The circuit takes its name from its triangular shape — "Dreieck" is German for triangle — and from the town of Schleiz that surrounds it. It was established during the early years of German motor racing, predating the Nürburgring by several years, which gives it a particular historical significance among Germany's racing venues.
The original circuit measured 7.631 km (4.742 mi) in length. Over the course of the twentieth century, safety improvements and changes in racing regulations required the layout to be shortened twice: first to 6.805 km (4.228 mi) in a revision completed between May and August 1988, and then more substantially to its current 3.805 km (2.364 mi) in July 2004. The circuit averages 10 metres in width and features 44 metres of elevation change, giving it a challenging, rolling character typical of circuits built on natural terrain.
The Schleizer Dreieck is a road circuit, meaning it uses public or semi-public roads as part of its layout rather than existing as a purpose-built permanent facility in the conventional sense. This gives it a character closer to the Nordschleife or Isle of Man TT than to modern FIA-grade permanent circuits. The elevation changes and relatively narrow width create an environment that rewards committed, experienced riders and drivers, and makes the venue particularly demanding for competitors unfamiliar with its layout.
The circuit is primarily known as a motorcycle racing venue. It has served as host to the IDM Superbike Championship from 2004 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2025, making it a regular fixture on the German domestic superbike calendar. It has also hosted rounds of the Sidecar World Championship from 2004 through 2013, as well as the International Road Racing Championship in multiple seasons between 2010 and 2025.
During the era of the Communist-bloc sporting calendar, the Schleizer Dreieck held rounds of the Cup of Peace and Friendship, an international motorcycle racing series that ran across Eastern European venues from 1970 to 1990 and served as a significant competitive platform during the Cold War period for riders from the socialist states.
The circuit's premier annual event is the Internationales Schleizer Dreieckrennen, a traditional race meeting held in June each year that draws both national-level competitors and a dedicated local following. A second summer event, the German TT and VFV Klassik Grand Prix, takes place in July.
The longevity of the Schleizer Dreieck is remarkable. While many historic road circuits across Europe fell victim to safety concerns, economic pressures, or changing community attitudes toward motorsport, Schleiz managed to adapt its layout to successive safety standards while retaining the essential character of a fast, challenging road circuit through hilly Thuringian countryside. Its identity as Germany's oldest racing circuit gives it a historical place out of proportion to its modest current dimensions, and it continues to attract motorcycle racing at international level alongside its domestic IDM rounds.