Lausitzring (DEKRA Lausitzring)
Lausitzring (DEKRA Lausitzring) at a glance
- Location
- Klettwitz, Brandenburg
- Type
- road course & oval
- Length
- 4.345 km (2.7 mi)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Banking
- up to 5.7° on the tri-oval; a banked Turn 1 was added to the Grand Prix circuit for 2021
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 2000
- Owner
- DEKRA Automobil GmbH (since November 2017)
- Capacity
- 120,000
- Address
- Am Lausitzring 3
- Website
- dekra-lausitzring.de
Track map and layout
The Lausitzring complex, opened in 2000 near Klettwitz in Brandenburg, uniquely combines a banked tri-oval (3.256 km, up to 5.7° banking, styled after American ovals like Pocono) with a separate Grand Prix road course threading through its infield, making it the only circuit of this kind in continental Europe. The road course runs 4.345 km with 14 turns in its long-standing configuration, and a 2021 update added a banked Turn 1, shortening the corner count to 10 while lengthening the lap slightly to 4.601 km. A closely related 4.297 km, 14-turn motorcycle-specific layout is also used for bike racing. The tri-oval itself has seen little to no recent racing use and today functions mainly as part of DEKRA's vehicle-testing operations.
Named corners and sections
- Turn 1 (banked). A banked first corner added to the Grand Prix circuit in 2021, designed to increase cornering speeds and improve racing lines into the infield section.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit (pre-2021) | 4.34 km | 14 turns; long-standing DTM/ADAC GT Masters configuration |
| Grand Prix Circuit with banked Turn 1 (2021-present) | 4.60 km | 4.601 km, 10 turns |
| Tri-Oval | 3.26 km | 3.256 km banked oval; largely unused for racing today, mainly used for DEKRA vehicle testing |
| Motorcycle Circuit | 4.30 km | 4.297 km, 14 turns; used for bike racing |
Events and race weekends
The Lausitzring's road course hosts DTM and ADAC GT Masters rounds most seasons, typically alongside the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland as a support race, and the circuit continues to attract endurance and GT racing events. In its early 2000s heyday the tri-oval hosted CART's German 500 (2001 and 2003) and other American-style oval racing, and the venue has also held Superbike World Championship rounds and A1GP; oval racing has since faded, and DEKRA's ownership since 2017 has shifted much of the site's focus toward automated- and autonomous-driving test work alongside its racing calendar.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTM Lausitzring | DTM | June | typically the first German round of the DTM season |
| ADAC GT Masters Lausitzring | ADAC GT Masters | June | run alongside DTM weekend |
| Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland | Porsche Carrera Cup | June | support race for the DTM weekend |
Getting there and parking
The Lausitzring sits in a rural part of southern Brandenburg near Klettwitz, roughly 60 km north of Dresden and within reach of Cottbus, Berlin and Leipzig. There is no rail station directly at the circuit; visitors typically drive in via the A13 autobahn or connect through Dresden or Cottbus and complete the final leg by car or event shuttle.
- Dresden Airport (DRS) · about 60 min drive
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) · about 90 min drive
- Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) · about 100 min drive
Parking
General parking fields surround the circuit and are typically included with event tickets for race weekends.
There is no train station at the venue, so plan to arrive by car or an organised event shuttle from Dresden or Cottbus for race weekends.
Hotels and camping near Lausitzring (DEKRA Lausitzring)
The circuit's rural setting means most visitors stay in Cottbus or Dresden rather than immediately around the track, both offering a much wider range of hotels within roughly an hour's drive. Smaller towns closer to the circuit, such as Senftenberg, offer limited but closer accommodation options.
Where to look
Cottbus and Dresden, both under an hour's drive, offer the widest choice of hotels; Senftenberg is a closer, smaller option nearer the circuit.
Camping
Camping areas are available around the circuit for major race weekends such as the DTM round, offering a closer alternative to a hotel in Cottbus or Dresden.
RV
Motorhome and caravan parking is available in designated fields for race weekends; book ahead for the DTM/ADAC GT Masters weekend.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Lausitzring hosts a mix of car and motorcycle track days through third-party organisers, alongside its championship race calendar, though public access has become somewhat more limited since DEKRA's 2017 acquisition shifted significant capacity toward vehicle-testing use.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTM (Grand Prix circuit) | — | — | — | — |
Spectator guide
Grandstands around the Lausitzring's Grand Prix circuit give views of the infield's technical sections, and the venue's spacious, modern layout — a legacy of its early-2000s construction for oval racing — generally offers good sightlines and easy movement around the site compared with older, more cramped German circuits.
Seating
Grandstands are positioned along the main straight and around key infield corners of the Grand Prix circuit.
Best places to watch
Seats near the banked Turn 1 (on the post-2021 layout) give a good view of the circuit's fastest, most distinctive corner.
Weather
- June (DTM): warm early-summer weather typical of eastern Germany, highs around 20-24°C
History of Lausitzring (DEKRA Lausitzring)
Built for the oval-racing boom
The Lausitzring opened in August 2000 near Klettwitz in Brandenburg, built with a distinctive banked tri-oval alongside a conventional road course — a layout unique in continental Europe and clearly inspired by American ovals such as Pocono Raceway. The venue was intended to bring oval-style racing to European fans, and in its early years hosted CART's German 500 Champ Car races in 2001 and 2003, drawing large crowds curious to see American open-wheel cars racing on a banked oval on home soil.
A shift away from oval racing
Despite the ambitious concept, sustained demand for oval racing in Europe never fully materialised, and the tri-oval saw diminishing use through the 2000s as CART's successor series and other American-style events moved on. The circuit's road course, however, found a steadier role hosting DTM, Superbike World Championship rounds, A1GP and endurance racing, becoming a regular fixture of the German motorsport calendar even as the oval itself fell largely silent.
DEKRA ownership and a dual identity
DEKRA Automobil GmbH acquired the Lausitzring in November 2017, rebranding it as the DEKRA Lausitzring and repurposing much of the site as a major test facility for automated and autonomous driving technology. Racing has continued alongside this new role, with DTM and ADAC GT Masters both returning to the circuit's road course in recent seasons, including a 2021 update that added a banked first corner to the Grand Prix layout. Today the venue operates a dual identity: a working vehicle-testing centre for manufacturers, and a continuing, if lower-profile, stop on the German motorsport calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Lausitzring still used for racing?+
Yes. Its Grand Prix road course continues to host DTM, ADAC GT Masters and the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland most seasons, even though the venue's banked tri-oval sees little to no current racing use.
Why does the Lausitzring have an oval?+
It was built in 2000 with a banked tri-oval inspired by American ovals like Pocono, aimed at bringing oval-style racing to Europe; CART's German 500 ran there in 2001 and 2003 before demand for oval racing faded.
Who owns the Lausitzring now?+
DEKRA Automobil GmbH, which bought the circuit in November 2017 and uses much of the site as a test facility for automated and autonomous driving, alongside continuing its racing calendar.
How long is the Lausitzring Grand Prix circuit?+
The long-standing configuration is 4.345 km (2.700 miles) with 14 turns; a 2021 update added a banked Turn 1, producing a 4.601 km, 10-turn variant.
Where is the Lausitzring located?+
Near Klettwitz in Brandenburg, Germany, roughly 60 km north of Dresden and within reach of Cottbus and Berlin.
Other tracks nearby
- Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit · 110 km · street circuit
- Autodrom Most · 115 km · road course
- AVUS · 115 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Sachsenring · 119 km · road course
- Talkessel Teutschenthal · 147 km · motocross
- Loketské Serpentiny · 171 km · motocross
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.