Rast Explains Decision to Depart DTM

Photo Julien Delfosse/DPPI

Three-time DTM champion Rene Rast has explained his decision to step back from competing in the series next year, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.

The factory BMW driver had been a DTM stalwart for the past decade, having first joined the series in 2016 and going on to win the title the following year and in 2019 and 2020 during his Audi days.

He also finished runner-up in 2018 and, after making his series debut, had only not been on the grid one season – 2021 in the wake of the DTM’s adoption of GT3 regulations.

But the 39-year-old has regularly dovetailed his DTM campaign with other categories, including Formula E and the FIA World Endurance Championship and Rast therefore sought a less congested schedule for 2026.

The German said it was his call to depart the DTM – describing it as a ‘temporary retirement’ when the news was announced last month – after finishing sixth in the standings this year with Schubert Motorsport, and is looking forward to spending more time away from race tracks.

“The thinking was just to have a bit more free time for myself and for my family,” Rast told Sportscar365.

“The last five or six years, always doing double programs with DTM and WEC or Formula E and WEC has always been very tough, like 250 days away from home.

“I have two kids at home and also a private life, so I want to have a bit more time for me and still be racing so this was the decision.

“I told BMW that I might not do DTM next year and they were fully OK with it.”

However, Rast did admit that he could reverse his decision in the future should he decide that he would like a busier calendar of races again.

“Maybe if I’m getting bored over the winter maybe I will change my mind again,” he added. “But, at the moment, I will keep the focus on one program.”

Rast is expected to remain a part of BMW’s lineup in the WEC next year, having finished ninth in this season’s standings alongside Sheldon van der Linde and Robin Frijns during a difficult campaign for the manufacturer where it only scored one podium finish.

Rast did say he may add extra one-off races to his main program, such as the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but is currently intending to focus on just a single championship.

“The winter is coming so I need a bit of time to think for next year,” he said when asked what any additional races to his schedule could include.

During 2025, Rast also made one-off outings in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS.

Source: Sports Car 365