The 2026 DTM Norisring weekend takes place from 3–5 July at Germany’s only street circuit, with championship leader Matteo Cairoli under pressure from Mercedes-AMG pair Maro Engel and Lucas Auer.
This weekend at the Norisring, the 2026 DTM season reaches its halfway point with rounds seven and eight of the campaign.
Drivers will compete around the 2.162-kilometre circuit in the centre of Nuremberg, where concrete walls, metal barriers and an uneven road surface leave little room for error. Despite featuring only four corners, the anti-clockwise layout places huge demands on both the drivers and their cars.
Heavy braking zones provide some of the best overtaking opportunities, but they also create one of the weekend’s biggest challenges. Drivers must slow from more than 250km/h to approximately 60km/h while controlling their cars over bumps in the braking areas.
Strong exits will prove equally important. The long straights reward drivers who can apply the throttle early, although running too wide could result in contact with the barriers.
Cairoli leads closely contested championship battle
Matteo Cairoli arrives in Nuremberg at the top of the drivers’ standings after claiming his second victory of the season at the Lausitzring.
The Emil Frey Racing Ferrari driver remains the only competitor to have won twice during the opening six races. However, he holds only a one-point advantage over Maro Engel and Lucas Auer, who sit second and third respectively.
Cairoli has considerably less Norisring experience than several of his closest rivals, having competed at the circuit only once, 11 years ago.
“I have only raced at the Norisring once before, and that was eleven years ago. I know that you have to brake extremely late and get on the gas very early coming out of corners, in order to have as much speed as possible on the long straights. Plus, the surface is unique, as they are everyday roads. It could be a hot weekend, but the Lausitzring was the ideal preparation for that. I will fight till I drop.”
Engel will hope to use his recent record at the circuit to close the gap. The Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol driver finished on the podium at the Norisring in both 2024 and 2025, while Auer will also attempt to strengthen his title challenge for Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf.
Former winners return to the Norisring in the 2026 DTM season with momentum
Several previous Norisring winners could also influence the championship battle. Nicki Thiim claimed his maiden DTM victory at the circuit in 2024 and returns sitting sixth in the standings. The Aston Martin driver will aim to recreate that breakthrough result as Comtoyou Racing continues its first DTM season with the manufacturer.
“I won my first DTM race at the Norisring in 2024. That was an incredible experience. The circuit is an absolute highlight and gives you an adrenalin rush in the cockpit. It is a dream for any driver to race there. We are going to put on a good show,” said Thiim ahead of the weekend at the Norisring.
Thomas Preining also boasts an impressive record on the streets of Nuremberg. The Austrian secured Porsche’s first DTM victory at the Norisring in 2022 and has now won three races at the venue, including the second contest of the 2025 weekend.
Preining heads into the event with additional momentum after winning the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa alongside DTM teammate Ricardo Feller and Bastian Buus. The result gives the Manthey driver another major endurance racing success before he returns to sprint competition.
Wittmann prepares for home event
Marco Wittmann will receive plenty of local support throughout the weekend. The Fürth-born driver enters his home event fourth in the championship and remains the highest-placed BMW competitor. The two-time DTM champion has yet to win at the Norisring but will hope that Schubert Motorsport can provide him with an opportunity to challenge at the front.
“The atmosphere at the Norisring is awesome. For me, it is a huge pleasure to race at this unique street circuit in front of my family, the home crowd and my fan club.”
With the championship’s leading four drivers separated by a small margin, a strong home result could move Wittmann firmly into title contention.
Support races and broadcast information
The ADAC GT4 Germany, BMW M2 Cup and Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland will support the DTM throughout the weekend. Historic DTM machinery will also take to the circuit for demonstration runs celebrating more than four decades of the championship.
ProSieben will broadcast both races live in Germany, with coverage beginning at 13:00 local time on Saturday and Sunday. Viewers can also follow the action through Joyn, ran.de, ServusTV On and the official DTM YouTube channel.
The narrow Norisring layout regularly produces close racing, strategic battles and incidents. With Cairoli, Engel and Auer separated by only one point at the top of the standings, the 2026 edition could have a major influence on the direction of the championship.
