The DTM was at the Lausitzring this past weekend, offering spectators both sporting highlights and numerous twists and turns. While Nicki Thiim and Arjun Maini caused a stir in qualifying, the two races were marked by changing conditions, penalties, and a change in the championship lead.
Nicki Thiim already made a statement in qualifying for the first race. The Aston Martin works driver secured pole position in the Comtoyou Racing car with a lap time of 1:19.463 minutes. Arjun Maini put the Ford Mustang GT3 from Haupt Racing Team in second place on the grid, just 0.062 seconds behind Thiim. Third place went to Lucas Auer in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 from Landgraf Motorsport.
The first race began under difficult conditions. Rain started shortly before the start, which delayed the race's commencement. However, the track dried quickly due to high temperatures, making tire strategy a decisive factor. While some drivers started on slicks, others had to start on rain tires first.
Incidents during the race caused several interruptions. Tom Kalender was spun around in the first corner but remained unharmed. Bastian Buus got stranded in the gravel trap early on, which triggered a safety car period. Later, the race had to be neutralized again after Timo Glock had to park his McLaren due to technical problems.
Marco Mapelli benefited from these circumstances. The Lamborghini works driver worked his way forward from 16th on the grid and took the lead after a pit stop during a full-course yellow phase. He was the first to cross the finish line as the winner, giving the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3 its first race victory worldwide. Behind him, Ben Dörr finished in the McLaren from Dörr Motorsport, followed by Ricardo Feller in the Porsche from Manthey.
However, after the race, the stewards checked for several possible speed limit violations during the full course yellow phase. It was found that Mapelli had exceeded the permitted maximum speed of 80 km/h. A subsequent 15-second time penalty cost him the victory. This moved Ben Dörr up to first place, and he celebrated his first DTM success. Mapelli was classified second. Ricardo Feller also received a 15-second penalty, but was able to maintain his third place. Maximilian Paul and Maro Engel were also penalized. Jules Gounon and Tom Kalender were cleared after data review.
Following this, the SRO responded with adjustments to the Balance of Performance (BoP) for the second race day. Aston Martin received additional weight as well as a reduction in maximum boost pressure. The Ford Mustang GT3 and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 were also restricted through technical adjustments and additional weight, respectively. The remaining vehicles were classified unchanged.
In qualifying for the second race, Arjun Maini made history. The Indian secured not only his first pole position of the season but also the Ford Mustang GT3's first-ever pole in the DTM. With a time of 1:19.750 minutes, he relegated Matteo Cairoli in the Ferrari 296 GT3 of Emil Frey Racing to second place. Nicki Thiim once again took third on the grid.
Matteo Cairoli ultimately won the Sunday race. The Italian celebrated his second win of the season, simultaneously taking the lead in the overall standings. Nicki Thiim finished second with his Aston Martin, missing out on victory by a mere 0.413 seconds. Finn Wiebelhaus completed the podium in the Ford from Haupt Racing Team, achieving his first DTM podium finish.
Even in the second heat, the race was not without incidents. The safety car had to come out early in the race after debris had to be cleared from the start-finish straight. Furthermore, Maro Engel and Jules Gounon each received a penalty lap because wheels were not properly secured during their mandatory pit stops.
After the race weekend at the Lausitzring, the DTM continues with a new championship leader: Matteo Cairoli is leading the standings and is also the first driver of the season with two race wins.