audience now.”
Behind the Grid:
Episode 1: August 28, 2026
Episode 2: September 4, 2026
Episode 3: September 11, 2026
Episode 4: September 18, 2026
Episode 5: September 25, 2026
Episode 6: October 2, 2026
Summary: October 9 – 11 on ProSieben on free TV
Episode 7: October 16, 2026
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