The 2026 DTM standings shifted significantly after Round 2 at Zandvoort, as Maro Engel returned to the top of the Drivers’ Championship while Winward Racing moved into the lead of the Teams’ standings.
After the opening round at the Red Bull Ring, Engel led the Drivers’ Championship on 44 points, with Lucas Auer second on 37 and Marco Wittmann third on 31. Landgraf Motorsport led the Teams’ Championship, while Mercedes-AMG held the early advantage in the Manufacturers’ standings.
However, Zandvoort reshaped all three championship tables. Matteo Cairoli claimed his maiden DTM victory in Race 1 for Emil Frey Racing, while Kelvin van der Linde bounced back from a difficult Saturday to win Race 2 for Schubert Motorsport. Engel’s consistency across the weekend proved decisive, allowing him to leave the Netherlands back on top with 67 points.
Zandvoort produces major championship changes
The Zandvoort weekend began with Ferrari setting the pace. Cairoli carried strong practice form into Qualifying 1, taking pole ahead of teammate Thierry Vermeulen as Emil Frey Racing locked out the front row.
Cairoli then converted pole into victory in Race 1, completing a perfect Saturday after topping Friday practice, qualifying on pole, and controlling the race from the front. Auer finished second, temporarily taking over the championship lead from Engel, while Vermeulen completed the podium on home soil.
Sunday changed the picture again. Van der Linde claimed pole in Qualifying 2 before mastering the strategy in Race 2 to take his first DTM victory for BMW. Behind him, Ben Dörr secured his first official DTM podium, while Wittmann completed a double podium result for Schubert Motorsport. Engel finished fourth and retook the championship lead after Auer endured a difficult race.
As a result, the Drivers’ standings tightened at the front, while the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ standings also changed dramatically.
Engel leads again as Auer remains close
Engel leaves Zandvoort with the Drivers’ Championship lead on 67 points. Although he did not win across the weekend, his sixth-place finish in Race 1 and fourth place in Race 2 gave him enough points to reclaim top spot.
The Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol driver had already led the standings after Round 1, but Auer briefly moved ahead after finishing second in Saturday’s race at Zandvoort. However, Auer’s difficult Race 2, which included pit stop issues and contact with Nicki Thiim, left him 13th and cost him the championship lead.
Auer still remains firmly in contention. He is second on 61 points, just six behind Engel. After two rounds, the Mercedes-AMG pair remain the top two in the standings, but the gap behind them has closed.
Wittmann now sits third on 52 points after Schubert Motorsport’s strong Sunday. His Race 2 podium helped him move closer to the championship leaders, while Preining remains fourth on 46 after another solid weekend for Manthey.
Cairoli, Dörr, Van der Linde and Vermeulen surge forward
The biggest movers after Zandvoort came from Ferrari, McLaren and BMW.
Cairoli made the largest statement in Race 1. After starting the season 14th in the standings on 10 points, he leaves Round 2 fifth on 43. His maiden DTM victory and strong Sunday points haul have brought him into early title contention.
Dörr also climbed sharply. After scoring 11 points at the Red Bull Ring, the Dörr Motorsport driver now sits sixth on 42. His consistency at Zandvoort, followed by his first official DTM podium in Race 2, made him one of the round’s biggest winners.
Van der Linde also recovered from a frustrating start to the season. He had only 13 points after Round 1 and endured a difficult Saturday at Zandvoort, but his Race 2 pole and victory moved him up to seventh on 41.
Vermeulen is level with Van der Linde on 41 points after a strong home weekend for Emil Frey Racing. He finished third in Race 1 and fifth in Race 2, helping Ferrari make major gains in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ standings.
2026 DTM Drivers’ Standings after Round 2 at Zandvoort
- Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol) – 67
- Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) – 61
- Marco Wittmann (Schubert Motorsport) – 52
- Thomas Preining (Manthey) – 46
- Matteo Cairoli (Emil Frey Racing) – 43
- Ben Dörr (Doerr Motorsport) – 42
- Kelvin van der Linde (Schubert Motorsport) – 41
- Thierry Vermeulen (Emil Frey Racing) – 41
- Jules Gounon (Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER) – 30
- Nicki Thiim (Comtoyou Racing) – 24
- Ricardo Feller (Manthey) – 23
- Luca Engstler (Red Bull Team Abt) – 20
- Arjun Maini (HRT Ford Racing) – 18
- Finn Wiebelhaus (HRT Ford Racing) – 15
- Tom Kalender (Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) – 14
- Timo Glock (Doerr Motorsport) – 13
- Mirko Bortolotti (TGI Team by GRT) – 13
- Marco Mapelli (Red Bull Team Abt) – 10
- Bastian Buus (Land-Motorsport) – 8
- Maximilian Paul (TGI Team by GRT) – 3
- Nicolas Baert (Comtoyou Racing) – 0
Winward Racing takes over Teams’ Championship lead
The Teams’ Championship also changed significantly after Zandvoort. Landgraf Motorsport led after Round 1 on 49 points, ahead of Winward Racing on 41 and Manthey on 39.
After Round 2, Winward Racing has moved into the lead with 94 points. Engel’s consistent points across both races proved decisive, especially as Auer’s difficult Sunday limited Landgraf Motorsport’s total.
Schubert Motorsport is now second on 87 points after a major Race 2 turnaround. Van der Linde’s win and Wittmann’s podium gave BMW one of the strongest team results of the weekend and moved Schubert ahead of several early rivals.
Emil Frey Racing also made a major leap. Cairoli’s Race 1 victory and Vermeulen’s podium and points finishes move the Ferrari team to third on 77 points. Landgraf Motorsport drops to fourth on 73, while Manthey sits fifth on 68.
Further back, Dörr Motorsport rises to sixth on 53 after Dörr’s podium, while HRT Ford Racing is seventh on 31. Abt Sportsline climbs to eighth on 29 after its strongest Lamborghini weekend so far, boosted by Engstler and Mapelli scoring well in Race 2.
2026 DTM Teams’ Standings after Round 2 at Zandvoort
- Winward Racing – 94
- Schubert Motorsport – 87
- Emil Frey Racing – 77
- Landgraf Motorsport – 73
- Manthey – 68
- Dörr Motorsport – 53
- HRT Ford Racing – 31
- Abt Sportsline – 29
- Comtoyou Racing – 24
- GRT Grasser-Racing-Team – 16
- Land Motorsport – 8
Mercedes-AMG remains ahead as BMW and Ferrari close in
Mercedes-AMG continues to lead the Manufacturers’ Championship after Round 2. The brand now sits on 128 points, extending its advantage from the Red Bull Ring, where it led on 61 points.
However, the gap behind Mercedes-AMG has changed. BMW has moved up to second on 91 points after Van der Linde’s victory and Wittmann’s podium in Race 2. Schubert Motorsport’s Sunday performance gave BMW a major boost after a more difficult Saturday.
Ferrari is now third on 83 points after Emil Frey Racing’s standout weekend. Cairoli’s Race 1 win and Vermeulen’s consistent front-running results helped Ferrari move ahead of Porsche, which drops to fourth on 77.
McLaren sits fifth on 59 after Dörr’s breakthrough podium, while Ford and Lamborghini are tied on 42. Aston Martin sits eighth on 34 after a quieter Zandvoort round for Comtoyou Racing.
2026 DTM Manufacturers’ Standings after Round 2 at Zandvoort
- Mercedes-AMG – 128
- BMW – 91
- Ferrari – 83
- Porsche – 77
- McLaren – 59
- Ford – 42
- Lamborghini – 42
- Aston Martin – 34
Zandvoort tightens the 2026 DTM title fight
Round 2 at Zandvoort confirmed how quickly the 2026 DTM championship picture can change. Engel leaves the Netherlands back on top, but Auer remains only six points behind, while Wittmann, Preining and Cairoli have all strengthened their positions.
The weekend also brought major momentum shifts. Cairoli and Emil Frey Racing emerged as serious contenders, Van der Linde and Schubert Motorsport recovered strongly, and Dörr Motorsport moved further into the spotlight after Ben Dörr’s first official podium.
In the Teams’ Championship, Winward Racing now leads, but Schubert Motorsport, Emil Frey Racing, Landgraf Motorsport and Manthey are all within reach. Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG still controls the Manufacturers’ standings, although BMW and Ferrari have made clear gains.
After two rounds, Engel and Mercedes-AMG remain the benchmarks, but Zandvoort proved that the 2026 DTM season is already developing into a close multi-manufacturer fight.
