Spielberg vs. Salzburg

DTM boss: “Two races in Austria are conceivable”

41,000 fans came to the DTM in Spielberg(Bild: Gruppe C GmbH/ADAC Motorsport)

The DTM races at the Red Bull Ring are a tradition. But the Salzburgring also wants to have the race! How much Austria can the German championship take? The "Krone" asked the ADAC organizers.

The DTM loves coming to Austria. For the 15th time since 2001, the renowned racing series made a guest appearance in Spielberg at the weekend. But there is internal competition for the red-white-red race of the German championship: the Salzburgring. 

A stone's throw from Munich
"The big advantage there is that the circuit is very close to the German border and only about an hour's drive from the huge conurbation of Munich," explained Thomas Voss, ADAC Head of Motorsport and guardian of the future of the DTM, to the "Krone" in Spielberg. 

In Salzburg, the plan to take the race away from the Red Bull Ring is openly discussed. This is also confirmed by Voss: "We are in constant communication with the Salzburgring, but there are still a few points to clarify. A lot of things are necessary for modern motorsport these days. For example in the areas of safety, track layout and spectator comfort."

Picturesque ambience at the Salzburgring(Bild: Manuel Mackinger/IGMS)

Fans demand comfort
The Red Bull Ring meets the highest criteria of the FIA and FIM motorsport world associations and has hosted both Formula 1 and MotoGP for years. The Salzburgring, on the other hand, has not hosted an event of international relevance since 2014 (when the World Touring Car Championship arrived).

"Nowadays, people expect weather-protected grandstands and DTM fans must be able to enter the paddock," Voss writes in the Salzburg team's task list, but adds: "In principle, two races in Austria are also conceivable."

Thomas Voss steers the fortunes of the DTM as ADAC Head of Motorsport(Bild: ADAC Motorsport)

Good news for both circuits! In the medium term, the DTM wants to expand its calendar anyway: "We have decided on eight races again for 2025, but our goal is to get back to twelve races at some point."