BMW M factory driver Marco Wittmann has ignited his challenge for a third DTM drivers’ title, after scoring his first victory for two years in Race 2 at the Nürburgring.
The Schubert Motorsport racer triumphed in a chaotic encounter, climbing through from sixth on the grid for the 20th win of his DTM career.
In qualifying, Jules Gounon scored his second-ever pole position aboard his Winward Racing-run #48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter AMG GT3 Evo, with Dörr Motorsport’s Ben Dörr joining the Andorran-flagged racer at the front of the field, whilst the top six drivers in the championship all lined up on the next three rows.
On the opening lap, there was a collision at Turn 2, resulting in an appearance by the safety car.
Championship leader Maro Engel was forced to retire his #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol machine, as was Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf’s Lucas Auer, after the pair made contact. Engel has received a three-place grid penalty for the incident, to be served at the next race he contests.
The race also came to a premature end for Schubert Motorsport’s Kelvin van der Linde, who’s “disaster season” continued with a sixth non-score of the campaign after making contact with Auer’s AMG whilst trying to avoid the incident.
After the restart, pole-sitter Gounon took an early lead, ahead of Dörr and Race 1 winner Matteo Cairoli of Emil Frey Racing. Wittmann had climbed one position into fourth, and then slotted into second place behind Gounon after an early pit stop.
Dörr retired with an incorrectly mounted rear tyre, while Cairoli dropped well down the field after a poor pit stop. Manthey’s Thomas Preining, who climbed into third, was the beneficiary.
Shortly thereafter, Wittmann moved to the head of the field in his BMW M4 GT3 Evo, as Gounon was forced to complete a penalty lap for speeding, and consequently dropped down the standings.
Wittmann and Preining defended their positions after the second tyre change. Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf’s Tom Kalender, on the other hand, opted for a late stop and returned to the track in fifth place on fresh Pirelli slicks.
The 18-year-old produced some skilful overtaking manoeuvres to fight his way into third place. The Mercedes-AMG driver then went on the attack against Preining, and passed the Austrian with one lap remaining. Kalender even managed to close in on race leader Wittmann, but it was the BMW man who crossed the finish line first after 39 eventful laps of racing.
“The 20th victory means a huge amount to me! I have experienced many highs and lows across all my years in the DTM. It feels fantastic to be right at the front of the field on our own merits. The race was chaotic at times, but I kept a clear head, even when it was really tight in the closing stages,” said Wittmann.
Second place was Kalender’s first-ever DTM podium, salvaging a high point on an otherwise disappointing day for Mercedes-AMG.
“When I ran to my team after the podium ceremony, I saw more happy faces than I’ve ever seen before,” Kalender commented. “In just four years, I have made it from karting to the DTM podium. It is impossible to describe this feeling. After my DNF on Saturday, I still had a fresh set of tyres up my sleeve. That naturally helped me in the battle with Thomas Preining.”
Preining finished third in his #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2), closing to within one point of Engel at the top of the drivers’ championship after the German failed to score for the first time in 18 DTM races.
“A super home race for the team!” said the 2023 champion.
“I was extremely lucky at the start that I was just able to avoid the collision involving the cars next to me. I would have liked to have hung on to second place, and did everything I could, but there was simply no stopping Tom Kalender. We are now right in the thick of the title race, and that is something we have worked hard for.”
Wittmann, Kalender and Preining were followed home in fourth and fifth place by HRT Ford Racing’s Arjun Maini and the TGI Team by GRT Lamborghini Temerario GT3 of Mirko Bortolotti. Red Bull Team Abt’s Luca Engstler finished sixth in another Lamborghini.
Aston Martin works driver Nicki Thiim came home seventh aboard his Comtoyou Racing-run Vantage AMR GT3 Evo. Timo Glock steered the second McLaren GT3 Evo of Dörr Motorsport to eighth place. Red Bull Team Abt’s Marco Mapelli followed in ninth, ahead of Land-Motorsport Porsche driver Bastian Buus.
Further back, Cairoli eventually finished in 13th, one place of Gounon, who also lost ground with a slow pit stop. Finn Wiebelhaus, meanwhile, ended up 16th after picking up a puncture aboard his #64 HRT Ford.
Christian Engelhart did not contest Race 2, due to the damage sustained to his #19 TGI Team by GRT Lamborghini during Race 1.
With four races to go in the 2026 DTM, Engel sits on 160 points, with Preining on 159 points and Thiim a further 20 points behind in third.
Auer has fallen to fourth, four points off Thiim, with Wittmann a further point back in fifth.
Mercedes-AMG still leads the manufacturers’ championship, and although Winward Racing remains out front in the teams’ championship, Manthey has slashed its advantage to just four points.
The penultimate round of the 2026 season will take place at the Sachsenring on 12th to 13th September.
Image courtesy of Gruppe C Photography
