– Four months ago, ADAC motorsport chief Thomas Voss announced that DTM fans should expect a ninth weekend on an international track in 2027. However, the recently presented calendar for the upcoming season consists of the same eight courses as in the past three years. So what caused the plans to fail?
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According to Voss, many racetracks abroad were spoken to last year. “We would have been welcome everywhere as DTM – no matter which country,” he says. “Our second question was always that we would like to have at least 10,000 spectators on site. At the other end of the phone line, it usually got pretty quiet. No one really dares to commit to that yet.”
There was only one racetrack that dared to expect a five-figure number of spectators. “I can also say that – it is Brno,” Voss clarifies. “The others were much more cautious. Actually, none were over 5,000.”
Only Brno dared to expect over 10,000 spectators
The course in the Czech Republic, known especially for its two-wheeler history and which made a comeback in the MotoGP calendar this year, was therefore the closest to a DTM calendar spot. “It is close to Germany, the DTM has already been there,” Voss points out that the traditional series visited Brno five times from 1988 to 2005. “People in the Czech Republic know what the DTM is.”
Besides that, good relations with the Czech federation were built through the joint hosting of the Central Europe Rally. Currently, however, there are “one or two internal discussions within the country that we do not want to be drawn into,” Voss refers to internal disputes between different federations that caused the talks to collapse.
Voss also revealed how many spectators could be expected according to other racetracks. “In Italy, two racetracks told us about 2,000 to 2,500 spectators – unless we come with Valentino Rossi,” says the ADAC motorsport chief, who thanks them for their honesty despite other expectations.
Automotive industry crisis caused ADAC withdrawal
“I think it’s great that no one tells us: ‘Sure, come all here, then the place will be packed.’ And in the end, you stand there. This step has been taken before. And I don’t like having to take this step back again. I’d rather wait until the time is right – and that will come, I am rock solid convinced of that.”
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The fact that the timing is currently not optimal is also related to the current crisis in the German automotive industry, despite the DTM’s continuing increase in spectator numbers.
Photo series: Special features of all DTM tracks of the 2027 season
“We still want to internationalize, want to race more, but I currently consider it the completely wrong time. When I made my big statements at the Red Bull Ring and who knows where else, there was no talk yet of mass layoffs and many other things in the automotive industry,” Voss explains his withdrawal.
“I am not acting against the teams’ possibilities”
News about “factory closures in Neckarsulm or the impending closure of four plants in the Volkswagen Group we did not have in April yet. Here, two brands from the Volkswagen Group race,” he refers to Porsche and Lamborghini. “How is that supposed to work?” Motorsport must also react to that.
Besides that, some teams have also warned against a calendar expansion to a ninth weekend due to costs. “I am not acting against the teams’ wishes or possibilities,” Voss gives a promise.
And he is still satisfied with the result. “This results in a calendar that I don’t find bad at all. We still have growth everywhere. The fans apparently think it’s great that we also race in Germany.”
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There are partners who would like to invite people from other regions or countries to the DTM to show them “how well the DTM works and how great their commitment to the DTM is. Of course, we want to take that into account, but everything in its time.”
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