Klaus Weber · DTM-Korrespondent
On October 3 and 4, 2026, the ADAC Racing Weekend at Hockenheimring will feature a field of historic touring cars that showcases the regulatory roots of the DTM.
Touring Car Legends is launching Pure Group A, a pilot project that brings back the early DTM era and the Group A regulations from 1982 to 1992 to the track. The inaugural races take place on October 3 and 4, 2026 at the ADAC Racing Weekend on Hockenheimring. Frank Richter is responsible for the technical concept, while racing icon Harald Grohs leads the starting field in a BMW M3 E30 from the collection of Heinz F. Pott.
Why Group A regulations are central to DTM history
From 1982 to 1992, Group A formed the technical foundation on which the DTM built during its formative years. Series-based vehicles with limited modifications created a competitive field that emphasized driving skill over pure engine power. This principle is what Pure Group A orients itself toward.
Technical director Frank Richter emphasizes that the new series closely follows the regulatory framework of that era. For a pilot project, that's a balancing act: the vehicles should match the historical original in both technology and appearance, without compromising on-track competitiveness. How far this approach goes will only become clear in actual racing, when the cars compete against each other under real conditions.
Six BMW M3 E30s and a prominent frontrunner
The starting field for the first Pure Group A weekend will include six BMW M3 E30s, a car that defined the Group A era like no other. The field is led by Harald Grohs in a BMW M3 E30 from the collection of Heinz F. Pott. The concentration on a single, historically significant model suggests relatively tight competition, since differences will come more from setup and how drivers manage the car rather than fundamentally different vehicle technology.
That Harald Grohs, a name from the original Group A era, heads the field connects the pilot project directly to the period it seeks to recreate. For organizers, this likely signals to the public that this is not merely a show event, but a competition with genuine historical ambitions.
A test field for the future of historic racing
The pilot project status suggests that Touring Car Legends will carefully monitor the response to this first weekend before deciding on a permanent continuation. The ADAC Racing Weekend at Hockenheimring provides an appropriate setting, as the track itself is closely linked to the early DTM history that Pure Group A's regulations reference.
Whether the pilot project becomes a regular series with a fixed calendar will largely depend on how the field strength and spectator interest develop over those two days in October. With six BMW M3 E30s and a strong frontrunner in place, the sporting foundation for a meaningful inaugural weekend is established.
