Ahead of the 2026 DTM season, Nicolas Baert and Nicki Thiim prepared to share a garage as teammates at Comtoyou Racing, stepping into a crucial year for both drivers and the team. In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, they reflected on their working relationship, the balance between cooperation and competition, and the role that mutual trust plays in extracting performance over a demanding season.
With Comtoyou Racing entering only its second year in DTM, both Baert and Thiim emphasised the importance of building a strong foundation, not only in terms of car development but also within the team dynamic. From sharing feedback to pushing each other on track, their collaboration could prove decisive as the team looks to establish itself more firmly in the highly competitive DTM field.
Building a strong foundation for DTM
Nicolas Baert described their relationship as already strong heading into the DTM season. “I think our relationship is quite good. We are getting along quite well.” He pointed to the value of experience within the line-up, explaining that Thiim’s presence would be a major asset as the team continued to establish itself in DTM.
After a learning year in the championship, Baert believed this combination of youth and experience would help push the programme forward. Off track, their connection had already developed over several seasons, something he felt would translate directly into better collaboration on race weekends.
“I think it’s also great that we have one old driver on the team. I think for the project it’s a really good addition, especially after our first season last year. I think Nicki will bring to the team a valuable experience. On the personal side, we get along very well with each other. We have already had some good moments since two or three years now. In the GT World Challenge and now in DTM, it will be even funnier. I’m really looking forward to it.”
A united approach from Thiim and Baert for Comtoyou in the 2026 DTM season
Thiim echoed that view and highlighted the team environment within their DTM programme. He described Baert as a “young, big talent” and emphasised how naturally they worked together from the beginning. Underlining the importance of the team atmosphere, Thiim called it “a great family team” and noting that they had felt welcomed from day one. That unity, he suggested, would be key as the team continued to build its presence in DTM.
With only one season behind them, the focus remained on progression. Thiim made it clear that the objective was to push the team forward and take another step in performance across the 2026 campaign.
“It’s great to have a young, big talent on the team. It is a great family team. Since day one, we have been very welcomed. It’s always good fun. We share the same passion a little bit, off-track and on-track. That’s also good.”
“Obviously, we get along really well. Now it’s about just pushing the team to the next level, obviously. If you think about it, it’s only the second season for the team in the DTM. I’m very pleased to be part of it, obviously. We’re all one big family. Again, on the professional side and personal side, we’re all fine. It’s one big family. I’m very looking forward to the season.”
Managing competition across a DTM weekend
When it came to racing against Thiim in DTM, Baert stressed the importance of keeping things fair at Comtoyou racing. “We will just try to keep it fair between each other.”
He emphasised mutual respect as essential, particularly in a championship as competitive as DTM. Both drivers, he explained, understood that they were working towards the same goal: strong results for the team. Baert also made it clear that collaboration would take priority when needed. Supporting one another during a race weekend would not be an issue if it helped maximise the team’s overall performance.
“On my side, I think we will just try to keep it fair between each other. Of course, having a mutual respect is very important. I have no doubt that we will not have any issue with that. We know what’s important. We know we are working for the same objective. Of course, it’s to win races and to come to racing as well on the highest spot.”
“If we have to, at some point, just help the other driver to do it, or let’s say just make it fair, we will not get an issue. I think we are old enough to know how this thing works and it will be fine.”
Team-first mindset in a competitive field
Thiim reinforced that perspective and placed the emphasis firmly on development within DTM. He agreed with Baert’s approach and again referred to the operation as a “family business.” At this stage, Thiim did not frame their relationship as a direct rivalry. Instead, he focused on building consistency and improving on the lessons from the team’s debut season in DTM.
He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the championship, where results can change quickly across a weekend. Still, his priority remained clear: strengthen the team, stabilise performance, and ensure they could consistently fight at the front before focusing on internal battles.
“I totally agree with Nico [Baert]. As I said before, it’s a family business all the way. Both Aston Martin and Comtoyou. Again, as I said, it’s only the second season, so it’s still a little bit of learning from the first year, improving on that and then making the best out of it. Again, especially at this point of time, it’s not even a competition. It’s just getting the team as good as possible and stabilise it, so we always consistently can fight for it.”
“Then we see what the races bring. That’s the great thing about racing. You don’t know what you’re getting into. Anything can happen, so it’s a give and take all the way. But again, right now, it’s all about getting the best out of the team and improving before the season.”
