The 2026 DTM season reaches its conclusion at the Hockenheimring from October 9th to 11th, with six drivers still in contention for the championship title, including two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann, who heads into the finale hoping to add a third title to his name. The BMW driver has enjoyed a strong second half of the season and hopes to carry the momentum into the final two races. Speaking during the pre-event press conference attended by Pit Debrief, Wittmann discussed his preparations, BMW’s prospects at Hockenheim and the uncertainty surrounding the weather.
Wittmann relaxed ahead of the DTM finale at the Hockenheimring
Despite the importance of the weekend, Wittmann has taken a relaxed approach to his preparations. The German recently returned from racing at the IMSA race at the Raceway Road Atlanta in the United States and has focused on recovering from jet lag before turning his attention to the championship decider.
“As you say, I’ve actually only just got back from America yesterday [Monday 5 October]. Now I’ve got a few more days to relax at home. Getting over the jet lag and back into the normal German routine. I’m really looking forward to it. The final race at Hockenheim is always something special. The atmosphere and the vibe at the Hockenheimring are always absolutely brilliant. I think it’s also quite special to be starting relatively late on Sunday this time – with the second race. I’m feeling relaxed about it, and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll see how it goes.”
Family time and familiar routines before the title decider
Rather than changing his approach for the DTM championship finale at the Hockenheimring, Wittmann intends to maintain his usual routine. The two-time champion has prioritised spending time with his family before travelling to Hockenheim on the Thursday ahead of the weekend to begin preparations with his team.
“Luckily, I don’t have to do any homework yet. But nursery is still the first thing on the agenda. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary. We’re celebrating my mum’s birthday today. It’ll be a small, but fairly large, gathering. On Wednesday, I’ll spend a bit of time at home with the family. Then on Thursday we’re off to the Hockenheimring. The usual preparations with the team, the engineers and the mechanics. But basically, the routine is the same as for any other race. We prepare as a team and head into the weekend. Whether it’s the final, the first or the fifth weekend, it doesn’t really matter in the end.”
Positive testing gives Wittmann confidence despite weather uncertainty
BMW has demonstrated strong performance at Hockenheim in recent seasons, giving Wittmann reason for optimism ahead of the finale. Following a productive test at the circuit, the German believes his team has established a solid foundation for the weekend. However, changing weather conditions could introduce an additional challenge, particularly if the races take place in conditions different from those encountered during testing.
“Our test went well. Just like the other two. We’re trying to stick to our plan. To gather important data. We felt comfortable and laid a good foundation. So I’m very confident about the weekend. The big question mark will be the weather. I think we’ll all have to wait and see what happens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Whether it’ll rain. Whether we’ll have mixed conditions. That’s quite a long way from the conditions we had during testing. We’re well prepared. We’ll just have to wait and see.
BMW’s strong Hockenheim history fuels championship hopes
Wittmann’s previous success at Hockenheim provides another source of confidence heading into the final race weekend. The BMW driver has claimed four victories at the circuit and has consistently performed well at the German venue. After a challenging start to the season, Wittmann and BMW have recovered strongly in the second half of the campaign. Their recent performances at the Nürbrugring and Sachsenring have strengthened their position heading into the finale. With the championship still within reach, Wittmann believes he can approach the final two races without unnecessary pressure. He also pointed to fellow title contender Maro Engel, who finds himself in a similar positon.
“Generally speaking, we’ve always been strong at Hockenheim. Me too. I think I’ve got four wins to my name at Hockenheim. It’s a circuit that’s always suited me very well; I’ve always done well there. Looking at the second half of our season, we’ve managed a good turnaround. We’ve definitely got the momentum on our side. The hope, of course, is to carry that momentum forward at Hockenheim, picking up where we left off at the Nürburgring and the Sachsenring. We’re in a similar situation to Maro [Engel]. We’ve got nothing to lose; we can only win. So we’re heading into the weekend feeling relaxed. Hockenheim and BMW have always been a good match, and hopefully it’ll work out this weekend too.”
With his previous success at Hockenheim, BMW’s encouraging testing performance and the momentum gained in recent rounds, Wittmann enters the final weekend with reasons to feel confident. Wheter he can turn that confidence into a third DTM title will depend on his performance across the final two races.
