Ricardo Feller secured his first podium of the 2026 DTM season and his first since joining Manthey after recovering from 16th on the grid to finish third in Race 1 at the Lausitzring.
A rain shower shortly before the start created mixed conditions and divided the field between wet and slick tyres. Feller selected slicks alongside Marco Mapelli, Ben Dörr and pole-sitter Nicki Thiim, despite the amount of water that remained on the circuit. The decision initially forced Feller to focus on keeping his Porsche on the track. However, the circuit gradually dried and brought the slick-tyre runners back into contention. Feller then entered the pits shortly before race control introduced a decisive Full Course Yellow, allowing him to emerge among the leaders once the mandatory pit-stop cycle concluded.
Feller crossed the line third but later received a 15-second time penalty after he briefly reached 91 km/h under the 80 km/h Full Course Yellow speed limit. Nevertheless, he retained the final podium position because he had finished more than 25 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Thiim.
Meanwhile, the same penalty cost Mapelli the victory and promoted Dörr to his maiden DTM win.
Feller celebrates his first podium with Manthey
Feller entered the post-race press conference delighted with the outcome after starting from the eighth row of the grid. The Swiss driver already faced a difficult recovery before the changing weather added another layer of uncertainty to the race. Therefore, he viewed third place as a result that exceeded his expectations at the start. The podium marked his first of the 2026 season and his first since joining Manthey.
“Yeah, finally. Feels good to be back on the podium. It was quite a chaotic race. But if someone would have told me at the grid starting from P16 that I will end up here, I would have definitely signed [for] it. So, I’m very happy.”
Although the Full Course Yellow helped his strategy, Feller still had to manage the treacherous opening laps, recover through the field and protect his position during the closing stages.
His drive also demonstrated how quickly the competitive order changed as the track dried. Drivers who started on wet tyres initially moved forward, while those on slicks lost positions and struggled for grip. However, the advantage soon shifted towards Feller and the other drivers who had committed to dry-weather tyres.
‘We just tried to survive’ on slick tyres
Manthey selected slick tyres despite the wet circuit and the immediate risk that accompanied the decision. Feller struggled to generate grip during the opening laps and could not attack while the racing line remained damp.
Instead, he concentrated on avoiding mistakes and keeping the car in contention until conditions began to favour his tyres. As more cars circulated and the track dried, Feller gained confidence, improved his pace and began recovering positions.
“Well, I mean, we decided to go on slicks. Like the other two guys just said, it was very difficult to keep the car on track. But we managed somehow. And then we just tried to survive.
“And obviously, we had this little bit of extra luck on our side today that it worked out with the strategy and also with the Full Course Yellow that came at one point that we could make it into the pits, like Marco described perfectly before.
Feller openly acknowledged the role that fortune played in the result. However, Manthey still placed him in the correct position to take advantage of the opportunity. Feller crossed the pit-entry line immediately before race control activated the Full Course Yellow. Therefore, he could complete his mandatory stop while the neutralisation affected the drivers who remained on the circuit.
The sequence placed Mapelli, Dörr and Feller at the front once the pit-stop cycle concluded. It also gave them a substantial advantage over Thiim, whose earlier stop left him more than 20 seconds behind the leading group.
Feller lacks the pace to challenge Dörr
After the strategy phase settled, Feller ran third behind Mapelli and Dörr. He initially remained close enough to pressure Dörr and search for an opportunity to take second place.
However, the Manthey driver could not close the gap sufficiently to attempt a realistic move. Dörr gradually created some breathing room, while Feller accepted that he lacked the pace to launch a stronger challenge.
“Yeah, I mean, I tried, but it was not enough. I would have loved to fight a bit, but I just didn’t have the pace to go for a better move.”
Feller subsequently concentrated on securing third rather than risking his podium with an overly ambitious attack. He managed the final laps and crossed the line more than 25 seconds ahead of Thiim.
That margin later proved crucial. The stewards added 15 seconds to Feller’s race time, but the penalty did not erase his advantage over the Dane. Consequently, Feller retained third place in the amended classification.
Full Course Yellow investigation results in penalty
Officials investigated Feller after the race for exceeding the Full Course Yellow speed limit. The regulations required drivers to remain below 80 km/h, but Feller briefly reached 91 km/h during the neutralisation.
The infringement would ordinarily have resulted in three penalty laps during the race. However, the stewards could no longer apply those laps after the chequered flag. They therefore converted the punishment into a 15-second replacement penalty and issued a revised result.
During the press conference, Feller admitted that he did not understand the precise reason for the investigation from inside the cockpit. He believed he had handled the situation safely and chose to wait for the stewards’ findings rather than speculate about the outcome.
“I also can’t tell, to be honest. I thought that was very safe, but I couldn’t even tell which area it was, so we just have to see what the investigation says.”
Mapelli received the same 15-second penalty and lost the victory because it dropped him behind Dörr in the amended classification. However, Feller’s larger advantage over Thiim protected his position and allowed him to retain his first podium with Manthey.
Feller supports race control’s safety decision
The Full Course Yellow had already prompted debate before officials announced the penalties. Race control neutralised the race after Timo Glock stopped his McLaren with a technical problem, but Thiim questioned whether the car’s position created enough danger to justify the intervention.
Feller declined to criticise race control. Instead, he argued that officials had access to information that drivers could not properly assess from inside their cars. He also recognised that safety-related decisions often help some competitors while disadvantaging others, particularly when officials introduce a neutralisation during an active pit-stop window.
“Yeah, also not really much to add. I mean, I think they know what they do upstairs, and I don’t want to do their job. So, for sure they had a reason to bring it out, and sometimes in racing you’re a little bit lucky, and sometimes you’re not, and you cannot always make everyone right and everyone fair. In the end, it’s a safety thing, and I fully understand that they put Full Course Yellow.”
The timing undoubtedly helped Feller’s strategy, but Manthey still had to execute their plan correctly. The team selected slick tyres, guided Feller through the difficult opening phase and called him into the pits at the decisive moment.
Ultimately, the 15-second penalty complicated the final classification without changing Feller’s position. He retained third because of his advantage over Thiim, completed an impressive recovery from 16th and secured both his first podium of the 2026 season and his first podium as a Manthey driver.
