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.

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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.

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.

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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.

DTM made its second stop outside of Germany at the Red Bull Ring in Austria and it was the best weekend Indian driver Arjun Maini has had in the championship till now. The Mercedes driver scored his maiden Pole Position and went on to score 2 podiums that weekend.

Saturday: Maini takes his first pole as Bortolotti takes his first win

Saturday was a historic day for Indian Motorsports as Arjun Maini became the first Indian to score a pole position in DTM.

It was a day of firsts as Marko Bortolotti scored his first win of the season, propelling him to the top of the DTM standings. The Lamborghini driver from SSR Performance expertly handled tricky weather conditions, choosing rain tires at the start and commanding the race early on. He overtook Arjun Maini and Maro Engel to build an impressive lead, securing victory despite late pressure from Engel. This win, Bortolotti’s fourth DTM triumph, positions him as the title favourite with just three races remaining.

Engel followed closely in second, while Maini finished third after starting from pole. Luca Stolz secured fourth, completing a strong day for Mercedes-AMG, while Ayhancan Güven delivered a remarkable charge to fifth place. Former championship leader Kelvin van der Linde climbed from 17th to eighth, now trailing Bortolotti by just ten points. René Rast and Ricardo Feller rounded out the top ten in a race dominated by strategic tire choices amid evolving track conditions.

 “That was probably the best victory of my life. We made the right decision and opted for rain tires at the beginning. I knew that if I was clever and kept the tires in a good window for a long time, I could open up a gap. I managed that,” said Bortolotti

Maro Engel and Arjun Maini in Red Bull Ring Race 1 (Photo: Gruppe C Photography)

Sunday: René Rast Triumphs Again at Red Bull Ring to take his 28th Career Victory

René Rast continued his dominance at the Red Bull Ring, winning the 14th DTM race of the season on Sunday for his 28th career victory. The BMW works driver from Schubert Motorsport executed a brilliant strategy, moving from fourth to first despite a poor start. His main rival, Thomas Preining in the Porsche 911 GT3 R, finished second after a relentless chase. Arjun Maini impressed again, securing third. Championship leader Mirko Bortolotti finished fourth, extending his lead by 15 points with just a few races left.

Pole-setter Bortolotti initially led but was overtaken by Rast after pit stops shuffled the order. Preining and Maini also overtook the Lamborghini driver, with Kelvin van der Linde finishing fifth. Sheldon van der Linde claimed sixth for BMW, while Ayhancan Güven and Maro Engel placed seventh and eighth. Franck Perera finished ninth, with Ferrari’s Jack Aitken rounding out the top ten.

“It was an action-packed, hard-fought race. The podium feels even better than the one on Saturday because I was able to work my way up from eighth place on the grid to third place. The decisive factor was that I got my tires up to the right temperature quickly after the pit stop.” – Arjun Maini after Race 2

With only a few races left, the battle for the DTM championship remains fierce, and all eyes will be on Bortolotti, Rast, and van der Linde as the season reaches its climax. DTM heads next to Hockenheimring for the final round of the weekend from 18-20th October.

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