Insight: What to Look For as DTM Embarks on New ADAC Era

Davey Euwema examines the changes to DTM as the new season gets underway this weekend in Oschersleben…

DTM kicks off its new season at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben this weekend. The road to this campaign has been a long one with more than a few twists and turns.

A casual observer tuning into the opening race on Saturday might not see all that much difference. The cars are the same with the series still running under GT3 regulations. Many of the star drivers, including defending champion Sheldon van der Linde, will return to the grid for another season.

So it’s business as usual, right?

Well, no. Definitely not. That statement could not be further from the truth. From the outside, DTM 2023 might look the same as the two seasons that preceded it but that apparent continuity masks seismic changes behind the scenes of one of Germany’s most high-profile racing championships.

The transformations can all be traced back to a single source: a change of owner.

ADAC, the German automobile club and organizer of the long-running GT Masters series, completed a much-reported series takeover from former rights owner ITR last December.

This also explains the late start to the season. Historically speaking, DTM seasons typically kick off in April. With the change of management and all the subsequent changes to incorporate the series under ADAC’s umbrella, that was pushed back to late May. There was a lot of work to be done to get everything ready.

If Thomas Biermaier, team principal of one of the championship’s most loyal teams in ABT Sportsline, is to be believed, the series is in the right place with ADAC now pulling the strings.

“They live motorsports,” Biermaier says. “They have a huge experience with motorsports. I think it's now in good hands, but also we have to give them time a little bit. We as a team, all the teams, we have to support it. DTM has a great name from the past. It still has a really good name and now we are responsible for making a good show, I would say. But I think it's in good hands.”