– In the 2026 DTM season, too, discipline is a crucial competitive factor. Anyone who ignores flag signals, behaves unsportingly, or pushes a competitor off the track must expect a warning. And these offenses can have significant consequences over the course of the season.
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Because the regulations are clearly defined: As soon as a driver has accumulated three warnings during the season, he will be moved back five positions on the starting grid of the subsequent race. In a fiercely competitive field, this can cost valuable points and be decisive in the title fight.
Against this background, it becomes clear how important a clean season is, as accumulated warnings can run like a common thread through the year and become a handicap in the title fight at the decisive moment. We provide an overview of the current status of warnings for all DTM drivers.
All DTM Warnings of the 2026 Season
| Driver | Warnings | Session | Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelvin van der Linde | 1 | ||
| LAU R2 | incorrect overtaking maneuver | ||
| Nicki Thiim | 0 | ||
| Nicolas Baert | 0 | ||
| Marco Mapelli | 2 | ||
| ZVT R2 | forcing another competitor off track | ||
| NOR R1 | incorrect overtaking maneuver | ||
| Marco Wittmann | 1 | ||
| ZVT R2 | contact with competitor #90 (Feller) | ||
| Matteo Cairoli | 1 | ||
| ZVT Q2 | unnecessarily slow driving in the last sector | ||
| Timo Glock | 0 | ||
| Maximilian Paul | 0 | ||
| Lucas Auer | 0 | ||
| Ben Dörr | 0 | ||
| Bastian Buus | 2 | ||
| ZVT R1 | forcing another competitor off track | ||
| ZVT Q2 | unnecessarily slow driving in the last sector | ||
| Arjun Maini | 0 | ||
| Jules Gounon | 0 | ||
| Mirko Bortolotti | 0 | ||
| Finn Wiebelhaus | 2 | ||
| ZVT R2 | forcing another competitor off track | ||
| NOR R1 | incorrect overtaking maneuver | ||
| Thierry Vermeulen | 0 | ||
| Maro Engel | 1 | ||
| LAU R1 | forcing another competitor (#91) Preining off track | ||
| Tom Kalender | 0 | ||
| Ricardo Feller | 2 | ||
| RBR R2 | forcing another competitor off track | ||
| ZVT Q2 | unnecessarily slow driving in the last sector | ||
| Thomas Preining | 1 | ||
| ZVT Q2 | unnecessarily slow driving in the last sector | ||
| Luca Engstler | 0 |
Anyone who has already accumulated three warnings and served their grid penalty remains under observation. The account is not reset; on the contrary, the consequences will by no means be milder for further warnings.
From six warnings, the next escalation level applies: The driver will then be moved back ten positions on the starting grid. In a close field like the DTM, this can mean a significant disadvantage for the respective race.
Upon reaching a seventh warning, the driver concerned must start the next race from the pit lane and chase the field. The same applies to any further warnings accumulated during the season.
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What happens with warnings in the last race?
An exception applies only in the last race of the year, because grid penalties for the subsequent event are no longer possible. In plain terms: Anyone who receives their third warning in the final race in Hockenheim must complete a penalty lap.
For the sixth warning, the penalty increases accordingly, and two penalty laps are immediately imposed. From the seventh warning, the driver concerned must even complete three penalty laps in the last race of the year, each of which must be completed immediately after the penalty is issued.
Why are there warnings in DTM at all?
In DTM, there are various offenses that can lead to a warning. The classic is unfair driving, such as forcing a competitor off track or pushing them, as well as repeated lane changes during defense. Disregarding yellow or blue flags is also sanctioned accordingly.
Last year, warnings were particularly common in qualifying, especially when drivers were “unnecessarily slow” on warm-up or out-laps. Blocking an opponent, however, is immediately punished with a grid penalty.
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Further warnings can also follow in the race itself, for example for parallel driving in the pit lane. In principle, all these infringements can lead to a grid penalty. The only exception are warnings due to track limit violations, which are not included in the warning system.
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