It was a weekend of René Rast won his first race of the 2024 season driving flawlessly in changing conditions. On Sunday, it was Nicki Thiim who won his first-ever DTM race. Here’s how the weekend unfolded.
Read the preview of the Norisring weekend here
Rene Rast takes his first win of the season on Saturday
Saturday’s race at the Norisring started with Jack Aitken from Emil Frey Racing taking the lead in his Ferrari 296 GT3. Aitken’s strong start put him ahead of Sheldon van der Linde (Schubert Motorsport) and Lamborghini’s Mirko Bortolotti. The race strategy centred around potential rain, with top drivers delaying their mandatory pit stops. When the rain did arrive, most drivers switched to rain tyres, but René Rast gambled on staying out with slicks. This bold decision allowed Rast to take the lead and secure victory, as his competitors on rain tyres couldn’t close the gap.
Franck Perera, who also stayed on slicks, followed in second place, while Luca Engstler climbed from 15th to finish third after an impressive charge on dry tyres. Nicki Thiim took fourth, overtaking teammate Bortolotti in the final corner. Kelvin van der Linde finished sixth, maintaining his overall lead in the championship, while his brother Sheldon van der Linde placed seventh. Maro Engel ended in eighth, with Aitken dropping to ninth after losing his early advantage. Maximilian Paul completed the top ten, capping a thrilling race defined by strategic tyre choices and changing weather conditions.
“For me, the Norisring is one of the best tracks on the calendar, this victory feels gigantic. It got a bit louder on the radio because I absolutely wanted to continue driving with slicks despite the rain. It was a brave decision, but it paid off,” said Rene Rast
Nicki Thiim follows his father and makes history with Norisring’s victory.
In a thrilling eighth race of the DTM season, Nicki Thiim capitalized on his pole position to command the race from the start, steadily extending his lead over teammate Mirko Bortolotti. Maro Engel made an early pit stop and used his warmed-up tyres to overtake Bortolotti, securing second place. The race took an intense turn when the safety car was deployed with just ten minutes remaining, yet Thiim maintained his lead to claim victory after 69 laps.
Behind the top three, Arjun Maini delivered a commendable performance, finishing fourth in his Mercedes-AMG after a flawless race. René Rast, who started further back on the grid, displayed exceptional skill and determination, climbing 14 positions to secure fifth place in his BMW M4 GT3. Thomas Preining also impressed, advancing from 12th to 6th in his Porsche 911 GT3 R with strong overtakes in the closing laps.
The race wasn’t without drama for championship contender Kelvin van der Linde. Starting fourth, he suffered a setback after contact with Ferrari driver Jack Aitken. The collision pushed him down the order, and he ultimately finished ninth. This result saw van der Linde relinquish his lead in the championship standings to Bortolotti, with Rast moving up to third overall. Despite the setbacks, the race highlighted the resilience and tactical brilliance of the top drivers, setting the stage for an exciting second half of the 2024 DTM season.
“As a young boy, I watched my father’s DTM races here, and a win at the Norisring was always at the top of my bucket list. Repeating my father’s success feels incredible, especially after the difficult season so far. The moments after crossing the finish line were very emotional for me,” said Nicki Thiim.
Find the latest Championship Standings here.
Up Next: Norisring after a break
DTM takes a month-long break before heading to the “Green Hell” in motorsports. Round 9 of the championship will see the grid visiting Nurburgring from 16 to 18 August.
