Nick Thiim takes DTM championship lead after dominant Norisring weekend

Ayla Krachai
1 day ago
3 min read

Thiim (Comtoyou Racing) was in top form this weekend at the sold-out Nuremburg street circuit, qualifying P1 in both sessions and holding this position through both races. Despite Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol) and Ben Dörr (Dörr Motorsport) leading the practice sessions, Thiim has successfully managed to steal Matteo Cairoli's (Emil Frey Racing) position as championship leader.

The Dane has also presented Aston Martin with its first victory in the DTM, as he had won at the Norisring in 2024 but with Lamborghini. This weekend was a truly historic moment for the constructor.

Race One as it happened

Starting from pole position, Thiim held onto his lead, and controlled the race from the front. Engel and Arjun Maini (HRT Ford Racing) followed in second and third place.

While Engel and Maini came in very early for their pit stops, Thiim stopped later for his new set of slicks and rejoined as race leader ahead of Engel. Behind them, Maini and Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) engaged in an enthralling battle, with the Indian eventually coming out on top.

Shortly after on lap 34, there was a crash involving Kelvin van der Linde (Schubert Motorsport) and Maximilian Paul (TGI Team by GRT). Lamborghini racer Paul hit van der Linde's BMW in turn one. The race was then suspended for an hour to repair the barriers. Paul was also taken to hospital with a suspected fracture of the lower leg.

Following the restart, Thiim, Engel, Maini and Auer held their positions and were followed home in fifth place by Thierry Vermeulen (Emil Frey Racing).

Thomas Preining (Manthey), had come in for a tyre change shortly before the crash. He benefitted from pitting during the yellow phase, and climbed several places into fourth.

However, he was unable to hang onto that position and eventually came home ninth. Dörr completed the top ten for McLaren.

Thiim said: "To get the first DTM win for Aston Martin, and at the Norisring, my favourite circuit, feels incredible. This moment is already the highlight of the year for me."

Race Two as it happened

Thiim made a strong start from pole as the lights went out for Race two. All drivers made it through the opening corner, although Cairoli peeled to the right just before the lights went green.

Cairoli then came close to the wall after Engel brushed him during the opening phase. Race control soon deployed the Safety Car because of debris on track, just as rain began to fall around the Norisring.

The rain then intensified before the pit window had opened. With visibility and grip beginning to fade, racing became more intense and pit stops kickstarted.

Just before the pit window opened, Marco Mapelli (Red Bull Team ABT) lost the car under braking and hit the rear of Cairoli’s Ferrari. The impact pushed the Emil Frey Racing driver into contact with Mapelli's teammate Luca Engstler (Red Bull Team ABT), leaving Cairoli with damage and forcing him to stop. This brought out a red flag so marshals could recover the Ferrari.

As the session resumed, Finn Wiebelhaus (HRT Ford Racing) challenged Thiim for the lead, but the Dane held him off. Pressume from the Ford persisted.

Several drivers continued to struggle through the final corner as the rain made the circuit increasingly unpredictable: multiple cars brushed the wall, while Timo Glock (Doerr Motorsport) made heavier contact and damaged his McLaren. Mapelli closely followed and became the next driver to retire after sustaining damage from the earlier collision involving Cairoli and Engstler.

Dörr also dropped to 14th as the rain complicated his race. The McLaren driver struggled as the conditions changed, losing the momentum he had shown earlier in the weekend.

Thiim began the final lap with Wiebelhaus close enough to claim victory if any mistake was made by the Dane. However, Thiim stayed composed and brought the car home to win Race Two.