DTM Announces 2010 Calendar, Will End in Shanghai

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) today confirmed their calendar for the 2010 season, and the first news is the the German series will not discover its champion on European soil, but in Asia. According to the press release from DTM, Shanghai was chosen to host the 2010 season finale in the championship.

Although several discussions regarding the inclusion of the Chinese circuit inside the DTM schedule took place in recent months, no one was really sure whether the German officials were able to develop a DTM round in time for the 2010 season. The need for an Asian event was developed soon after French circuit Dijon asked to cancel their ongoing contract with the series.

Dijon's stay in the series proved to be short-lived, as the French circuit replaced the more famous Le Mans venue as of last year.

An official confirmation of the DTM-Shanghai deal is yet to be announced, but it is believed the aforementioned event will take place on October 31st, replacing the classic season finale round at Hockenheim. If the reports are to be true, it will be the first time when the DTM will close its gates outside Hockenheim since the series' rebirth in 2000.

The second and last change of the DTM calendar for the upcoming season is the replacement of Circuit de Catalunya with the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, making for the Spanish round of the series. Here is the provisional calendar for the upcoming championship:

04/25 - Hockenheim
05/23 - Valencia
06/06 - Lausitz
07/04 - Norisring
08/08 - Nurburgring
08/22 - Zandvoort
09/05 - Brands Hatch
09/19 - Oschersleben
10/17 - Hockenheim
10/31 - Shanghai