– On Tuesday, the dress rehearsal for the 2026 DTM season takes place in Spielberg, as all 21 drivers will meet for the first time before the opener at the Red Bull Ring in two weeks (April 24 – 26) at the official test day with their new cars, which can already be seen in their final design.
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But will there be weather capers like three years ago, when the track in Spielberg was bathed in white on April 14th after snowfall? Why could the conditions in Upper Styria lead to renewed problems with the new exclusive DTM slick from Pirelli? And which Mercedes-AMG driver had to fear for his start?
We answer the most important questions about the official test, give an overview of the starting field, and explain how fans can best follow the official test day in Austria – whether at the track or virtually.
What is the significance of the test and what is new?
This year, for the first time in the GT3 era that began in 2021, the DTM will receive an exclusive tire that is only used in the traditional series. It is intended to provide slightly better lap times and more degradation and was only completed a few weeks ago after setbacks in development.
Although there were no major problems recently at the Pirelli test in Vallelunga at the end of March, where the final tire was used for two days for the first time, these are anything but out of the question in Spielberg. Because in contrast to the asphalt temperatures of over 30 degrees in Italy, it will be cold in Spielberg. Apart from that, it is difficult to bring the tires up to temperature on the long Red Bull Ring straights anyway.
Under similar conditions, there were major problems and enormous graining during the development phase of the new tire – the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is even said to have proven undriveable after eight laps. It remains to be seen whether Pirelli has fixed the problems with the final specification of the tire. If Pirelli has to make improvements, there is hardly any time left, as the season opener in Spielberg follows in one and a half weeks (SPONSORED LINK: Secure tickets for the 2026 DTM season now!).
But that’s not the only tension factor, because in addition to the new tire, which the teams are only allowed to try out for three days before the opener, four brands are also delivering new or revised vehicles this year.
The introduction of the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3, which replaces the Huracan GT3 Evo2 after eleven years and which the Grasser and Abt teams first have to get used to, as the test in Vallelunga and the GT World Challenge Europe opener in Le Castellet have shown, provides particular excitement. But the Ferrari 296 GT3, used by the Emil Frey team, the Porsche 911 GT3 R from Manthey and Land, and the Ford Mustang GT3 from the HRT team are also receiving an update this year.
Which drivers are at the start?
The entire DTM field, which this year includes 21 cars – three fewer than last year – will be at the start of the test in Spielberg. The exciting question is: Who will be ahead in the year after the departure of Manthey’s champion Ayhancan Güven, DTM figurehead Rene Rast, Emil Frey driver Jack Aitken, and Lamborghini discovery Jordan Pepper?
Kelvin van der Linde, who returns to Schubert-BMW after a one-year break, should not be underestimated. But the strong Mercedes-AMG drivers Lucas Auer, Maro Engel, and Jules Gounon, the former champions Thomas Preining, Marco Wittmann, and Mirko Bortolotti, as well as the strong Ferrari newcomer Matteo Cairoli should also be on the radar.
Photo gallery: DTM 2026: Confirmed drivers and teams
In total, there are four DTM newcomers this season, two of them from Italy: In addition to Cairoli, the experienced Lamborghini factory driver Marco Mapelli makes his debut at Abt. They are joined by ADAC GT Masters champion Finn Wiebelhaus, who starts at the age of 19 in the Ford Mustang from HRT, and Land-Porsche talent Bastian Buus from Denmark.
Are all drivers ready to start the test? It looks like it, although that was not a given beforehand. Winward Mercedes driver Gounon caught food poisoning at the GT World Challenge Europe opener in Le Castellet and had to be treated in the medical center before and after the race, which took place on Saturday evening, and vomited several times.
However, the Frenchman was in Spielberg on Monday – and the team is giving the all-clear because Gounon is now doing better. “We were afraid he wouldn’t make it,” says Winward.
What is the schedule?
After material for the 2026 season TV production as well as group photos of the driver field and the vehicles were produced with the drivers on Monday, there will finally be action on the race track on Tuesday. The DTM teams can look forward to over seven hours of testing time, as the ADAC GT Masters and GT4 Germany are not up until Wednesday and Thursday.
Schedule for the official DTM test day (April 14):
08:15 – 08:35 Car-to-car shooting 1
08:40 – 11:55 Test session 1
12:15 – 13:00 Press conference/Lunch break
13:00 – 13:25 Car-to-car shooting 2
13:35 – 13:45 Simulated race start
13:50 – 17:00 Test session 2
17:15 – 17:55 Qualifying simulation
Car-to-car shooting refers to photo and video recordings in which the following cars are recorded from a moving passenger car. During the DTM start simulation, the flying starts are tested according to the exact DTM procedure – and in the evening, a qualifying simulation takes place, which is particularly important for creating the Balance of Performance (BoP).
The cars are sent onto the track – apart from the BoP mandatory for the entire test – with a fuel quantity determined by the organizer and a new set of the new DTM tire to simulate qualifying. Afterwards, the cars are checked during technical inspection to see if everything complied with the specifications in order to gain relevant data for creating the BoP.
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This is particularly challenging in 2026, as the new tire could also have an impact on the balance of power – and the data from other series is only of limited use for the SRO Motorsports Group, which is responsible for the classification.
How can I follow the test?
Motorsport-Total.com reports live from the scene and, in addition to background research that we will publish after the test, will provide a daily report on the test on Tuesday evening with all the info, times, etc.
The ADAC also provides live timing on the official DTM website dtm.com, with which the test can be followed in real time.
DTM press conference from the test in Spielberg
In addition, the press conference will be broadcast live on the DTM YouTube page from 12:15 p.m. with returnee Kelvin van der Linde, runner-up Lucas Auer, and former champions Thomas Preining and Mirko Bortolotti.
What will the weather be like?
Three years ago, there was snowfall and a completely white Red Bull Ring on April 14 in Spielberg – it was the day before the official test back then. This year it looks at least a bit better, even if sunshine is not to be expected. According to the weather report, air temperatures will range between nine and 15 degrees Celsius – with a probability of rain of up to 60 percent.
