Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft

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title: "Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["touring-car-racing-series", "sports-car-racing-series", "auto-racing-series-in-west-germany", "1972-establishments-in-west-germany", "1985-disestablishments-in-west-germany", "defunct-auto-racing-series", "defunct-sports-competitions-in-germany"] description: "German auto racing championship, 1972–1985" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Rennsport_Meisterschaft" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary German auto racing championship, 1972–1985 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox motorsport championship"]

Field	Value
category	Sports car & touring car racing
country/region	West Germany
inaugural	1972
folded	1985
::

| logo = | pixels = | caption = | category = Sports car & touring car racing | country/region = West Germany | inaugural = 1972 | inaugural2 = | folded = 1985 | drivers = | teams = | constructors = | engines = | tyres = | champion driver = | champion team = | manufacturer = | website = Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (German for German Racing Championship), formerly known as DRM, was a touring car and sports car racing series. It is regarded as a predecessor of the current DTM as Germany's top national series.

History

The DRM began in 1972 as a Group 2 touring car and Group 4 GT racing series for cars like (BMW 2002) and (BMW Coupé), in addition to the (German circuit racing saloon car championship). In these years, the same or similar cars were also entered in the European Touring Car Championship.

Races were run separately as big Division 1 (for 2 to 4 liter) and small Division 2 (under 2 liter) in a sprint format.

In 1977, Group 5 cars were admitted into the series, making the series better supported with Group 5 cars than the World Championship of Makes they were intended for. These fast and spectacular turbocharged cars with wide fenders and wings were initially popular, but they were proved to be expensive with each round struggling to bring in more than 10 cars for each class during the 1978 season. At the same season, it became clear that a turbo-charged engine was a necessity to maintain competitiveness, especially in Division 2. Not even a weight increase (up 885kg from 735kg) for the 1979 season could prevent this. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Kl81-01.jpg" caption="Group 5]] [[Zakspeed]] Ford Capri at the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany"] ::

In 1979, the Rennsport Trophäe (Racing Trophy) was introduced for the cheaper original series protagonists, the Group 2 and 4 cars. It consisted of combined races with the DRM until 1981.

In 1982, following the FIA rule changes, new Group C sportscars (along with existing Group 6) replaced the Group 5 machinery at the renamed International Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft. Meanwhile, the Rennsport Trophäe held separate races and events in 1982 and 1983, except for the 1982 ADAC Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

In 1984, with just three races held, organisers used three WEC (World Endurance Championship) races as additional IDRM point races. Also, the Rennsport Trophäe was replaced by the DPM (Deutsche Produktionswagen Meisterschaft), run with Group A cars.

1985 was the final year of the now called DSM (), with just one race was held at Norisring, the rest of them held in conjunction with the popular Interserie. This meant CanAm entered from the latter series, as it had always been, had to be counted for points

The series would be replaced by the Group C-only Supercup in 1986. At that time, the less expensive DTM () had taken over as Germany's most important racing series.

Since 2005 the AvD the AvD organizes a "Revival Deutsche Rennsportmeisterschaft" race at his great "Oldtimer Grand Prix".

Champions

::data[format=table]

Season	Champion	Team	Car
DEU Hans-Joachim Stuck	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Capri RS
DEU Dieter Glemser	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Escort
DEU Dieter Glemser	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Escort
DEU Hans Heyer	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Escort
DEU Hans Heyer	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Escort
DEU Rolf Stommelen	DEU Georg Loos	Porsche 935
AUT Harald Ertl	DEU Schnitzer Motorsport	BMW 320i Turbo
DEU Klaus Ludwig	DEU Kremer Racing	Porsche 935 K3
DEU Hans Heyer	ITA Lancia Corse	Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Turbo
DEU Klaus Ludwig	DEU Zakspeed Racing	Ford Capri Turbo
FRA Bob Wollek	DEU Joest Racing	Porsche 936
FRA Bob Wollek	DEU Joest Racing	Porsche 956
DEU Stefan Bellof	CHE Brun Motorsport	Porsche 956B
DEU Jochen Mass	DEU Joest Racing	Porsche 956
::

References

References

1. Brandworks.be. "WRT {{!}} DTM".
2. (2024-02-26). "DTM: A Symphony of Speed".
3. Longman, Will. (2022-02-01). "DTM for beginners: get to know the German racing series".
4. AC. "Before there was DTM, real men raced in DRM".
5. "World Sports Racing Prototypes - Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft".
6. "DRM Part 2: 1977-1981".
7. "Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft - 1978".
8. "Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft - 1979".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::