Mirko Bortolotti recovered from an early penalty to finish fifth in a chaotic second DTM race at the Nürburgring, limiting the damage after a false start sent him towards the back of the field.
The Lamborghini driver received a penalty lap in the opening stages but fought his way back through the order as Safety Cars, pit-stop problems and penalties repeatedly reshuffled the field. Bortolotti eventually crossed the line in fifth, behind race winner Marco Wittmann, Tom Kalender, Thomas Preining and Arjun Maini.
Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief after the race, Bortolotti reflected on his recovery and the opportunities that could still arise during the final part of the 2026 DTM season.
Bortolotti believes fifth was the maximum after early penalty
Despite having to recover through the field while managing the Lamborghini Temerario over the race distance, Bortolotti did not view the challenge as anything out of the ordinary.
Asked how difficult it had been to work his way back up the order while also looking after his tyres, he simply replied:
“Just like any other race.”
The Safety Car periods played an important role in Bortolotti’s recovery. After his penalty had initially dropped him towards the rear, the interruptions closed the gaps between the cars and gave him the chance to fight his way back into contention.
However, despite the unpredictable nature of the race and the problems affecting several drivers ahead, Bortolotti did not believe a significantly stronger result had been available.
“You could argue that we had the penalty lap, but we also had a safety car period which brought the field back together. So, from that point of view, I don’t think we could have achieved any more.”
Cooler conditions a key focus heading into final rounds
With the Nürburgring weekend complete, Bortolotti’s attention now turns towards the closing stages of the 2026 campaign. Sachsenring and Hockenheim will bring a different challenge, particularly as temperatures begin to fall again.
Bortolotti explained that cooler conditions had caused more difficulties earlier in the season than the warmer weather encountered during the summer. As a result, understanding the Temerario’s performance in those conditions will form an important part of Lamborghini’s preparations.
“We’ve already done that. We’re now heading to circuits we’re not familiar with, so it’s difficult to say. First of all, we need to see how our car performs at the Sachsenring and Hockenheim. It’s getting cooler again; we struggled more with cold conditions at the start of the year than we did in the summer with hot ones. We’ll need to have a look at that and do a bit of work on it.”
At the same time Bortolotti explained how the unpredictable Nürburgring race showed how quickly opportunities can emerge in the DTM. With the championship entering its decisive phase and the battle at the front remaining tight, Bortolotti remains ready to capitalise should another chance to fight at the front of a race come up.
“The list is long – whether it’s possible or not. We’ve seen again today that anything is possible in the DTM – it’s all or nothing. So much is happening; there’s a title battle at the front. We’re now entering the crucial phase; perhaps another opportunity will arise. Should an opportunity present itself, we have to be there to seize it – that’s our aim.”
