Review Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2029

More than four decades at the heart of DTM history

The history of the DTM begins in 1984, when the German touring car championship was created under the name Deutsche Produktionswagen-Meisterschaft. The early years saw BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Volvo and Opel touring cars competing against one another, before the championship gradually became one of the leading events in German and European motorsport.

Review Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2029 covers this history from 1984 to 2028, making it possible to follow the evolution of the championship from its first seasons through to the modern DTM era. The book brings together the results and data needed to trace the different generations of drivers, cars, teams, manufacturers and circuits that have shaped the series.

The early years were marked by cars such as the BMW 635 CSi and M3, Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth and Opel models that progressively joined the fight for the championship. In 1985, Sweden’s Per Stureson became the first non-German champion, followed by Kurt Thiim in 1986 and Eric van de Poele in 1987. In 1988, Klaus Ludwig gave Ford the title with the spectacular Sierra RS500 Cosworth.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the championship take on an increasingly international dimension. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Opel, Alfa Romeo and other manufacturers contributed to a particularly rich period before the championship evolved and expanded internationally under the ITC format. After that formula ended in the late 1990s, the championship returned in 2000 under the name Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, marking a new beginning with manufacturers including Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel.

This new era progressively built the modern DTM. Audi and Mercedes-Benz became the two leading manufacturers for much of the 2000s and 2010s, while BMW returned in 2012. Drivers such as Bernd Schneider, Klaus Ludwig, Nicola Larini, Laurent Aiello, Mattias Ekström, Gary Paffett, Timo Scheider, Bruno Spengler, Marco Wittmann and René Rast became part of the championship’s history.

Bernd Schneider occupies a particularly important place in the record books, with five DTM titles when his 1995 championship is included, while Klaus Ludwig won the earlier version of the championship three times.

The DTM underwent another major transformation with the introduction of GT3 regulations from 2021. This opened a new chapter for the championship, with racing cars derived from production-based GT models and the arrival or return of numerous manufacturers. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Audi, Aston Martin, McLaren and Ford have all contributed to renewing the DTM field and its technical identity.

The modern era retains its international character while remaining closely connected to its historic German circuits. Nürburgring, Hockenheim, Norisring, Sachsenring, Oschersleben and Lausitzring have all played important roles across different generations of the championship, while Zandvoort and the Red Bull Ring illustrate its international reach. In 2026, the DTM brought together eight manufacturers and opened its season at the Red Bull Ring, a first in the history of the series.

Review Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2029 places the 2029 season within this much broader history. The period covered through 2028 makes it possible to compare the different eras of the championship: the touring cars of the 1980s, the powerful machines of the 1990s, the rebirth of the DTM in 2000, the silhouette racing cars of the following era and the contemporary GT3 period.

The book brings together the essential information: race results, drivers, teams, manufacturers, circuits and statistics. It also makes it possible to rediscover the champions and major figures of each period while providing a structured view of the sporting and technical evolution of the championship.

Review Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters 2029 is not a journalistic account of a single season. It is a historical archive designed to be consulted, compared and preserved, allowing readers to explore more than four decades of racing and follow the continuity of a championship that has changed regulations, names, manufacturers and generations of cars without disappearing from the history of European motorsport.

From 1984 to 2028. More than four decades of racing. Generations of drivers, manufacturers and cars. An archive of the DTM, from its beginnings to the modern era.