DTM | 2026 Norisring | Qualifying 2 | Thiim claims second pole of the weekend

Spread the love

The DTM headed into Qualifying 2 at the 2026 Norisring with another Balance of Performance update, marking the third BoP version of the weekend.

The latest change mainly adjusted ballast and total weight across six cars. Porsche received the biggest weight break, dropping from 1325kg to 1310kg, while BMW also lost ballast and moved down to 1300kg. Aston Martin, Ford, McLaren and Mercedes-AMG all gained weight, with Ford rising to 1325kg after Arjun Maini and Finn Wiebelhaus showed strong pace in Race 1.

However, the update was not limited to weight. Mercedes-AMG also received a lambda change from 0.91 to 0.93, while the updated boost table included revised Lamborghini values.

Ferrari remained unchanged, while Porsche and BMW looked like the clearest beneficiaries on paper. The question heading into Qualifying 2 was whether those changes would bring them forward, or whether Ford’s proven Norisring pace would still make the Mustang the car to beat.

Group B

Group B of the DTM Qualifying went out first on track ahead of Group A to respect the fairness between the groups. Though the group got smaller, as both Kelvin van der Linde and Maximilian Paul were not able to attend the session due to injuries and damaged cars after the accident in Race 1.

Lucas Auer was the first one to set a benchmark lap, though it was still about 4 seconds away from Nicki Thiim’s pole lap from Qualifying 1. The Austrian driver had the track to himself for some time as all the other drivers of the group went back into the box. Though Auer couldn’t keep the time as Thiim started to get close to his time from the first Qualifying with a lap of 48.583. Arjun Maini was shortly behind him with a 48.741 and Auer with a 48.920. Thiim set the fastest lap for this Group in DTM Qualifying 2 at the Norisring, only Group A could now beat the Dane, as it should theoretically be the faster group.

Group A

With three extra cars on track compared to Group B, the second qualifying group headed out onto the street circuit. After topping Group A in Qualifying 1, Maro Engel aimed to repeat his strong pace.

Engel was first to set a representative lap with a 54.483, followed by Jules Gounon on a 57.072. Most drivers soon returned to the pits before heading back out to challenge Nicki Thiim’s benchmark from Group B, while Engel, Gounon and Thierry Vermeulen stayed on track.

Engel steadily improved, eventually becoming the first driver in Group A to dip into the 49s with a 49.460. However, Gounon soon went quicker, setting a 49.401 to move to the top of the group.

The final moments of DTM Qualifying 2 at the Norisring.

Matteo Cairoli then jumped to P2 with a 49.435 before Finn Wiebelhaus became the first driver into the 48s, setting a 48.999. Despite touching the wall, he improved again to a 48.694, edging closer to Thiim’s pole time and increasing the pressure on the Dane. With 3 minutes left on the clock, the time of Thiim was not yet beaten, while improvements were made by all the drivers in Group A the benchmark was not reached yet.

With the chequered flag falling, the drivers of Group A did not improve so much that they could be the fastest lap of the day. Nicki Thiim claimed his second pole of the weekend as the Dane set the fastest lap in DTM Qualifying 2 at the Norisring.