DTM | 2026 Lausitzring | Qualifying 1 | Nicki Thiim takes record-breaking DTM pole

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Nicki Thiim secured pole position for the opening DTM race at the Lausitzring after producing a new lap record in Saturday’s Qualifying 1.

The Comtoyou Racing driver set a time of 1:19.463 in the Aston Martin Vantage GT3, beating Arjun Maini by just 0.062 seconds in a closely contested fight for pole.

Thiim’s lap was also 0.364 seconds faster than the previous qualifying record set by Lucas Auer during the 2025 event. The result marked Thiim’s second pole position in the DTM and the first for Aston Martin since the manufacturer joined the championship with Comtoyou Racing.

His previous pole came at the Norisring in 2024, where the Danish driver went on to claim his first and, so far, only DTM victory.

The result provides Thiim with a strong opportunity to add another win to his record, although the extreme temperatures and expected tyre degradation could make the race considerably more difficult than the qualifying session.

Maini continues Ford’s strong Lausitzring form

Arjun Maini secured a place alongside Thiim on the front row after another competitive performance from the Ford Mustang GT3.

The HRT driver finished only 0.062 seconds away from pole position, confirming the pace that Ford had already shown during the official pre-season test and Friday’s practice sessions.

The Mustang has appeared particularly competitive over a single lap, with the car able to bring its tyres up to temperature quickly. That strength proved valuable during qualifying, where Maini immediately placed himself among the leading contenders.

His teammate Finn Wiebelhaus also delivered a strong result by qualifying sixth, 0.427 seconds behind Thiim. With both cars inside the top six, HRT will enter the opening race with two opportunities to score a significant number of points.

The team’s main concern is likely to be tyre management over the full race distance. The Mustang’s ability to generate tyre temperature quickly can become a disadvantage during longer runs, particularly in the hot conditions at the Lausitzring.

Despite changes designed to improve airflow around the wheel arches, the Ford could still be vulnerable to overheating its tyres. Maini may therefore have to balance his challenge for the lead with the need to protect the car’s performance during the second half of the race.

Auer leads Mercedes-AMG trio at DTM Qualifying 1 at the Lausitzring

Lucas Auer qualified third and led a closely matched group of Mercedes-AMG drivers behind the front-row starters. The Austrian finished 0.160 seconds away from Thiim’s record-breaking lap and secured an additional championship point with his qualifying position.

Auer was followed by Winward Racing teammates Jules Gounon and Maro Engel in fourth and fifth. Gounon ended the session 0.250 seconds off pole, while Engel was 0.362 seconds behind the Aston Martin driver.

The three Mercedes-AMG cars will start from the second and third rows, placing the manufacturer in a strong position to challenge both Thiim and Maini during the race. Auer’s result was particularly important in the championship battle. Engel remained at the top of the standings after qualifying, but Auer reduced the gap slightly by collecting the point awarded for third place.

Track position and traffic played an important role during the session, with drivers attempting to create enough space for their fastest laps while also ensuring their tyres remained within the correct operating window. Auer was unable to complete his preferred warm-up procedure but still produced a competitive final lap when the tyres reached their peak performance.

Ferrari and Lamborghini outside the leading group

Matteo Cairoli was the highest-placed Ferrari driver after he placed seventh for Emil Frey Racing at DTM Qualifying 1 at the Lausitzring. The Italian completed his best lap 0.438 seconds slower than Thiim and will start directly behind Wiebelhaus. Cairoli remained within half a second of pole, highlighting how closely matched the leading group was during the session.

Luca Engstler was the fastest Lamborghini representative in 11th place. The Abt Sportsline driver finished ahead of the Grasser Racing Team entries but was unable to break into the top ten. With several cars separated by small margins, the opening laps could provide Engstler with an opportunity to move forward, particularly if the drivers ahead become involved in battles.

Porsche struggles as Preining qualifies 12th

Porsche endured a disappointing qualifying session, with Thomas Preining unable to place the Manthey Racing “Grello” inside the top ten. The former DTM champion finished 12th, 0.540 seconds behind Thiim. Although the gap to pole was relatively small, the competitive nature of the field left Preining on the sixth row of the grid.

Starting outside the top ten will make his race more difficult, especially at a circuit where overtaking can be challenging without a significant pace advantage. The Porsche driver will need to gain positions at the start or use the mandatory pit stop to move forward through the field.

BMW drivers left at the back of the grid

BMW experienced the most difficult session among the leading manufacturers, with Marco Wittmann and Kelvin van der Linde qualifying 18th and 19th. Wittmann ended the session 0.809 seconds away from pole, while van der Linde was a further 0.020 seconds behind his teammate.

The result was particularly surprising for van der Linde, who arrived at the Lausitzring after winning the previous race at Zandvoort. Instead of continuing that momentum, the South African will begin Saturday’s race from the final row on his 30th birthday.

Both BMW drivers struggled to match the pace at the front of the field and now face a difficult recovery drive. Strategy, tyre conservation and the timing of the mandatory pit stop are likely to be crucial if either driver is to move into the points. The poor qualifying result also leaves BMW vulnerable in the championship fight, with several of its main rivals starting much further up the grid.

Thiim leads an unpredictable grid

Thiim will start the opening race from pole position, with Maini alongside him and Auer directly behind in third. The small gaps between the leading drivers suggest the race could remain closely contested, but the different characteristics of the Aston Martin, Ford and Mercedes-AMG cars could create a changing competitive order over the full distance.

Thiim has the advantage of track position, while Maini’s Ford has shown excellent qualifying speed. The Mercedes-AMG trio behind them may benefit from its strength over longer runs and could become increasingly competitive as tyre degradation begins to affect the front-row cars.

With high temperatures expected and tyre management likely to play a major role, Saturday’s race may not be decided by qualifying pace alone.