Tom Kalender secured his maiden DTM podium with a remarkable recovery drive in Race 2 at the Nürburgring, bouncing back from a retirement on Saturday to finish second behind Marco Wittmann.
The Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf driver started the race from 11th on the grid but worked his way into contention as strategy, penalties and incidents reshaped the order. Landgraf kept Kalender out longer before his second mandatory pit stop, giving him fresher tyres for his late charge through the field.
Kalender eventually caught Thomas Preining and took second place with one lap remaining. He immediately began closing on race leader Wittmann but ran out of laps, crossing the line just 0.517 seconds behind the BMW driver. The result marked an impressive turnaround after Kalender had retired from Race 1 following contact with Nicki Thiim.
Kalender left speechless by maiden DTM podium
The second-place finish represented a major milestone for the 18-year-old, who only made the step up to the DTM this season. Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief after the race, Kalender struggled to put the significance of his maiden podium into words and praised his team for its role in the result.
“Yes, it’s indescribable. I want to thank the whole team. They’ve done a brilliant job with the strategy, pit stops and so on. Yes, I’m actually quite speechless and not very articulate at the moment. Yes, it’s an amazing feeling, especially when I think that four years ago I was still in a go-kart, and now to be here on the podium with two DTM champions in the DTM – one of the toughest series in the world – is simply indescribable.”
His result became even more significant considering the company he kept on the podium. Two-time DTM champion Wittmann stood on the top step, while 2023 champion Preining completed the top three. For Kalender, reaching the podium alongside two established champions offered another indication of the progress he has made during his rookie DTM campaign.
Kalender believes victory was within reach
Kalender’s pace in the closing stages also left him with the possibility of achieving even more. His fresher tyres allowed him to close rapidly on Preining, but the Porsche driver made him work for second place. Once Kalender finally completed the overtake, only the final lap remained. Despite reducing the gap to Wittmann, he did not have enough time to attempt a move for the lead. Asked whether victory had realistically been possible, Kalender admitted that he believed it was.
“It was definitely possible, I have to be completely honest. I was two or three laps short. I should have overtaken Thomas [Preining] a bit earlier, but he really did a good job. He made life really difficult for me because he always managed to open up a small gap through the final sector and the chicane. And yes, I managed it anyway, thanks to our good top speed.”
Kalender ultimately finished only 0.517 seconds behind Wittmann, leaving him to wonder what might have happened with another few laps available.
“The win is still up for grabs” as Kalender targets further progress
After turning a difficult Saturday into his best DTM result to date on Sunday, Kalender now wants to carry that momentum into the remaining rounds of the 2026 season. Rather than changing his approach following the breakthrough podium, the Mercedes-AMG driver intends to continue the work that has helped him make progress throughout his rookie campaign.
“Well, the aim is to maintain the good progress we’ve made so far. I want to keep working hard with the team. Everyone’s earned it – it’s been good for a change. Yes, as I said, we’ll keep at it and the win is still up for grabs.”
With a maiden podium now secured and victory having come within half a second at the Nürburgring, Kalender has given himself another target for the closing stages of his first DTM season.
