Touchdown Hockenheim: New England Patriots on the racetrack

• Bastian Buus' Porsche 911 GT3 R in New England Patriots colours
• Record NFL champions bring their Legendary Tour to the DTM finale

Munich. The partnership between the New England Patriots and the DTM is taking to the track. When Hockenheim hosts the DTM showdown (9th to 11th October), the starting grid will feature a race car in the spectacular look of the six-time Super Bowl champions for the first time - bringing to life the connection between American Football and motorsport. A 550-hp Porsche will bear the iconic colours of this year's Super Bowl finalists, as well as the club's striking logo on the doors. At the wheel of the Land-Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R with the special Patriots design will be Denmark's Bastian Buus.

"We are delighted with this cooperation with the New England Patriots, and the cool new design for our Porsche," says team principal Christian Land, ahead of the weekend in Hockenheim. "The Patriots are one of the most popular NFL teams in Germany, and have a huge profile. Together, we want to expand the reach of both sports, and to use the synergies between the teams."

"It is very special for us to see a Porsche in our colours at the DTM finale. Thank you to Christian Land and his team for making this possible," says Alex Foster, Senior Manager International Business at the New England Patriots. "The race in Hockenheim is an important stop for us on the road to Munich. Here, we will meet sports fans who value passion, speed and teamwork, just as we do. We hope to get them excited about American Football, and to see many of them again in Munich on 15th November."

After their outing at the racetrack, the Patriots will be back in Germany for the "return match" on 15th November. This time, however, they will not be on the asphalt, but on a more familiar grass surface: in Munich, the home of the DTM, the New England Patriots will take on the Detroit Lions in the NFL's "Munich Game".

Fans at the DTM finale will also be able to immerse themselves in the world of the Patriots away from the track. As part of the Legendary Tour, the Championship Container will be in the DTM Fan Zone. The Quarterback Challenge allows visitors to test their throwing skills, while the Patriots photo booth is the place to go if you want a special souvenir photo. In the game of cornhole, fans will go head to head on a section of artificial grass from the Gillette Stadium. Meanwhile, Patriots mascot Pat Patriot will ensure there is a real game day atmosphere at the Hockenheimring.

The DTM and the New England Patriots launched their strategic partnership last year. Together, they want to strengthen the cross-sport commitment, raise the international awareness of the two brands, and address new target groups. American Football and motorsport both thrive on unique live experiences, strategic finesse, and the use of state-of-the-art technology. Mere millimetres are often the difference between victory and defeat – as such, talent, teamwork and technology must work together seamlessly in key moments.

The event in Hockenheim sees Buus and Land-Motorsport line up in the final two DTM races of the season. The Saturday race starts at 13:30, while Sunday's final race of the year gets underway at the later time of 16:30. ProSieben will broadcast both races live on free-to-air TV.