The German Racing Championship, or simply DRM, was the most important motor racing series in Germany from 1972 to 1985. Prior to this was the German Circuit Racing Championship (DARM), which existed from 1960 to 1971; its follow-up series was the DTM until 1996 and the German Touring Car Masters starting in 2000.

In the first years of the DRM, modified touring cars were used in accordance with FIA Group 2 rules. Waltraud Odenthal in a Ford Capri and Rolf Stommelen in a BMW 2800 CS were two of the drivers in 1972. There were separate races in two divisions:

  • Large Division 1: up to 4000 cm³, generally with BMW 3.0 CSL, Ford CapriRS 2600, Porsche 911S/Carrera RSR
  • Small Division 2: up to 2000 cm³, typically with Ford Escort, BMW 2002

From 1977, touring cars were registered according to FIA Group 5 rules, which were significantly more heavily modified, had protruding wheel arch extensions and spoilers and were usually equipped with turbo engines that had to have a displacement 1.4 times smaller. These were divided into:

  • Large Division 1: up to 4000 cm³, typically with Porsche 935, Ford Capri Turbo
    Small Division 2: up to 2000 cc, typically with Ford Escort, BMW 320 (Schnitzer Junior Team)

In each of the first five years, a Ford driver won the DRM title, with Hans-Joachim Stuck being the first to win the championship in his only year with the Cologne-based brand. Walter Röhrl in an Opel Kadett GT/E and Schnitzer BMW 2002 Group 5 was one of the most prominent starters in Germany at the time.

Since 2005, the OGP has honored the spectacular cars with the “Revival Deutsche Rennsportmeisterschaft” as part of the Oldtimer Grand Prix. In 2024, the DRM Revival will take place for the first time as part of the ADAC Hockenheim Historic and, in addition to a number of original cars, it will bring some familiar faces to the Jim Clark Revival in Baden:

Ford Capri Turbo, BMW 2002 Group 5, DeTomaso Pantera, Opel Kadett GT/E, Ascona 400 works Group 4, Porsche 935 K3 Group 5, Sauber M1 Group 5, M1 Procar, Porsche RSR, BMW CSL and BMW 635 Group 5 with Olaf Manthey will ensure excitement in the Motodrom.

DRM Revival” race format:

  • Friday: 25 min. practice / 25 min. qualifying
  • Saturday: 25 min. race 1
  • Sunday: 25 min. race 2

The classes

  • Class Early DRM – 2 Liter 1966-1971
  • DRM Classic class 1971-1981
  • DRM Group 4 / Procar class 1971-1981
  • Class DRM Group 5 1971-1981