DTM 2025 finale in Hockenheim: the countdown to the big showdown has begun
- Excitement is high ahead of the DTM finale at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg from 3 to 5 October
- Nine drivers travel to the final clash of a thrilling season with their title chances intact
- None of the championship contenders can
afford to make any major mistakes in the high-class field of participants
The outcome of the title fight in the 2025 DTM season is completely open. Nine drivers from five brands are separated by just 29 points ahead of the final two races of the year – just one point more than can be scored by adding qualifying (maximum three points) and one race (maximum 25 points). So 56 points are still up for grabs. This makes it almost irrelevant who goes into the DTM finale in which position – the decision will be made this weekend on the 4.5-kilometre Grand Prix circuit. And if you want to become champion, you and your team have to do a flawless job. There are a few crucial points and hurdles.
Crucial point 1: Friday. DTM connoisseurs know that it is important to start a race weekend well. Find a good rhythm and a good basic set-up straight away. Complete a clean practice programme. Collect data. Complete qualifying simulations with little fuel, long runs with lots of sprinting for the race. Prepare the pit crew for the mandatory stops with tyre change exercises.
Crucial point 2: Qualifying. The qualifying sessions on the morning of both race days play a decisive role. With the enormous power density in the field of 24 GT3 cars, most of which are within one second of each other, little more than a good grid position counts. If you are at the back of the field, you can hardly get to the front. The task in qualifying is complex: bring the non-preheated Pirelli tyres into the temperature window, do not hinder anyone, then get one, maximum two free laps, use the maximum grip of the tyres. Even the smallest driving mistake can mean several rows on the grid.
Crucial point 3: The start. When more than 13,000 hp are let off the leash, the DTM field goes wild. With elbows out, the aim is to get through the first lap as well as possible. Body checks are part of the game. Those who are too timid lose out. But so will anyone who overdoes it.
Crucial point 4: The race pace. Now you can see who worked well on Friday. Consistently high speed with controlled tyre management is required. If you overuse your tyres, you will pay for it in the final phase of the stint. Cleverness is just as important here as in the duel. The motto is to seize opportunities as they arise and avoid hopeless attacks.
Crucial point 5: The pit stops. They cannot be overemphasised in the DTM. When all the cars in the field are travelling at similar speeds, mistakes during the mandatory pit stops are severely penalised. There are three of these over the weekend – one on Saturday and two on Sunday. A maximum of six men on the car have to change all four wheels. This is real hard work, as a DTM rear wheel weighs around 23 kilograms. Good stops take less than seven seconds, the DTM record is 5.8 seconds. There is a separate annual pit stop classification, which is highly valued by the teams.
Crucial point 6: Those 15 drivers who no longer have a chance of winning the title. To put it bluntly, they don’t really care who is crowned champion in the end. And because each of the 24 drivers in the field must be given the chance to win or finish on the podium, they can all tip the scales.
And it’s not just about the drivers’ classification. The manufacturers’ and team standings are also still open. Mercedes-AMG leads the manufacturers’ standings with 370 points ahead of Porsche with 329, BMW with 316 and Ferrari with 305. Among the teams, Manthey EMA (Porsche, 316 points) is only 16 points ahead of Schubert Motorsport (BMW), 26 ahead of Winward Racing (Mercedes-AMG) and 34 ahead of Emil Frey Racing (Ferrari). A maximum of 100 points are still up for grabs in both classifications on the final weekend.
Exciting support races and live concert with Kamrad and H-Blockx
Race fans will hardly have time to catch their breath on the final weekend, because the support race series will also be in full swing. The titles in the ADAC GT Masters, the ADAC GT4 Germany, the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany and the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine have yet to be decided. Thrilling fights at the absolute limit are guaranteed.
And for those who really need a break from the engine sound and adrenaline rushes, the DTM Fan Zone offers interviews, shows, music, autograph sessions with the racing drivers, a ball pit for the little ones and much more. Fans of fine music will get their money’s worth on Saturday evening from 7 p.m. around the ‘DTM Powerstage presented by Pirelli’ behind the south stand (Block A area). Shooting star Kamrad plays catchy pop, while the H-Blockx have been synonymous with hard crossover rock for decades. Admission to the concerts is free for DTM ticket holders.
The ticket prices for the DTM finale are family-friendly as usual. Tickets are available from as little as 49 euros via the ticket shop on the website www.dtm.com and at the box offices.
Picture: ADAC Motorsport
