DTM | 2026 Nürburgring | Race 2 | Wittmann claims 20th DTM victory

Spread the love

Marco Wittmann claimed the 20th DTM victory of his career after mastering a chaotic Race 2 at the Nürburgring, as early collisions, pit-stop problems and penalties repeatedly transformed the order throughout the 39-lap contest.

The Schubert Motorsport driver climbed from sixth on the grid and used an aggressive strategy to put himself into victory contention before ultimately taking the lead. Tom Kalender charged from 11th to second to secure his maiden DTM podium, while Thomas Preining completed the top three and closed to within a single point of the championship lead.

Engel, Auer and van der Linde eliminated in opening-lap chaos

Pole-sitter Jules Gounon led the field away alongside Ben Dörr, but the drama began behind them almost immediately. Championship leader Maro Engel made contact with fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Lucas Auer shortly after the start. Auer spun and subsequently collected Kelvin van der Linde, leaving all three drivers with enough damage to end their races.

The incident triggered the Safety Car and dealt a major blow to several championship contenders before the race had properly developed. The stewards later held Engel responsible and handed him a three-place grid penalty for the opening race at the Sachsenring.

Mirko Bortolotti also faced an early setback after receiving a penalty lap for a false start, dropping the Lamborghini driver towards the rear of the field. Once racing resumed, Gounon retained the lead ahead of Dörr and Saturday winner Matteo Cairoli. Wittmann had already improved from sixth to fourth and remained within reach of the leading group.

Early stop brings Wittmann into contention

The first round of pit stops created the next major shift at the front. Several drivers opted to stop early, while Wittmann entered the pits on lap 12 as Schubert Motorsport attempted to use the undercut to move its BMW forward. The strategy paid off as the drivers ahead remained on track for longer.

Dörr entered the pits from second on lap 16, but his race unravelled during the stop. A wheel was not secured correctly, and although he initially returned to the circuit, he went straight on at Turn 1 and eventually retired.

Gounon and Cairoli stopped one lap later. While Gounon’s tyre change kept him in contention at the front, Cairoli lost significant time when Emil Frey Racing encountered a problem with the left-rear wheel. The delay dropped the Ferrari driver down the order, allowing Wittmann’s earlier stop to deliver a substantial gain. He emerged in a strong position and moved himself firmly into the fight for victory.

Gounon penalty opens the door for Wittmann

Dörr’s stranded McLaren caused another Safety Car period, bunching the field together once again. Gounon’s hopes of converting pole into victory at DTM Race 2 at the Nürburgring then suffered a decisive setback. The Mercedes-AMG driver had exceeded the permitted speed during his pit stop and received a penalty lap.

Once racing resumed, Gounon served the penalty and dropped out of the lead, handing Wittmann the advantage. Preining moved into second, while Nicki Thiim also remained among the leading group. Gounon’s difficult race continued after the penalty as several drivers found their way past. The pole-sitter eventually fell well outside the positions he had occupied during the opening stages.

Further back, Bortolotti continued his recovery from the false-start penalty. His progress included contact with Finn Wiebelhaus, which left the HRT Ford Racing driver with a puncture. Arjun Maini also began climbing through the field, putting his Ford into contention for a strong result as the strategy battle developed.

Kalender charges through the field

Wittmann and Preining maintained strong positions through the second round of mandatory tyre changes, but Kalender adopted a different approach. Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf kept the 18-year-old on track longer before bringing him in for his final stop, giving him fresher tyres for the closing stages.

Kalender immediately used the tyre advantage to move forward. He picked off the cars ahead and climbed into the podium positions before beginning to close on Preining. Thiim struggled to maintain his earlier pace during the final part of the race and slipped backwards as Kalender, Luca Engstler and Maini all made progress.

At the front, Wittmann remained in control, but Kalender’s rapid charge ensured the fight remained open. The Mercedes driver caught Preining in the closing laps and completed the move for second with one lap remaining. He then immediately began closing the gap to Wittmann, but ran out of time to mount a serious challenge for victory.

Wittmann secures milestone 20th DTM victory

After 39 laps, Wittmann crossed the line just 0.517 seconds ahead of Kalender to secure the 20th victory of his DTM career. The Schubert Motorsport driver had started sixth but combined a well-timed strategy with a clean and controlled drive to capitalise on the problems that affected several of his rivals.

Kalender’s second place marked a breakthrough result for the Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf driver. After starting 11th, he gained nine positions on his way to his first DTM podium. Preining completed the podium in third, finishing behind Kalender after losing second place in the closing stages.

Maini took an impressive fourth for HRT Ford Racing, while Bortolotti recovered from his early penalty to finish fifth. Engstler made it two Lamborghinis inside the top six, with Thiim eventually finishing seventh. Timo Glock, Marco Mapelli and Bastian Buus completed the top ten.

Preining closes to within one point of championship lead

The opening-lap collision had major consequences for the championship battle. Engel retained the standings lead despite failing to score, but Preining’s third-place finish reduced the gap between them to just one point. The Manthey driver therefore left the Nürburgring firmly in contention after adding another significant haul of points to his championship campaign.

Thiim also strengthened his position in the standings with seventh, while Auer’s opening-lap retirement prevented him from adding to his total. With the title fight tightening as the season entered its final rounds, the Nürburgring produced another major shift in the championship picture.

Wittmann, meanwhile, left the Eifel with a milestone 20th DTM victory, having turned sixth on the grid into the top step of the podium in a race shaped by strategy, penalties and relentless changes at the front.