Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

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Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
Category Touring cars
Country Germany Germany
Inaugural season 1984
Folded 1996
Constructors Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Opel, Alfa Romeo, BMW
Tyre suppliers Michelin, Dunlop, Bridgestone
Last Drivers' champion Germany Manuel Reuter
Last Teams' champion Germany Opel
Official website


The original DTM had resumed racing with production based cars, as the former Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft had switched to Group 5 in 1977 and even to expensive Group C sportscars in 1982, leading to its decline. Since 2000, a new DTM has been run as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, again organised by ITR.


The Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI DTM of 1993 champion Nicola Larini. The 155 holds the all-time record of 38 victories in DTM.

Rise of the original DTM[edit]

The original DTM was started in 1984 as Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft (German Production Car Championship), with cars entered by privateer teams and under FIA Group A rules, but was extensively modified throughout the years, allowing more modifications. In the late 1980s, works teams joined the DTM, and it became one of the most popular motorsport championships in Europe.


DTM to ITC and demise[edit]

The DTM expanded its horizons for the 1995 season and the teams contested the inaugural FIA International Touring Car Series [1] as well as the traditional DTM.[2] The former was contested over ten races, all held outside of Germany and the latter over fourteen races within Germany. Plans were then made to combine the two into one new series, the International Touring Car Championship, for 1996. The ITR governing body then sought approval and support from the FIA to begin the new series. In exchange for FIA support, the ITR let the organisation take control over many aspects of the way the ITC was run: crucially, the financial side of the championship was revolutionised. A large proportion of the revenue generated by the championship went to the FIA, with the result that less went to the teams who subsequently complained of little return on their increasingly large investment in the high-tech series (this was further exacerbated by the travel costs to the new international rounds in Suzuka, Japan and Interlagos, Brazil). The FIA also increased the price for television rights dramatically with the result that television coverage of the series disappeared from all European countries except Italy, Germany and Finland, prices for tickets to races were almost doubled, and access to the circuit paddock to meet the drivers (which had previously been a big hit with fans) was drastically reduced. The choices of circuits on which to hold rounds of the championship were also unsuccessful – the rounds at Magny-Cours, France and particularly Interlagos suffered very poor attendance. Questions were also raised by the manufacturers as to why they were racing in countries in which their cars were not actually sold (Alfa Romeos were not sold in Brazil).[citation needed] Opel and Alfa Romeo both left the championship after the 1996 season, leaving only Mercedes; the championship was consequently cancelled.

The new DTM[edit]

The DTM returned in the year 2000 with different rules and without International Championship status. The DTM initials now stand for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (German Touring Car Masters).


Klaus Ludwig won the 1992 drivers' title with a Mercedes-Benz 190E
Season Series Name Champion
/ Car
Second Third Manufacturers Champion [3]
1984 Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft Germany Volker Strycek
Germany BMW 635CSi
Germany Olaf Manthey Germany Harald Grohs not awarded
1985 Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft Sweden Per Stureson
Sweden Volvo 240 Turbo
Germany Olaf Manthey Germany Harald Grohs not awarded
1986 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Denmark Kurt Thiim
United Kingdom Rover Vitesse
Germany Volker Weidler Germany Kurt König not awarded
1987 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Belgium Eric van de Poele
Germany BMW M3
Germany Manuel Reuter Germany Marc Hessel not awarded
1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Klaus Ludwig
United Kingdom Ford Sierra RS500
Germany Roland Asch Germany Armin Hahne not awarded
1989 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Italy Roberto Ravaglia
Germany BMW M3
Germany Klaus Niedzwiedz France Fabien Giroix not awarded
1990 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck
Germany Audi V8 Quattro
Venezuela Johnny Cecotto Denmark Kurt Thiim not awarded
1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Frank Biela
Germany Audi V8 Quattro
Germany Klaus Ludwig Germany Hans-Joachim Stuck Germany Mercedes-Benz
1992 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Klaus Ludwig
Germany Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo 2
Denmark Kurt Thiim Germany Bernd Schneider Germany Mercedes-Benz
1993 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Italy Nicola Larini
Italy Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti
Germany Roland Asch Germany Bernd Schneider Italy Alfa Romeo
1994 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Klaus Ludwig
Germany Mercedes-Benz C Class
Germany Jörg van Ommen Italy Nicola Larini Germany Mercedes-Benz
1995 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Germany Bernd Schneider
Germany Mercedes C-Class V6
Germany Jörg van Ommen Germany Klaus Ludwig Germany Mercedes-Benz
International Touring Car Series[4] Germany Bernd Schneider
Germany Mercedes C-Class V6
Denmark Jan Magnussen United Kingdom Dario Franchitti Germany Mercedes-Benz
1996 International Touring Car Championship Germany Manuel Reuter
Germany Opel Calibra V6 4x4
Germany Bernd Schneider Italy Alessandro Nannini Germany Opel
DTM / ITCC not held
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters See Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

See also[edit]

External links[edit]


  1. ^ 1995 ITC schedule and standings Retrieved from on 17 November 2009
  2. ^ 1995 DTM schedule and standings Retrieved from on 17 November 2009
  3. ^ Retrieved on 17 November 2009
  4. ^ FIA results for the 1995 International Touring Car Series Retrieved from on 16 November 2009