Friday, October 12 2018

The prestigious German touring car championship DTM will return to Brands Hatch on 10/11 August 2019, accompanied by the newly-launched women-only single seater W Series.

The new, free-to-enter European series was unveiled earlier this week. Backed by Red Bull Racing's Adrian Newey and former F1 driver David Coulthard, it aims to provide a pathway for women into F1 and carries a $1.5m prize pot.

W Series forms part of DTM's all-new support programme, which was revealed today alongside the 2019 calendar, which features two new circuits.

DTM, the world's fastest touring car championship, will race on the full Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch next August. Lotus Cup Europe and a new Formula 3-based series also feature on the bill.

This year's DTM clash on the Grand Prix circuit saw ex-F1 driver Paul di Resta claim an emphatic race two victory over Mercedes-AMG teammate Gary Paffett. Daniel Juncadella took his maiden win in the category in the opening race.

DTM announced this week that British manufacturer Aston Martin will soon join the championship, lining up alongside BMW and Audi on the grid and adding an international flavour to the series. If the cars, based on the Aston Martin Vantage, are developed in time, they could contest their first races as early as 2019.

Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of Brands Hatch owner MotorSport Vision, said: "I'm very pleased we've been able to secure a round of the DTM at Brands Hatch for 2019, having welcomed it back after a five-year absence this August. The championship is undergoing many changes right now, but it remains the fastest and most technically advanced touring car series in the world, and makes for a spectacular sight on the majestic full Grand Prix circuit. We know the UK is an important market for DTM and after a good start this summer we're keen to work with Gerhard Berger and his team at ITR to make the event better and even more successful next year."

Achim Kostron, Managing Director of DTM promoter and rights holder ITR, added: "We keep on offering a well-balanced mix of events at Germany's most popular racetracks and attractive circuits in further European markets. In 2018, we returned - after long breaks - to the United Kingdom and Italy - two countries with huge motor-sport tradition and enthusiastic crowds. It's extremely important for us to keep on gaining a foothold there and increase our fan base."

Tickets for the Brands Hatch round of the DTM will be available soon at www.brandshatch.co.uk.