Sometimes, for reasons beyond our control, things turn out differently than planned. The ADAC 1000 km race was intended to be the 1000 km final race of the DHLM racing series, which was being held for the first time. This series consisted of four races: the ADAC 24-hour Qualifiers, the ADAC 24-hour race, the new race in July, all covering a race distance of three hours each, and the ADAC 1000 km race covering a distance of 1000 km. However, it was not possible to agree on the third race in July 2026. As a result, races DHLM 3 and 4 were integrated into the 2026 ADAC 1000 km race as a double-header. This meant that these two races were organised as 3-hour races. We did not want to expect the participants to drive a 3-hour race on Saturday and then a 1000 km race on Sunday.
However, this solution only applies to 2026. In 2027, the original plan will remain in place because the overarching issues from 2026 will have been resolved by then.
THREE DAYS TOTAL DISTANCE INCLUDING NORDSCHEIFE
In 2026, we will not only use the entire track on Saturday, but also on all three days of the weekend, i.e. the full programme from Friday to Sunday. Four races will thrill spectators:
- Touring Car Grand Prix
- DHLM Deutsche historische Langstrecken-Meisterschaft 3
- Tourenwagen Golden Ära
- DHLM Deutsche historische Langstrecken-Meisterschaft 4
German Historic Endurance Championship: Outlook for 2027
The third DHLM race is planned to take place as a separate event in July 2027. This means that three 3-hour races will be held, and the fourth race will be the traditional 1000 km final on the Nordschleife – subject to the wishes and feedback of the majority of participants. The ADAC 1000 km weekend will thus remain a key date in the calendar for historic endurance racing, continuing to offer both teams and fans exciting races on one of the world's most legendary race tracks.
Touring cars in focus for further races
The two three-hour DHLM races will be complemented by an additional endurance race covering the same distance, entitled the "Grand Prix for Touring Cars" for vehicles with specifications in accordance with Appendix K from the period 1965–1976. Vehicles such as the Ford Escort, Ford Capri, Alfa Romeo GTAM, BMW 2002 and BMW 3.0 CSL will be competing here. This promises to be an exciting field of competitors in its own right.
Unlike in previous years, the "Golden Era Touring Cars" will this time compete in their own 3-lap sprint race over the full length of the Nürburgring, which in the NLS variant consists of the Nordschleife and GP circuit with a short connection. It is expected that the starting field here will continue to grow significantly.
