Ben Dörr secured his first official DTM podium with a standout drive to second place in Race 2 at Zandvoort, delivering a landmark result for both himself and Dörr Motorsport.
Starting fifth in the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Dörr moved up to fourth on the opening lap before a difficult first pit stop dropped him into the midfield. However, a strong recovery, combined with an excellent second stop and a rapid out-lap, brought him back into podium contention.
Dörr eventually passed home favourite Thierry Vermeulen for second place before holding off two-time DTM champion Marco Wittmann during the closing stages. He crossed the line behind race winner Kelvin van der Linde, securing his maiden official podium and the first podium result for Dörr Motorsport in the championship.
Dörr delighted to reclaim the podium that got away
The result in Zandvoort carried additional significance for Dörr after he had previously come close to taking home a DTM trophy, only for the result to be taken away. Speaking after the race, the German expressed his relief and pride at finally earning an official place on the podium.
“Yeah, absolutely. It feels great to finally be back on the podium. We were a bit unlucky last year when it was taken away from us, but now we have it back at such a great track like Zandvoort.”
“It was a mega race, and I’m proud of the whole team and grateful to McLaren for giving me such a good car today.”
Although Dörr had shown strong pace throughout the race, the final laps proved far from straightforward. Wittmann was closing rapidly in the BMW, forcing the McLaren driver to defend his second position until the chequered flag.
“It was a tough race, especially towards the end, because some very fast drivers were closing in. I struggled quite a lot, but our pace was strong today.”
“I’m really happy to finally be back on the podium.”
Dörr’s second place completed an impressive recovery after he lost several positions during the opening pit-stop phase. It also came during a highly strategic race in which tyre preparation and pit-stop execution played a decisive role.
Difficult first DTM stop leaves Dörr fighting back in Zandvoort
Dörr made a strong start from fifth and immediately gained a position, moving into fourth behind Van der Linde, Luca Engstler and Vermeulen.
“Yeah, I started from P5, and the opening laps went well. The start was pretty good, and I moved up to P4 after the first corner. Our pace also looked quite strong.”
However, his progress was interrupted during the first mandatory pit stop. A problem with one of the rear tyres delayed the team and dropped Dörr to seventh, leaving him caught behind other cars.
“At the first pit stop, we struggled a little. I think one of the rear tyres got stuck, so I dropped down to P7. At that point, I was also caught in traffic.”
The setback forced Dörr and the team to find a way back through the field. Their opportunity arrived during the second round of mandatory stops, when Dörr remained on track until lap 26 before making his final visit to the pits.
Rapid second stop puts podium back within reach
Unlike the first stop, Dörr’s second pit stop ran smoothly. A quick service from the Dörr Motorsport crew and a strong out-lap allowed him to regain several positions during the pit cycle.
“At the second pit stop, the team did a really good job. It was a very quick stop, and my out-lap was strong.”
“I gained a lot of positions through the pit-stop phase and moved back up to P3 because we were able to bring the tyres up to temperature quickly and defend well.”
The ability to bring the new tyres into their operating window quickly proved particularly important at Zandvoort. Vermeulen struggled for grip after his own second stop, while Dörr and Wittmann closed rapidly during the final stint. Dörr took advantage by passing the Ferrari driver and moving into second. Wittmann followed him through shortly afterwards, setting up a tense fight between the McLaren and BMW over the remaining laps.
“Towards the end, I overtook Thierry. After that, I struggled a little to defend against Marco, but I think we had a fair and enjoyable race.”
“I really enjoyed it, and in the end, we finished P2 again.”
Dörr resisted the pressure to claim second, while Wittmann completed the podium in third. The breakthrough result capped one of Dörr’s strongest performances in the series and rewarded Dörr Motorsport with its first DTM podium after an eventful afternoon on the Dutch coast.
