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.
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 Lausitzring: Jordan Pepper Leads Heading into Lausitz
As DTM heads to Lausitzring, Jordan Pepper leads while Auer and Guven come with confidence after taking wins in the last round.
DTM is all set to make a stop at the DEKRA Lausitzring this weekend for Round 2 of the championship. The South African Jordan Pepper is leading the championship, but race winners Lucas Auer and Ayhancan Guven come into this weekend with lots of confidence. Let’s see who comes out on top at Lausitzring.
READ MORE: Auer and Güven Shine as DTM Kicks Off in Oschersleben
Jordan Pepper Looking for his First Win of the Season
Jordan might be leading the championship, but the Lamborghini driver did not win any races last time out. Thanks to his consistent qualifying and race results, the South African has managed to get the most points of anyone and take the championship lead. For Jordan, the goal this weekend would be to repeat that form and continue to get consistent points on the board, although he would not be completely opposed to getting some wins while he is at it.
Auer and Guven Carrying Momentum from Last Round
For Lucas Auer, Race 1 last time around was perfect as he started from Pole and was in control throughout to take the win when the chequered flag dropped. Guven too, impressed everyone by executing the perfect strategy to become the first ever winner, a Turkish driver to win in DTM. Both these drivers are on 34 points, just 3 behind the championship leader Jordan Pepper.
“I won my first DTM race at the Lausitzring in 2016; that was something of a breakthrough. The track is technically demanding, but also really cool to drive,” said Auer.
Arjun Maini and HRT are familiarising themselves with the Mustang
Both Arjun and HRT have been long-time associated with Mercedes, so shifting to Ford this year was a bold move. The new kid on the block is still getting to grips with the German team. Last weekend, Arjun was the quickest Ford of the two and also helped the American manufacturer score a point on debut. This weekend, the team and the Indian driver would be looking to build on the experience they have gained and hopefully move up in the grid. With the BoP balancing out the manufacturers in DTM, one can expect them to challenge for the top 10, if not for podiums and wins.
Schedule and Where to Watch DTM in India
You can watch all the sessions of DTM live on Fancode with a weekend pass for just this weekend or a full season pass for the full DTM season. The complete schedule in IST is given below.
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.
The 2025 season of DTM kicked off in Oschersleben, and it was Lucas Auer in his Mercedes AMG GT3 who took the first win of the new season on Saturday. Sunday saw a flawless strategic drive from Ayhancan Güven, giving him and Turkey their first DTM win.
READ MORE: DTM All Set for an Intense 2025 Season Opener at Oschersleben
SATURDAY: Lucas Auer Takes His 10th Career Win in DTM
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in Oschersleben, and Lucas Auer made a perfect start to his season, starting from Pole, taking the fastest lap and winning the first race of the 2025 DTM season.
Auer made the perfect getaway in his Mercedes AMG GT3 in the race to keep his lead going into turn 1 and soon opened up a 4-second lead from Jordan Pepper in the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo, who was running in second. Jules Guonon in the Mercedes AMG GT3 was third after overtaking the Porsche works driver Thomas Preining, and Maro Engel slotted in fifth.
On lap 18, Auer, Pepper and Preining all decided to enter the pits for their mandatory stops. While Auer was stationary for longer, it wasn’t long enough for Pepper to jump him in the pits. After the round of pit stops, Auer was again in front and had managed to open up a decent gap between him and Pepper.
The Mercedes driver kept his lead for the rest of the race and took the chequered flag to celebrate his 10th DTM victory. Pepper followed in second, meanwhile, Maro Engel had displayed tactical prowess to overtake Preining for third position, with the Porsche driver coming in on 4th. Jules Guonon finished fifth, making it 3 Mercedes cars in the top 5.
“A top start to the new season! The start of the race was superb. However, I later lost all the lead I had established when having to lap other cars. As such, I am delighted that the guys in the pit lane produced a really strong performance during the tyre change,” said Auer.
SUNDAY: Güven Executes Strategy to Perfection to Take Maiden DTM Win
Ayhancan Güven became the first driver from Turkey to win a race in DTM. The Team Manthey EMA driver in his Porsche 911 GT3 R displayed strong tactical and driving performance to take the win, having started 4th in Race 2 at Oschersleben.
Mercedes driver Jules Gounon was starting in pole for the second race at Oschersleben with Jordan Pepper accompanying him on the front row. Guonon got a good launch to stay ahead of Pepper into Turn 1, meanwhile Guven overtook Ferrari driver Thierry Vermeulen to take third position behind the front runners.
During the first round of pit stops, Guven chose to go long when everyone else was making their stops. This helped him jump both Guonon and Pepper to take the lead in the race after making his first stop. A new race format meant drivers had to make 2 stops in the race on Sunday. Guven kept his lead of the race through the second round of stops as well and took the chequered flag, making him the first driver from Turkey to win a race in DTM. Jules Guonon finished second as Thomas Preining made 4 positions to finish in 3rd, having started in 7th.
“This moment has been my ultimate goal since my first DTM race. Last year was rather disappointing for me, so it feels all the better to start the new season with a win. My father was right next to the podium and was my first to congratulate me. As my mentor, he played a major role in this success,” said a delighted Turk.
A weekend of learning for Arjun Maini and HRT
Arjun Maini entered his fifth season in DTM, this time in a Ford machinery. After spending 4 years with Mercedes, Arjun made a switch to Ford, becoming their Factory Driver earlier this year. It was a switch for the team as well, as HRT, who had been associated with Mercedes for many years, rebranded themselves to HRT Ford Performance from this year onwards.
As a result of the change, it was obvious that this weekend would be a weekend of learning. Both Arjun and the team are getting used to the Ford Mustang GT3 and are learning more and more with every passing weekend. Maini was comfortably the faster Ford throughout the weekend, with the Indian driver even scoring a points finish in Race 1, debuting for Ford. As Maini and HRT get more and more comfortable with the car with every passing weekend, we are sure that the Indian driver will soon be fighting for top spots in the championship
Championship Standings and Up Next
South African Jordan Pepper leaves Oschersleben as the championship leader, thanks to his strong and consistent performance during the weekend.
Meanwhile, in the Manufacturers’ Championship, it’s Mercedes on 68 points, 4 points ahead of Porsche in 64.
DTM heads to Lausitzring next from 23-25 May and you can watch all the action live only on Fancode in India.
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 All Set for an Intense 2025 Season Opener at Oschersleben
New Cars, new team and a new race format. DTM is all set for it’s season opener at Oschersleben.
The 2025 season of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (also known as DTM) is all set to kick off this weekend in Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. A total of 24 drivers will take to the track in 12 different teams comprising 9 different manufacturers, including newcomers Aston Martin and Ford.
Ford Returns to DTM With HRT and Arjun Maini
Ford is returning to the DTM after an absence of 30 years. The American manufacturer has partnered up with the Haupt Racing Team and will run under the banner of HRT Ford Performance. HRT Ford Performance will field two cars, the #36 Mustang in Ravenol livery driven by Arjun Maini and the #64 Mustang in Ford Heritage livery driven by Fabio Scherer.
Arjun joined DTM in 2021 with GetSpeed, behind the wheels of the Mercedes AMG GT3. Since then, he has been driving for the German Manufacturer in various championships, including DTM and GT World Challenge Europe. In 2025, he left the Stuttgart-based manufacturer and moved to the Ford stables, becoming a factory driver for the American team. The Indian driver has 4 podiums and 1 pole position in DTM till now, he will be looking to get his first win this year.
Aston Martin Back With Newcomers Comtoyou Racing
This year, DTM also welcomes a new team from Belgium, Comtoyou Racing. The Belgian team has chosen Aston Martin GT3 machinery for their debut season in the German Championship. The team from Gembloux to the south of Brussels has put its faith in two Belgian drivers, Nicolas Baert and Gilles Magnus, for its first season in DTM. Magnus arrives in the DTM with multiple titles to his name. Last season, the 25-year-old won the endurance races in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and also impressed in the GT World Challenge Europe. Meanwhile, Baert has been a Comtoyou Racing driver for the past 5 years.
Bortolotti Looking Forward to his Big Title Defence
Mirko Bortolotti will enter his fourth DTM season as the reigning champion. The Lamborghini works driver from Vienna has fond memories of Oschersleben from last year, claiming one of his eight pole positions in DTM here. Bortoloti is hungry for the first win at this circuit and can’t wait for the season to begin.
“I am pleased that we can finally go racing again, and am full of energy. Defending my title will be a big challenge, but we have all the ingredients to be successful together,” says Bortolotti.
Mirko Bortolotti will be keeping a close eye on the Schubert Motorsport duo, as the reigning Teams’ Champions aim to go one step further this year by securing both the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles. The Oschersleben-based outfit will kick off their campaign on home turf, fielding the brand-new BMW M4 GT3 Evo driven by René Rast and two-time champion C.
Meanwhile, Jack Aitken, last year’s winner at Oschersleben, returns in the Ferrari 296 GT3 for Emil Frey Racing. He’ll be joined in the title fight by Porsche works driver Thomas Preining (Manthey EMA) and Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Winward Racing), both looking to make a strong early statement in what promises to be a highly competitive season opener at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.
New Race Format for 2025
This weekend, there is one more thing you should look forward to, as DTM will bring a new race format for 2025. Starting this weekend, the teams will need to make 2 mandatory stops during the Sunday Race, while the Saturday race remains a one-stopper. All the races this year are 55 minutes plus one lap. Should there be a safety car intervention during the race, there is now a provision which allows the race to be extended by 2 racing laps to compensate for the loss of racing action during the safety car.
The DTM has also introduced a Rookie of the Year trophy for this season, which will be awarded to the highest placed rookie in the championship. The eligibility criteria for this are for a driver to be in their first or second season of DTM.
Where to Watch DTM in India
You can watch all the sessions of DTM Live on Fancode with an annual pass for just Rs 199/-. The complete schedule in IST is given below:
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.
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