DTM – Stars and Stories from the Norisring race weekend

• Atmospheric celebration to mark 40th anniversary of the DTM
• Extreme surfer Sebastian Steudtner sends the DTM field onto the track
• DTM and FG Series co-founder Nick Heidfeld agree on cooperation

Extreme athlete Steudtner sends the drivers onto the track
Sebastian Steudtner rides the highest waves in the world. Back in 2020, in Nazaré (Portugal), he conquered a 26.21-metre monster wave at a speed of 80 km/h – an official world record. The extreme surfer kept his feet on the ground at the Norisring on Saturday and sent the drivers onto the track with the “Drivers start your engines” sign. “I was once taken for a ride in the race taxi at the Norisring. It was a great experience. Like in motorsport, team spirit and the safety aspect are very important to us extreme surfers. Plus, we are also always on the search for new and innovative technologies,” said Steudtner.

Ski ace Linus Straßer is itching to go racing
The runner-up in last season’s Slalom World Cup drove in the Audi Sport TT Cup at the Norisring five years ago. Despite this, the laps in the Schaeffler DTM Innovation Taxi were by no means routine for 31-year-old Straßer at the DTM anniversary weekend. “I was familiar with that feeling you get when you are in a racing car for the first time and, as you approach your first corner, find yourself asking: When is the driver going to brake? Despite this, it was still incredible fun to go tearing round this narrow street circuit. I really enjoyed it, but would have preferred to have been behind the wheel,” said the slalom specialist.

DTM and FG Series with Nick Heidfeld announce innovative cooperation
The DTM and the innovative all-electric FG Series will work closely together in the future. Together, they will support and promote the next generation of motorsport in a forward-thinking manner. A particular emphasis will be placed on the promotion of talented youngsters. In a press conference at the Norisring, the former Formula 1 driver announced that the FG Series will start on the DTM platform from 2025, enhancing the sustainability measures already in place in the biggest European GT series. “With the FG Series, we are now providing this wholistic training platform. The collaboration with the DTM secures us our first strong regional platform, on which drivers can showcase their talents at established events on tracks that are relevant to them. As a youngster, I benefitted from the way the ADAC supports youngsters, and we will now work together to promote and shape the next generation of motorsport,” said Heidfeld, co-founder of the FG Series.

Poldi celebrates his 40th birthday with the “Batmobile”
Prince Leopold of Bavaria was in Zolder when the most successful touring car series in Europe lined up for the first time on 11th March 1984. 40 years later, at his home event in the “Franconian Monaco”, the representative of the European aristocracy took his place behind the wheel of the “Batmobile” – the lead car for the DTM Classic series at the anniversary weekend: “I have such an incredible number of great memories of the Norisring, and am pleased to see so many friends again,” said the descendant of King Ludwig I. and King Ludwig II, as well as Empress Sisi.

Former football internationals celebrate the 40th anniversary of the DTM at the Norisring
Former German internationals Klaus Augenthaler and Felix Magath visited the only street circuit in Germany at the weekend. Augenthaler was a sweeper and won seven German titles in the colours of FC Bayern Munich and the World Cup in 1990. Felix Magath was crowned German champion on three occasions and won the European Cup twice with Hamburg SV. He also won the European Championship and was runner-up in the World Cup with the German national team. “I know the Norisring well, as it is near the town where I live. As a spectator, you get a good view of the circuit. The races are always exciting and interesting. As in motorsport, time is also an important factor in football. Whoever plays fastest, wins. Plus, it all comes down to small details in both sports. I have my fingers crossed for Kelvin van der Linde,” Magath revealed. The midfield tactician will follow the semi-finals of the European Football Championship without his two favourites: “Portugal was my tip for the title. Once they went out, I actually fancied my Swiss friends.”

Bavarian Minister of the Interior, Joachim Herrmann, honours René Rast
Bavarian Minister of the Interior, Joachim Herrmann, who has also been responsible for sport since 2018, took the opportunity to watch the Saturday race at the DTM’s 40th anniversary weekend. After the eventful seventh race of the season, Herrmann congratulated the DTM stars at the presentation ceremony, and presented the trophy to winner René Rast.

40 years of the DTM – Ceremony at Dutzendteich
The DTM was launched in 1984. 40 years later, former team principals, drivers and officials met at the Rowing Club at the Norisring to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the best-known German motorsport brand. Among those present were the winner of the inaugural title Volker Strycek, Olaf Manthey, record champion Bernd Schneider, AMG founder Hans-Werner Aufrecht, former Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Director Norbert Haug, champion Maximilian Götz, the first DTM race winner ever Harald Grohs, and Prince Leopold of Bavaria. The DTM greats were taken on a journey back through the history of the DTM, with ProSieben presenters Andrea Kaiser and Matthias Killing their guides through the entertaining programme. “The DTM has had its ups and downs over the past 40 years. The lows developed character, the highs built you up – and I hope that there are many more years to come with this great series. For me, it is always nice to still be recognised after such a long time, because our records remain memorable,” said Schneider. Hans-Joachim Stuck, 1990 DTM champion: “In my opinion, the DTM is the best GT3 series in the world, and Germany can be proud to have something like this. Things are going very well with the ADAC, and there is a constant flow of talented youngsters coming through. The only thing not as great as it used to be is the fun factor. Nowadays, as a driver you cannot afford to make a mistake, because it is immediately spread on social media. We had things better back then.”

Traditional reception in the boathouse on Dutzendteich lake
Auto Bild Motorsport marketer, B&M Marketing, and the DTM invited motorsport protagonists, business partners and friends to the boathouse on the Dutzendteich lake on Saturday. The guests were perfectly looked after in the “Franconian Monaco”, with cool drinks, delicious food and great music. The DTM drivers also popped in to the reception. McLaren driver Clemens Schmid: “It is serious business out on the track, so I find it great to get together in a relaxed atmosphere. Plus, you get to hear many great stories from previous DTM generations. I would have loved to have experienced the old days.”

DTM nostalgia on and off the track
A selection of cars and legends from four decades of DTM history took to the track in both DTM Classic races at the Norisring this weekend: from an original BMW M3 from the 1989 DTM to the Audi A4 DTM driven by Timo Scheider in 2007. The 40th anniversary was also celebrated away from the track. The DTM Fan Zone hosted chat shows with DTM legends, presented by Maren Braun, who has a special relationship with the racing series. Her father Rainer Braun was the voice of the old DTM from 1989 to 1995 and made a one-off return as the announcer for DTM Classic in Nuremberg. Rainer Braun also did two honorary laps of the Norisring alongside Prince Leopold of Bavaria ahead of Sunday’s DTM Classic race.

Nuremberg quartet enjoy motorsport home match
Finn Jeltsch, Enrico Valentini, Jan Reichert and Christian Mathenia from second division football club 1. FC Nuremberg visited round four of the DTM season in the Franconian metropolis, which took place in the shadow of the Max-Morlock-Stadion. The footballers ambled through the paddock, chatted to the drivers, and checked out the GT3 cars on the grid. The Nuremberg quartet will be back in action gain soon, as their pre-season training begins in just 14 days.

A big anniversary: 100th DTM race for Maro Engel
Sunday at the Norisring was a very special occasion for Maro Engel: the Mercedes-AMG driver was contesting his 100th DTM race at the only street circuit in Germany. Engel made his debut in the 2008 season. Back then, his team-mates included Schneider and former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, both of whom Engel has known since he was a boy. “For me, the DTM is like Formula 1 with a roof. I have a crazy amount of memories that I associate with this series, and that is something I am rather proud of. As such, it was a special moment when I signed my first DTM contract in 2008. I am obviously hoping to add to my record and pick up one or two more wins.”

Sustainability on and off the track
The Norisring hosted three racing series that are showing the way into the future when it comes to sustainability. The DTM and ADAC GT4 Germany are powered by an environmentally-friendly and innovative Shell fuel, which is made of 50 percent renewable components. The cars in the all-electric NXT Gen Cup, which made its first appearance of the season at the street circuit in Nuremberg, are equipped with a 30 kWh battery and allow 15-minute races without any loss of power. Visitors from the region around the Franconian city also had the opportunity to leave their own car at home and reduce their carbon footprint: the admission ticket included free travel to and from the circuit on public transport in the Nuremberg area.

Euros fever in the Fan Zone
Fans at the Norisring usually have their fingers crossed for the motorsport aces in their racing machines. On Friday evening, however, visitors to the Fan Zone cheered on the German football team and their talisman Toni Kroos right down to the final second, as the action unfolded on the big screen. Unfortunately, there was to be no happy ending. However, the many fans were impressed by the German players and could then look forward to exciting races seven and eight of the DTM season.

Drift action on the streets of Nuremberg
The Red Bull Driftbrothers put on a spectacular, action-packed show at round four of the DTM season at the street circuit in Nuremberg. Elias Hountondji and drift institution Rohan van Riel from Luxembourg thrilled crowds with smoke pouring from the tyres of their two 1,000-hp BMW M4. Aggressive driving at the limit with maximum precision was the order of the day, and spectators experienced perfect car control – sideways – in short shows ahead of the DTM races on Saturday and Sunday.