The 1.429-mile street track is the shortest on the DTM calendar, with laptimes well under the 50-second marker, and it was anticipated that the 27-car field would find it difficult to get clear laps in the 20-minute qualifying sessions.
Therefore the DTM has introduced a new one-off format, with the field split into two groups (A and B) by their pre-event championship positions. Drivers in odd positions will be in Group A, even positions in Group B.
