OSCHERSLEBEN, Germany — Mirko Bortolotti (I/TGI Team by GRT) and his Lamborghini erupted in jubilation as the Italian won Sunday’s race at Oschersleben after a tactically astute and technically brilliant performance.
Bortolotti started from sixth on the grid and crossed the finish line first after 39 laps. It was his first DTM victory in almost two years – and also the maiden win for the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3.
“To secure the world’s first victory for the new Lamborghini Temerario makes me incredibly proud. And to do it in the strongest racing series in which the car is used. I dedicate this success to my injured teammate Maximilian Paul,” said an overjoyed Bortolotti. “We had a superb strategy, but I also made the difference on the track.”
Championship leader Maro Engel (Monaco/Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol) finished second, extending his lead in the standings. Thomas Preining (A/Manthey) finished third in the tenth championship race in his Porsche 911 GT3 R. A total of 55,100 spectators attended the fifth DTM race weekend in the Magdeburger Börde region.
Polesitter Preining initially controlled Sunday’s race at Oschersleben. Behind him followed Lamborghini driver Luca Engstler (Kempten/Red Bull Team Abt) and Arjun Maini (IND/HRT Ford Racing) in second and third places, respectively.
Bortolotti and Engel were sixth and seventh at that point. Bortolotti made the first of the two mandatory pit stops as the last driver – and this tactic paid off: The Italian rejoined the track in second place behind the leading Preining, just ahead of Engel, who was also able to make up ground thanks to a quick tire change.
The spectators in the packed grandstands at Oschersleben witnessed spectacular scenes during the second pit stop, as the top three drivers simultaneously fitted new Pirelli slick tires. Race leader Preining lost more than two seconds to his rivals in the process.
This allowed Bortolotti to take the lead ahead of Engel, which he extended to over three seconds by the finish. Behind Engel in second place, Preining held on for third ahead of BMW driver Marco Wittmann (Fürth/Schubert Motorsport), who attacked until the very end. Engstler finished fifth in another Lamborghini Temerario GT3.
Maini secured sixth place in his Ford Mustang GT3, while Kelvin van der Linde (ZA) piloted the second BMW M4 GT3 Evo of the local Schubert Motorsport team to seventh.
Ricardo Feller (CH/Manthey) finished the tenth DTM race of the season in eighth place in his Porsche 911 GT3 R, and Jules Gounon (F/Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter) came in ninth. Matteo Cairoli (I/Emil Frey Racing) completed the top 10 as the best Ferrari driver.
