HOHENSTEIN-ERNSTTHAL, Germany — With nerves of steel and clinical precision, Ben Dörr (Butzbach/Dörr Motorsport) secured his second DTM victory on Sunday at the Sachsenring.
In challenging conditions on a initially damp track, the McLaren driver took the lead in lap five and held it to the finish.
“I coped superbly with the mixed track conditions at the start of the race. Things got tight again in the closing stages when Thomas Preining was right behind me on fresh tires. Overall, it was a really strong performance from us and one of the best races of my career,” Dörr rejoiced.
Championship leader Thomas Preining (AUT/Manthey) finished second, securing his sixth consecutive podium finish. The Austrian thus extended his lead to 23 points ahead of the final race at Hockenheim. His teammate Ricardo Feller (SUI) finished third, marking his second podium finish of the season.
Maro Engel (Monaco/Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol) had a bitter afternoon: The overall runner-up received a 15-second penalty after the race and thus finished without points. 53,200 spectators attended the penultimate DTM weekend at the Sachsenring. The fans witnessed a particularly thrilling racing spectacle on Sunday, with numerous duels and position changes.
Before the start of the 14th championship race on Sunday at the Sachsenring, tire choice was the top priority. Despite the track being partially wet, most drivers opted for the Pirelli slick – the right decision, as it soon turned out.
At the beginning, Bastian Buus (DK/Land-Motorsport), who had started from fifth position on rain tires, took the lead. He was followed by pole-sitter Engel ahead of Dörr, who gained a place. On lap five, Dörr attacked: The McLaren driver first overtook Engel, then Buus, who subsequently dropped back on the drying track.
Behind the leading duo, Kelvin van der Linde (ZA/Schubert Motorsport), Preining, and Feller moved up to third through fifth places. Before the first mandatory pit stop, Dörr had a lead of over ten seconds, which he then extended further. Porsche factory driver Preining climbed to second place, followed by Feller and
Matteo Cairoli (I/Emil Frey Racing), who had improved by 10 positions in the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.
After the second tire change, Dörr maintained a commanding lead before the safety car was deployed twice in quick succession shortly before the end. First, Jules Gounon (FRA/Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter) and Nicki Thiim (DK/Comtoyou Racing) collided, forcing both to retire from the race.
Then, Engel pushed van der Linde, who was in fifth place, into the gravel, resulting in a 15-second penalty for the championship runner-up. Although Dörr lost his significant lead due to the safety car period, he remained composed after the restart and was flagged the winner after 39 laps.
Preining, Feller, and Cairoli finished in second through fourth positions. Lucas Auer (AUT/Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) fought his way up from eighth to fifth place.
Marco Wittmann (Fürth/Schubert Motorsport) staged an impressive comeback. The BMW driver gained ten positions to finish sixth.
Thierry Vermeulen (NL) crossed the finish line in seventh place in the second Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. Luca Engstler (Kempten/Red Bull Team Abt) was the best-placed Lamborghini driver, securing eighth. Buus piloted his Porsche 911 GT3 R to ninth position.
Maximilian Paul (TGI Team by GRT) delivered a strong performance in his first race weekend after his accident at the Norisring. Starting 18th, the Dresden native rewarded himself with a 10th-place finish.
