Klaus Weber · DTM-Korrespondent
From September 11-13, the DTM takes on a course that leaves little room for error.
From September 11-13, 2026, the DTM races at the Sachsenring, one of the narrowest and most technically demanding circuits of the season. Following a practice day, each race day features its own qualifying and race: Qualifying 1 and Race 1 on September 12, Qualifying 2 and Race 2 on September 13. The weekend follows the familiar double-race format, where grid strength is decided over short distances rather than long tire cycles.
Schedule with two qualifyings, two races
The schedule begins with two free practice sessions where teams adjust their setup to the circuit's specific demands. Each of the two races then gets its own qualifying, meaning that starting position advantages from the first race don't automatically carry over to the second.
This structure rewards teams that can nail their car in both qualifying trim and race trim. If a team optimizes for one lap in the first qualifying and then struggles with tire degradation during the race, they won't automatically make up that ground in the second qualifying, since the weekend's rhythm doesn't allow for much learning curve between sessions.
Tight layout sharpens the pit stop window
The Sachsenring is traditionally regarded in motorsport as one of the narrowest and most corner-heavy circuits imaginable, with limited runoff and elevation changes that affect braking behavior. For the DTM, that means overtaking is rare, and positions are often decided through pit stop strategy rather than pure lap time.
A tightly orchestrated pit stop window can make the difference between a top-five finish and a points-scoring result on a circuit like this, because making up positions on track is barely possible. Teams that execute their stops even half a second more efficiently gain an advantage here that would otherwise take multiple corners to match on the circuit.
What's at stake
The championship battle itself has plenty on the line: Thomas Preining sits just one point behind leader Maro Engel heading into the penultimate round of the season, after fighting his way back into title contention at Manthey's home race. At that margin, even a small difference in pit stop timing or on-track performance at the Sachsenring could decide the championship lead.
For the midfield, a weekend with double qualifying and double racing is a chance to make up lost ground, since two separate events mean two separate opportunities to establish a strategic advantage. A weak first race doesn't have to define the whole weekend if setup is adjusted for the second outing.
How balance of performance and ballast regulations play out over the weekend will only become clear during practice sessions. At the Sachsenring, where technical details translate directly into lap time because of the circuit's narrow confines, that figures to be the decisive factor when teams run their first long runs on Friday.
