DTM
A FIERY WEEKEND IN THE NETHERLANDS: DTM ZANDVOORT RACE REVIEW.
DTM made it’s first flyaway stop of the season at Circuit Zandvoort for Round 3 of the championship.
It is a beautiful morning in The Netherlands. Little birds chirping around, the sun glistening in the sky, flowers blooming in every corner. It’s one of those days where you feel grateful for being born. As you soak in these blessings god bestowed upon you, you hear a roaring sound. The next thing you know, you are sitting at Circuit Zandvoort with German Touring Cars whizzing past you because it’s the DTM weekend in the Netherlands.
The daunting 4 km track has put the greatest names in motorsports in a twist. Even Formula One drivers call this track a challenging weekend. But regardless of it’s challenging nature, the drivers are more than ready to face it.
Kelvin van der Linde is fully motivated and wants to turn his last win in Race 1 at Lausitzring into a double streak of wins. Thomas Preining had a poor start to the season at Oschersleben, finishing a low P10 & P13 in Race 1 & Race 2 respectively . He redeemed himself at the Lausitzring with a win in Race 2 but he has high hopes to perform better this weekend. Last year’s Race 1 winner Maro Engel aims to be back on the podium and continue his podium campaign as he has finished in the top 3 twice this season. Mercedes AMG Team HRT driver and Indian Arjun Maini has been on a phenomenal run this year, scoring a P8 and P4 at Oschersleben and a P7 & P12 at Lausitzring. The has waved the tricolor high, scoring points in every race this championship campaign.
The weekend lasted from the 7th of June till the 9th of June. With a lot of action and storylines continuing from Lausitzring, let’s get into how to weekend went by.
FREE PRACTICE
The fastest man in FP1 in the morning was Nicki Thiim from SSR Performance.
“It is a few years since my last race weekend in Zandvoort.”
Nicki thiim on his stints at the dutch race track.
FP2 saw three different drivers, Lucas Auer; Clemens Schmid & Kelvin van der Linde top the time sheets. All three drivers separated by just 0.7 seconds. Auer set one flyer of a lap which was then topped by the others. The main reason for such quick lap times is Track Evolution. More rubber on the track means more grip leading to better and quicker lap times.
“We made good progress from the first to the second free practice session. However, people keep their cards to their chest right to the end in the DTM. As such, I am intrigued to see how we get on in qualifying. Grid position is very important in Zandvoort, as it is difficult to overtake here,”
Auer gives his insights on zandvoort
QUALIFYING
Qualifying 1 saw an electrifying performance from Jack Aitken as he set his Ferrari on pole for Race 1. The Brit set a blistering lap of 1:31.762, which let his team at Emil Frey Racing celebrate. Clemens Schmid placed second with his McLaren, setting a 1:32.136. Arjun Maini took a brilliant P3 with 1:32.209.
Maini was very pleased to be placed P3 for Race 1. The Indian has finished in the top five in all but one of the qualifying sessions so far this season. Aitken secured his third pole position of his DTM career with his Ferrari 296.
“I have the best starting position and am looking forward to the race. The goal is obviously to win, in order to move back towards the top of the championship,”
Jack aitken on his pole position for Race 1
Qualifying 2 had Maximillian Paul take his maiden Pole for Paul Motorsports, placing his #71 Lamborghini on the front row of the grid with a 1:32.780 . Fellow Lamborghini driver Mirko Bortolotti placed his car alongside Paul to lock out the front row. Both Emil Frey driver Thierry Vermuelen and Jack Aitken locked out the second row for their team. Arjun Maini performed spectacularly once again and placed fifth, setting a 1:33.053.
“As a new team, to start from pole in our third weekend in the DTM is really impressive and the reward for our hard work. However, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels now, as the field is very strong and includes many works drivers. The key to the race is to stay cool and put our foot down,”
Max Paul on his maiden Pole Position at Zandvoort.
RACE
Race 1 had Jack Aitken storm off of Pole Position and into the lead with Schmid close behind in his McLaren. The order followed as Maini, Feller & Auer. Rene Rast made swift moves up the pack in his BMW to move up to 4th from 7th. Quick pitstops helped Aitken maintain his lead and Rast shaved seconds off of Schmid who was running in 2nd. Rast kept up the blinding speed to pass Maini and Schmid to take 2nd place. Schmid meanwhile kept losing pace and was eventually overthrown by Maini and had to settle for fourth place. The chequered flag fell and Aitken took home the victory with Rast in second and Maini finished up the podium. Ben Dorr bagged the Fastest lap for Dorr Motorsports in his McLaren 750S GT3 EVO.
“Three race weekends in and I already have two wins to my name, that is awesome. The key was that I managed to open a bit of a gap immediately after the start. After that, I could control the race from the front. I could often see René Rast in my mirror in the closing stages, but I did not let that distract me,”
Aitken after his win in Race 1.
Rene Rast seemed very thrilled to be on the podium as he did not believe he’d be up there after his performance on Friday.
“After our performance on Friday, it really did not look as though we would be on the podium…. The race was really great fun.”
Rast on his performance in Race 1.
Arjun Maini felt that he could have pushed harder for a better result and he knew his Mercedes could have helped him score higher than he did.
“I am finally back on the DTM podium. That feels super……I was hoping there may possibly be more in it for me. However, Jack Aitken and René Rast were faster than me at the end.”
Maini on his p3 finish
Race 2
Race 2 saw Polesitter Maximillian Paul shoot off at the start but falling short at Turn 2 as Mirko Bortolotti overtook him to take the lead of the race. A couple laps later, Auer and Schmid partook in a skirmish leading to a crash, bringing out the Safety Car. Home hero Thierry Vermuelen and Kelvin van der Linde occupied P4 and P5 respectively.
As the race progressed, Bortolotti kept the lead. BMW’s Marco Wittmann led an electrifying charge through the field and got lucky with his pitstops. He found himself leading the pack. Bortolotti hit Wittmann but the BMW driver kept pushing and won in spectacular fashion. He took the chequered flag after 38 laps. From 14th to 1st. He was followed close behind by Bortolotti and Kelvin van der Linde. Arjun Maini and his Mercedes finished a strong P6 and bagged valuable points after his podium campaign in Race 1. The Fastest Lap was clocked in by Nicki Thiim with a 1:34.609s.
“I never thought I would come from so far back to win…..I am just overjoyed that I was able to bring home the win,”
Wittmann after his win in Race 2.
“When you take the lead in turn one and are out in front for so many laps, you obviously want to win. In the end, I have to settle for second place. The rear axle felt strange in the closing laps, and the drivers behind me put me under an awful lot of pressure.”
Mirko Bortelotti after hi p2 finish.
“I am particularly pleased with third place for our crew, who have been very busy recently, with two DTM events and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.”
Kelvin van der linde thanking his team after his p3 finish
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Zandvoort proved to be a ground for tough battles, redemptions, and surprises for the drivers. DTM next heads to the Norisring from the 5th of July to the 7th of July.
Arjun Maini is making a name for himself in the world of Sports Car Racing. Having started his GT3 career with Mercedes in their Junior Driver Program, Maini is currently a Ford Factory driver, making him India’s only Factory Driver. As he heads into his sixth season of DTM, Desi Racing Co sat down with him to ask him how it all started and what his ambitions for the future are.
The shift from Single Seaters to GT Racing
Q: How did it all start with DTM?
Arjun: So, it was around the time when my F2 campaign and the hunt for the F1 ended, and we were looking at, like, okay, how do we now sort of make a career out of what we’ve learned so far? And that was the main thing: to go professional. I did a year of LMP2 in ELMS, I did Le Mans one year and then towards the end of the year, and then we’re like, okay, the only way to really go professional, I mean, of course you can do like LMP2, ELMS, but then of course you’ll need like either the team funding you or a driver or whatever. But the only way to actually go professional is through a manufacturer. So that’s when Mercedes offered us the junior contract straight away in my first year, along with the DTM seat.
It was the way to get in, but I had a tough start to the season. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult because, coming from single-seaters, you expect that since you’ve raced against the best, you’ll be fine. You think, “Who are these guys?”
Then you get here and realise it’s a different level. Everyone has been through what we’ve been through, but they’ve also climbed the professional ladder. They aren’t just kids anymore; they’ve been hardened by years of racing.
That’s how the whole DTM opportunity came up. I wanted to make a career for myself in motorsport and realised that Formula 1 was a very long shot at that point. I actually only did one full season of F2, and I wanted to cut it short. I didn’t want to keep risking everything, running behind sponsors and trying to get the money together—all that headache for something that might or might not happen.
Instead, I wanted to build a stable life in motorsport. I hope a lot of talented young Indians realise at some point that while you should go out and chase your dreams, if you don’t have the funding or the political backing, you should try to find a career with the skills you have. That path is very overlooked in Indian motorsports, and it’s something I want to start putting out there: there is a career beyond Formula 1.
Q: You did the first year with Getspeed and then you moved to Haupt, and then you’ve been with Haupt for the five years now. So how is how has it been with HRT?
Arjun: They have been one of the biggest reasons I became fully professional. HRT guided me through those first years with Mercedes, which were tough. I remember having a really good end to my time with GetSpeed, but then I switched and things just weren’t clicking. Either I was messing up or something else was going wrong, but it absolutely wasn’t working.
I was getting stressed because I wanted that main factory contract; at the time, I was still on the junior one. At that stage, you’re still looking for sponsors to fully fund the drive, so I was really pushing for that full factory spot, but it just wasn’t going well. It was so frustrating because I would come close, only for it to slip away.
Ultimately, HRT really helped me. They guided me through it, and sooner or later, I had my full factory contract and was fully professional. A lot of that was thanks to HRT, though Mercedes obviously played a big hand in it as well with everything we did together. From there, the DTM story just carried on.
The move from Mercedes to Ford
Q: So you started DTM with Mercedes in GetSpeed, changed to Haupt again with Mercedes, and then Haupt moved from Mercedes to Ford. Was that also the reason you decided to move from Mercedes to Ford? Or was, like, two different things, but they just coincided together.
Arjun: It was, I could have stayed with Mercedes because, at that point, I had made my mark there. I had the option, and Mercedes was so good to me. However, the main reason I moved to Ford was that I really enjoyed the challenge of having a fresh car. Having been with HRT for so long, this felt like a great way for me to lead a program on the European side.
I was really intrigued by that challenge, which is why I chose to move, and I don’t regret the decision at all. It was a very challenging year in terms of results, but the amount I learned, what we overcame, and the improvement we made throughout the year has been incredible for me. I am so sure that we’re going to go even stronger this year.
I’m happy with the decision I made. It was tough at the time because you’re moving away from something you know works. I had just started getting podiums, fighting at the front, and getting toward the top of the championship, and then you move to something that probably won’t be quick in the first year. Eventually, though, it could become a great story. It was a difficult choice, but I have no regrets.
READ MORE: DTM 2024 Red Bull Ring: Arjun Maini’s best weekend with Pole and 2 Podiums
Q: Between the Mercedes and the Ford, what what was like the first time you drove a Ford and then you realized, okay, this is like, very different to Mercedes. What was that one thing?
We have to keep in mind that Mercedes had finished the whole development stage by this point. They had an Evo package recently—well, I say recently, but that was four or five years ago. It was fully past the development phase. Every time you went on track with a Mercedes, it was just one step of software or small damper adjustments, and usually they were right on the pace.
With the Ford, every time you went to a new track, especially the DTM tracks, it hadn’t been there before. You were trying to reinvent the wheel overnight because it wasn’t behaving as you expected it to behave. Both are front-engine cars, so that was a big similarity, but the Ford is much more powerful on the straights. That makes it much more fun to race with.
To drive the Ford, it is of course not as finished a product, but it is much more enjoyable, especially in a race situation. In terms of ultimate pace, we haven’t been as strong as Mercedes so far. There were a few tracks where we were very strong this year, which surprised us as well because we were not expecting it. After Oschersleben, when we finished qualifying, we thought none of these tracks were going to suit us, but even at Zandvoort we had pace that was not bad at all. It was surprising.
In terms of driving, it is a nice car to drive. It is just missing that little bit of overall grip. With a few changes here and there, which I think we will get with the Evo package, we should be very competitive now.
Arjun on his brother Kush Maini
Q: Do you speak to Kush when he’s driving Formula E? Do you guys exchange thoughts about what’s going on and things like that?
Arjun: Yes, we do. We’ve seen each other very little this year, which has been a bit annoying, but he gets along quite well with the Formula E car and enjoys his time there. It’s very different because there’s a lot more you have to do in terms of energy management and similar tasks. Actually, a lot of that is probably going to be implemented into Formula 1 now with the new rules. So, we do speak about it. It’s nice to hear and understand the technology, but it just doesn’t excite me as much as what I’m doing now.
Q: You were there when Kush was testing the Alpine car after the Abu Dhabi season. How was it seeing your brother test a Formula 1 car, especially since he is only the fourth Indian driver to actually do that?
That was really cool; it was amazing. I think he did a great job. It was a good outing and amazing to see. I remember walking up to the hotel and seeing him come past in the car. It was lap one, and as he was coming into the corner, I was thinking, “Okay, lap one. Take it easy, dude.” But he fully sent it through the hotel section. I was like, “Okay, please don’t crash this thing now, because then it’s over.” It was quite cool, and it is amazing to see it happen. We’ve always grown up racing together in our younger years, we’ve always been close, and we talk about everything. And now, to finally see him in an official session with an F1 car was amazing.
Arjun Maini on Ajith Kumar and how it gives a boost to Indian Motorsports
Q: What are your thoughts on Ajith Kumar stepping into the Sports Car Racing world?
I think it’s amazing. It’s fantastic that somebody of his stature is coming into endurance racing, spreading the love for it, and bringing a whole different audience into this sport. For me, it’s amazing. I really hope that the people who join and watch end up staying, loving the sport, and supporting the youngsters.
As a country, that is what we lack; we are ready to support people when they are already at the top, but we don’t really help with the buildup and support process on the way up. That could make a big difference. For example, if a young kid in Formula 3 trying to get into Formula 1 has 300,000 followers instead of 50,000, he’s going to get more sponsorship, which helps him move up. Politically and in every other way, you are positioned much better.
I hope people realize the power they have. Indians have a lot of power in making the next Indian Formula 1 driver. It might be hard for them to believe or might not make as much sense, but the people have a lot of power in making that happen. As soon as there is a market where you can sell a driver, there is a big push. It’s a different world. I really hope that through this, through our work, and through everything happening in Indian motorsports now, all the young people coming up can get a big push to help develop them.
I think you met Ajith as well. He was at one of the GT World Challenge Europe weekends. How was that meeting? Did you guys talk about anything specific, or just in general?
Just in general, talking about racing. You can see how much he loves the sport. It’s cool to see that he’s so motivated to race as much as he does in such cool races. It was nice to catch up with him. It’s difficult to go into his box in the paddock itself because it’s surrounded by people, so we had to meet in the hotel afterward.
It was a great chat. I have huge respect for whatever he’s doing for the sport. Again, I just hope that more people like him come in so we can push our sport to become more famous in India—motorsport as a whole. Like we spoke about, whether it’s endurance racing, formula cars, rallying, MotoGP, or anything else, there is so much potential in this country, and I just hope it’s realized.
What does the future hold for Arjun Maini?
Q: With Ford joining WEC in Hypercar, is that somewhere you see yourself ending up?
Arjun: Yeah, it would be a dream for me. That is my goal: to be in the hypercar. I think I’ve said it quite a few times that it is my dream. Whether it’s going to happen straight away or not, I don’t know. If it doesn’t, I’m still relatively young in the endurance racing world. I have years ahead, and I would be happy to carry on and establish my place for another three or four years in GT3 if I have to. Eventually, I want to be in a hypercar on the grid. That’s definitely the goal. Whether it happens or not, I don’t know yet. At the moment, all I can do is my job. I’ll try to get some results this year with the package that I have, and then we’ll see what the future brings. To be in Le Mans in the top class is the ultimate dream for me.
Q: You said when you made the decision to jump from single-seaters to sports cars, you thought about where it would put you in a few years’ time. Now, it’s been six or seven years since you’ve been doing sports cars. When you made that switch and had that thought about the future, do you think you’re there yet?
The first goal of any driver who makes this switch is to become professional. You want to get paid by a manufacturer to race cars, where you’re not relying on sponsorship or money and you have stability in your racing. From that point of view, I’m happy where I am. But, of course, there’s always that hunger for more. So yes, I feel like I’ve made the right decision. I am racing professionally for a big car manufacturer, but I want more. I want to be in Le Mans and I want to win the biggest races. From that point of view, I haven’t “made it” yet, but in general, I can be very happy with how far I’ve come. I think I made the right decision at the right time.
That concludes our conversation with Arjun Maini. Arjun serves as a vital example that a motorsport career doesn’t have to be “F1 or bust.” While the dream is often centered on those 20 seats, the immense investment of time and capital can quickly result in nothing if that narrow goal isn’t met. As Arjun highlighted, the primary objective should be professional stability. To build a lasting career in racing, more drivers must realize the value of finding a path where they are paid for their talent, rather than chasing a long shot.
Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.
DTM
DTM Norisring Review: Jordan Pepper Takes Maiden DTM Win, Thomas Preining Picks Up his First Win of 2025, Arjun Maini Continues to Rise
At the only street circuit on DTM calendar, chaos was expected, and chaos was delivered.
As DTM made its way to the Norisring, the only street circuit on the calendar did not disappoint. Jordan Pepper and Thomas Preining picked up wins in Race 1 & 2, respectively, on the streets of Nuremberg. Ferrari had their best weekend of the season and picked up a double-podium finish on Sunday. Arjun Maini’s rich form continues, and the HRT Team continue to make progress.
Jordan Pepper Delivers a Commanding Performance on Saturday
Jordan Pepper’s form shows no signs of slowing down, as the South African wins his first DTM race to become the sixth race winner of the 2025 season. Pepper achieved this feat just one week after his 24 Hours of Spa success. Pepper picked up pole position earlier that day and converted pole to win by driving a near-flawless race. Pepper’s race win seemed skeptical only at one point – when he lost time in the pits due to a rear-right tire issue. However, he had made up enough time in his first stint to take the win.
“It was the longest 55 minutes of my life” – Said Pepper
Thomas Preining finished in second place, just three seconds behind Pepper. Maro Engel returned to the podium despite an opening lap collision with Nicki Thiim. Thiim spun and finished the race last in 20th; however, the incident was deemed a racing incident by the stewards. Arjun Maini pushed his Ford Mustang to its limits and had an intense battle with three-time DTM champion Rene Rast, where he put up a strong defence. Maini finished the race in P8 while Rast drove a brilliant recovery from P17 to P10.
Mirko Bortolotti had a heated battle with Marco Whittman, which involved several instances of contact between the Lamborghini and BMW. This led to a warning for Whittman, and both drivers finished out of the top 15. Fabio Scherer could not start the race due to a massive crash in qualifying earlier. Timo Glock reported a power issue, and Aston Martin driver Gilles Magnus scored his first points of the season with a P12 finish.
Thomas Preining Wins Chaotic Sunday Race
Flawless strategy by the Manthey EMA team meant that Preining picked up his first win of the season in Nuremberg. Starting from sixth on the grid, Preining beat Ferrari drivers Jack Aitken and Thierry Vermeulen to clinch the win. The Emil Frey pair finished P2 and P3 to round up a double podium for Ferrari.
The race started with a massive incident at turn 1 involving Marco Whittman, Mirko Bortolotti, Nicki Thiim and Jules Gounon. The incident forced all 4 drivers to retire and red-flag the race. The race restarted under a safety car, where polesitter Vermeulen maintained the lead from Aitken and Preining, who had jumped from sixth to third in the first start.
A full-course yellow was called when Fabio Scherer suffered a loose wheel. This caused another accident, where Tom Kalender’s Mercedes was hit from the back by Magnus’s Aston Martin while he slowed down to meet the delta time. This caused both drivers to retire from the race.
“That would’ve been the usual braking point. I don’t know what the other driver was thinking, but it happened. You can’t just vanish into thin air. It was a typical racing incident.” – Said Kalender
The race was won by the Manthey team’s pit crew. Preining was closing in on Aitken, trailing the Ferrari driver by less than a second. A faster stop by the Manthey team put Preining right on Aitken’s tail, and since he had pitted a lap before Aitken, warmer tires allowed him to take the lead of the race. Maro Engel finished fourth ahead of Arjun Maini. Rene Rast salvaged P7.
Arjun Maini Continues to Progress Upwards
After a few incredible comeback drives earlier this year, Maini qualified P2 in the Group A qualifying on Sunday and finished P5. He took part in a heated battle with Rene Rast on Saturday and finished the race in P8. This was Maini’s best weekend so far in 2025, on a track not easy to drive due to its tight street circuit nature. Half of the season done and now familiar with his new car, Maini will be eyeing a podium finish in the coming races.
Championship Standings
The DTM driver’s standings show drastic changes after every race weekend; however, Lucas Auer continues to lead. Thomas Preining and Jordan Pepper jump up the standings to P2 and P3 while being tied at 102 points each, thanks to their wins. Jack Aitken also moves up to P4 level with Maro Engel at 101 points. Zandvoort Race winners Rast and Guven fall to P6 and P8. Jules Gounon sits at P7 with 88 points. Arjun Maini moves up to P14.
Mercedes’ lead over Porsche shrinks by 10 points. Lamborghini, Ferrari and BMW fight for P3 in the standings with 174, 167 and 161 points respectively. Manthey extends their lead to Winward Racing.
Nurburgring Up Next
DTM will return in five weeks’ time to the Nurburgring on 8-10 August. Jordan Pepper, high on confidence and in great form, will look to grab big points. Lucas Auer, after a brilliant start, will want to pick up the pace again for the latter half of the season and look to return to the podium. After coming ever so close to victory, Ferrari will look to push towards the top step of the podium. Having won two races this season, Guven will look to make up places in the standings.
Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X/, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.
DTM
DTM Zandvoort Review: Rene Rast, Ayhancan Guven Victorious as Arjun Maini Shines on Sunday to Achieve his Best Result Yet in 2025:
Rain spices things up for DTM inZandvoort as Rast and Guven take race wins. Meanwhile Arjun Maini orchestrates a comeback drive on Sunday.
Zandvoort saw top-tier racing and incredible DTM action. The weekend saw intermittent rainfall and therefore, unpredictable results. Underdogs such as Nicki Thiim and Max Paul had success, while the favourites like Lucas Auer, Jordan Pepper and Maro Engel would’ve hoped for better results.
Guven Holds his Composure in a Rain-Affected Chaotic Saturday Race
Strategy played a key role in Saturday’s race as the sun played hide and seek. Jordan Pepper showed exceptional skill during qualifying to secure pole position in tricky wet conditions. However, he failed to convert pole to win due to a strategy mishap. Pepper delayed his pitstop to avoid the crowded pit lane once the pit window opened. Later, when he did come into the pits, a slow stop meant that he lost the lead of the race. Maro Engel had a disappointing race, finishing P9, starting from P2. At the race start, he lost a couple of positions to Luca Engstler and Ayhancan Guven. Later in the race, Engel entered the pit lane one lap too early, before the pit window opened, due to a suspected radio miscommunication. This was effectively a drive-through and cost him the race.
Ayhancan Guven held his composure amidst the chaos and drove an excellent race to secure only his second DTM win, after his first at Oschersleben. Nicki Thiim and Max Paul finished P2 and P3, both starting from outside the top 10 thanks to a daring strategy. Thiim and Paul started the race on slicks and lost nearly 30 seconds to the leaders in the first 5 laps, however, a late stop allowed them to retain track position, and they cashed in their advantage to finish on the podium. Morris Schuring and Marco Whittmann fought till the end, with Schuring crossing the line just 0.017 seconds ahead of Whittmann to secure P5.
“It was a crazy race today. I got off to a good start and battled with Luca [Engstler], then we had a really good pitstop. The strategy was excellent too, but given the conditions, it was definitely walking a fine line.” – Said Guven
The race also saw multiple collisions and pit stop drama. Timo Glock made contact with Gilles Magnus’s Aston Martin, which sent him into a massive rally-style drift into the gravel. He did well to keep the car out of the barriers; however, a puncture meant that he had to retire from the race. Three-time DTM champion Rene Rast made contact with the barriers not once, but twice! Among other retirements, Arjun Maini too suffered an unfortunate retirement in his Ford.
BMW Dominates on Sunday for a 1-2 Finish
After a chaotic Saturday, Race 2 was comparatively uneventful. Rene Rast started from pole and drove an excellent race to convert it into a win. Marco Whittmann celebrated his 200th DTM race with a P2 finish and a 1-2 for BMW and Schubert Motorsport. Whittmann had a good start and straight away overtook Jack Aitken’s Ferrari in the first corner of the first lap to put himself in P2. Later, he piled on the pressure in the closing laps; however, Rast was successful in keeping him behind.
“I was clearly faster towards the end, I could attack, but it just wasn’t enough” – Said Whittmann
Jack Aitken and Thomas Preining had a fierce battle for 3rd; however, they could not keep up with the 2 BMWs. Preining emerged victorious from the battle to round up the podium. Maro Engel had a much better race, as compared to Saturday, and made up 7 places to finish P5. Fabio Scherer suffered a driveshaft problem, due to which he retired before the start of the race. Saturday’s polesitter Jordan Pepper suffered a DNF after a puncture due to contact with Thierry Vermeulen’s Ferrari.
Arjun Maini Shines on Sunday
After a disappointing result on Saturday, Arjun Maini bounced back on Sunday and drove a brilliant race in his new team. This also showed positive signs for the HRT team as well as Arjun Maini as they continue to familiarize themselves with the new car. A few weeks earlier, at Lausitzring, Maini showed promising signs with a brilliant drive from P20 to P12. This weekend at Zandvoort, starting from P16, he made up 6 places to achieve his best finish so far in 2025, driving the new Ford Mustang. This included his incredible battle with the McLaren of Ben Dorr, where none of the two drivers seemed too yield. However, Maini kept his head down and made the overtake stick. Maini and the team hope to continue this upward trend and hope to be fighting at the front of the field soon.
Championship Standings
A race win for Ayhancan Guven and Rene Rast propelled them into the top 3 in the driver’s championship. Lucas Auer continues to lead with 91 points, followed by Rast at 75 and Guven at 73. Jules Gounon and Maro Engel are close behind at 73 and 72 points, respectively. Arjun Maini currently sits at 17th in the standings.
Manthey leads the team’s standings with 145 points. After a brilliant Sunday for Schubert Motorsport, they close the gap to Winward Racing as both teams are at 139 points. Mercedes maintains a healthy gap of 30 points in the manufacturer’s standings. Porsche is in 2nd with 152 points, followed closely by BMW at 142 and Lamborghini at 137.
Month-long Break Until Norisring
After an incredible weekend at Zandvoort, DTM resumes on 4-6 July at Norisring. Norisring is the only street circuit on the DTM calendar. Championship leader Lucas Auer will look to bounce back after failing to secure a podium at Zandvoort. Maro Engel will also hope to fight at the front for a win. Guven and Rast will enter the weekend with loads of confidence after their wins and will look to close the gap to the top of the standings.
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