DTM and Super GT cars will race against each other two times in 2019

DTM and Super GT cars will race against each other two times in 2019, first time at Hockenheim in October and then at Fuji Speedway in November, it was announced today. DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) and Japanese Super GT Series are getting close together in the last few years and the next step in that cooperation will be joint end-of-season events both in Germany and Japan.

Japanese cars already visited the DTM meeting in 2017, when the crowds witnessed just demonstration laps. This time, during DTM season’s finale at Hockenheim on October 5-6, the guests from Japan in Nissan, Lexus and Honda cars will contest the races on Saturday and Sunday. The Super GT drivers for the trip to Germany will be nominated later this year.

Super GT cars at Hockenheim in 2017

“This means that we provide our European fans with a huge additional highlight. Six brands on the grid of a DTM race – that’s impressive. This demonstrates the huge potential of the cooperation of SUPER GT and DTM,” said Achim Kostron, Managing Director of DTM umbrella organisation ITR.

The highlight of the season will be the non-championship event at Fuji Speedway on November 23-24, three weeks after Super GT’s last championship race at Twin Ring Motegi. There will be twelve DTM cars of all three brands (BMW, Audi, Aston Martin) against full Super GT grid.

The criteria for selecting the DTM cars have not yet been determined but the event format for the joint race meeting has been fixed: as usual on a DTM weekend, two races will be contested without driver swaps. It is planned that all the cars will use tires supplied by DTM partner Hankook.

Fuji Speedway will host joint race between DTM and Super GT cars

“I’m delighted that we’ve taken a major step in regards to the planned joint event of Super GT and DTM. This is another milestone in the partnership of both series promoters GTA and ITR. I would like to thank GTA Chairman Masaaki Bandoh as well as the organization of the Fuji Speedway for their work so far. Fuji is a world-famous, modern racetrack – a worthy venue for a spectacle with racecars from SUPER GT and DTM,” said ITR Chairman and former F1 ace Gerhard Berger.

GTA boss Masaaki Bandoh said: “The joint race meeting of DTM and Super GT finally can be realised. I’d love to thank ITR and its Chairman Gerhard Berger for the good collaboration. Furthermore, I thank the Fuji Speedway officials who were actively involved in the realisation of our plan. I’m really delighted that we are going to jointly organise this event.”

Photos: DTM, GTA/Super GT,