DTM plans twilight races in 2015

For the first time since 2002, each event this year will feature a Saturday and a Sunday race, with Saturday's to last for 40 minutes plus one lap and include an optional pitstop for tyres.

While Sunday races were held in the same early-afternoon timeslot across 2014, organisers and the DTM's German broadcaster, ARD, are set to utilise several different windows on Saturdays this year.

At next weekend's Hockenheim season opener, the race will start at 2:45pm local time, but a number of summer races will commence later, with 6pm mooted as one option.

That timeslot is prominent in German sports, particularly football, hosting the Bundesliga's weekly headline match, the 'Topspiel'.

The main races likely to receive later starts will be those held during the Bundesliga off-season from late May to early August; Lausitzring, Norisring, Zandvoort and Red Bull Ring.

"It is not only important to have a lot of fans on site, but also to have good TV ratings and coverage," Mercedes DTM chief Ulrich Fritz told AUTOSPORT.

"In terms of the later timeframe, this could be the case for several races.

"It will not be a matter of fact for all races, and for sure it depends on the schedules of ARD, but the goal is to have some evening, later races."