Portimao to Open Nine-Round 2022 Season

The DTM has announced its provisional 2022 schedule which includes a first-time visit to Portimao for the season-opener and the return of Spa-Francorchamps.

Portimao is set to host the German-based series next April, kicking off a nine-round, 18-race championship that takes in six different European countries.

The visit to Algarve International Circuit on April 29-May 1 will mark the DTM’s first Portuguese race weekend since the 2004 fixture at Estoril.

Also of note is the return to Spa, which staged a DTM event last year but has not featured on the 2021 calendar for the series’ switch from Class One to FIA GT3 machinery.

The Belgian Grand Prix venue is set to mark round seven of the campaign on Sep. 9-11.

After the Portimao opener, the DTM will head to the Lausitzring where it will retain the unique ‘Turn 1’ layout with a banked opening corner that was piloted earlier this season.

The venues for rounds three and four, which are being held in Europe but outside Germany, have yet to be announced.

The middle of the season involves trips to the Norisring and Nürburgring with an eight-week summer break in between.

Races at Spa and the Red Bull Ring lead into the planned Hockenheim season finale on Oct. 7-9.

“We are delighted to be presenting the race calendar for 2022 at this early stage already,” said Frederic Elsner, director of events and operations at series organizer ITR.

“We have been working on it really hard, because it was extremely important for us to provide planning security and a perspective for the teams and partners that are already involved or are interested.

“Now, we are looking forward to a good conclusion of the highly exciting current season and then equally spectacular races in 2022. For us, it is great to see how big the interest for the 2022 DTM already is.”

The provisional calendar avoids the date clash with the 24 Hours of Le Mans that occurred this year. There is, however, a conflict between the to-be-confirmed Spa round and the FIA World Endurance Championship’s trip to Fuji.

Zolder, Assen and Monza are the 2021 venues not currently included in next year’s schedule.

2022 DTM Schedule (provisional)
April 29-May. 1 – Algarve International Circuit
May 20-22 – Lausitzring Turn 1
June 3-5 – TBA
June 17-19 – TBA
July 1-3 – Norisring
Aug. 26-28 – Nürburgring
Sept. 9-11 – Spa-Francorchamps (date TBC)
Sept. 23-25 – Red Bull Ring
Oct. 7-9 – Hockenheim (date TBC)