Red Bull Rennpappe – a new event featuring the iconic Trabi meets the DTM at the Sachsenring

‘Go Trabi Go’ is the motto this September at and around the Sachsenring. The special appeal of the Zwickau-built two-stroke ‘Plastebomber’ Trabant remains as strong as ever and is cherished and nurtured in countless different ways.

On Saturday 12 September 2026, the ‘Red Bull Rennpappe’ fun rally in western Saxony will offer yet another, entirely new tribute to the iconic GDR car. Owners of Trabants registered for use on public roads can take part and enjoy an action-packed day with plenty of activities centred around their ‘(second-?) best possession’.

Trabi auf dem Sachsenring 2025

Foto: Thorsten Horn

But watch out! The number of participants is limited to 50, and the first few coveted places have already gone. One factor that works in your favour during the selection process is this: the quirkier, more original and more fantastic your Trabi is, the greater your chance of securing one of these coveted places. Registration is via www.redbull.com/rennpappe, where further information about the event is also available.

Sachsenring meets 2-stroke passion

At ‘Red Bull Rennpappe’, 50 pairs of drivers will take part in an adventurous rally around – and even on – the Sachsenring in customised Trabants. The rally starts in Zwickau, from where the route takes participants to Chemnitz, then to the Sachsenring and, via a further loop, back to the iconic race track near Hohenstein-Ernstthal for the grand finale, featuring further exciting programme highlights.

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Six ‘special stages’ modelled on rallying require creativity, driving skill and genuine team spirit. However, it’s not about speed, metres or seconds. Instead, after a series of entertaining games and competitions, the team with the most points wins.

The absolute highlight is an exclusive lap of the Sachsenring, taking place during the DTM weekend on the mountain and valley circuit near Hohenstein-Ernstthal (from 11 to 13 September) in front of packed grandstands and immediately before Saturday’s DTM race. The challenging bends of this iconic circuit blend with the unmistakable charm of the GDR’s cult car. It was here that ‘Rennpappen’ once battled for every metre and second, but at the entertaining ‘Red Bull Rennpappe’ event, it’s not horsepower that counts, but above all passion. The organisers are looking for truly one-of-a-kind and individually customised cars to take part, as the focus is, first and foremost, on fun for all participants and spectators lining the track; secondly, an expert jury will award the ‘Golden Rennpappe’ to the most creative Trabant.

Sachsenringrennen 1976

Foto: Volker Lange / Archiv Thorsten Horn

What, when and where

The event kicks off on 12 September at 12 noon at the August Horch Museum in Zwickau. Every minute, two Trabants set off on the journey, which first heads to the Sachsenring to complete the aforementioned presentation lap. Afterwards, the route takes them via the Oberrabenstein campsite to the Industrial Museum in Chemnitz. From there, they head back to Hohenstein-Ernstthal, where they’ll first pay a visit to the Altmarkt in the town centre. Next on the programme is the drive to Arena E in Mülsen, followed by a return to the Sachsenring. At the besico grandstand there – as at all previous stops – participants will have to complete various tasks, undertake skill-based driving challenges and so on. Following the prize-giving ceremony – either at the besico grandstand or perhaps even as part of the official DTM prize-giving – the grand finale will be a public viewing from around 8 pm, in keeping with the theme of the film ‘Go Trabi Go’.

The basis is the iconic East German Trabant

The Trabant – affectionately known as the ‘Trabi’ – is arguably the most iconic vehicle in German motoring history. Manufactured at the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke in Zwickau, it was the most widespread vehicle in the GDR for decades and a familiar sight on the roads.

At its heart was an air-cooled two-cylinder two-stroke engine, which initially produced 18 PS and later 26 PS. Due to material shortages, the body of this front-wheel-drive car was made from Duroplast – a phenolic resin reinforced with cotton waste. This made the car lightweight and, for the most part, resistant to rust.

Between cult status and everyday life

For many East German citizens, the car was a hard-earned goal: waiting times for a new car could be as long as 15 years. Its distinctive sound and characteristic blue exhaust plume (caused by the oil-petrol mixture required for two-stroke engines) made it unmistakable. After reunification, the Trabi became a symbol of change. Whilst it initially disappeared from the roads in many places as a nuisance, its image evolved over the years into that of a sought-after classic car and cult object.

Trabi parade at the DTM at the Sachsenring

The Sachsenring is one of Germany’s most historic race circuits. Its history, which will soon span 100 years, is closely intertwined with the industrial development of the region, which once formed the centre of Saxon car manufacturing – and thus also the home of the Trabant.

It is a fascinating sight to compare the technical simplicity of a classic ‘Trabi’ with the aerodynamic complexity of a modern DTM racing car – yet both are, in their own way, inextricably linked to the Sachsenring’s identity as a motorsport venue. On 12 September, they will be reunited as part of the ‘Red Bull Rennpappe’ event.

Further information on the event, the route and the special stages can be found at www.redull.com/rennpappe.