DTM will widen the pit‑lane gates at the Norisring from 10 m to 13 m this season, a move aimed at cutting the risk of pit‑lane collisions after recent Zandvoort incidents.
Revised Spacing and Speed Controls
The new 13‑metre separation comes after officials flagged the Norisring’s narrow pit setup as a key safety vulnerability. With a 40‑km/h limit already in place—lower than the DTM’s standard 50 km/h—engineers believe the extra meter will lower the likelihood of cars moving side‑by‑side.
Steve Buschmann, team manager for Mercedes‑AMG Team Winward, notes that the change “substantially reduces danger for the crew.” He also points out that the 3‑metre gain from the first to the second gate will help drivers respect the “fast lane” rule, which currently removes priority from vehicles exiting the working lane when they are fully ahead of a fast‑lane car.
Impact on Pit‑Lane Operations
Because the gates are now farther apart, teams at the pit‑lane ends—including Winward, which will use the second stall in the lottery—must offset their stops by about five metres from their garages. Although organisers have already increased gaps between teams, this alignment shift could impose a small time penalty, though it is expected to remain within tolerable limits.
The change also affects the timing window for stops. HRT chief Ulrich Fritz observes that those stops are now spread over several laps, contrasting with the simultaneous stops seen at Nürburgring where high tyre degradation forces teams to pit together.
Zandvoort’s Future Schedule
Regulators plan to adopt the same safety procedure for Zandvoort in 2027, ahead of the 2027 race weekend. “By moving the gantries further apart, we anticipate a similar reduction in pit‑lane incidents,” says Buschmann.1
Aready, the Car of “fast lane” still does not gain priority in the DTM, and Gottfried Grasser, Lamborghini team boss, criticises the rule, arguing that a conventional front‑lane priority would eliminate the need for widening the pit lane.
Team Reactions
Winward’s Maro Engel considers the measures an improvement but doesn’t support eliminating the unsafe‑release rule. “The rule, which existed for the Class 1 era, should remain,” Engel says.2
Grasser echo’s Buschmann’s cautionary view but also highlights the potential efficiency loss from the added spacing. “Same application of gaps and a different rule… could save us the trouble,” he adds.
Looking Ahead
With a clearer separation policy and a reduced speed limit now enforced, the Norisring and the upcoming Zandvoort updates represent the DTM’s most visible commitment to pit‑lane safety since the 2024 season. The trade‑offs for operational timing are minor, and the consensus among team leaders is that the changes will contribute positively to the sport’s safety record moving forward.
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