Ayhancan Guven clinched the 2025 DTM title with victory in an exciting Hockenheim finale, passing Marco Wittmann in a frantic final-lap combat.
Beginning the finale fifth within the standings and 17 factors behind the championship chief, the Manthey Porsche driver snatched each the race win and the title simply earlier than the end line forward of Wittmann in second, whereas Maro Engel accomplished the rostrum in third.
“We made historical past. I’m so proud, so glad,” Guven, who turned the primary Turkish DTM champion, informed ran.de. “I can’t even put it into phrases – I simply need to thank everybody. I do know it wasn’t simple, however we made it, and ultimately, that’s all that issues.”
Earlier factors chief Lucas Auer crossed the road in sixth, however the Landgraf Mercedes driver moved as much as fourth after a post-race reshuffle, on account of a incident involving Jordan Pepper (Grasser Lamborghini) and Jack Aitken (Emil Frey Ferrari). Each title contenders had overtaken Auer below yellow flags in the course of the race and have been handed three penalty laps every, however since neither driver served their penalties, they have been each proven the black flag.
DTM rookie Tom Kalender celebrated his best-ever consequence with fifth place for Landgraf Mercedes, adopted by Thomas Preining (Manthey Porsche) and Mirko Bortolotti (Abt Lamborghini). Lucas Engstler (Grasser Lamborghini), Ricardo Feller (Land Audi), and Maximilian Paul (Paul Motorsport) accomplished the highest 10.
Heading into the ultimate race of the 12 months, seven drivers nonetheless had a practical shot on the title, however one contender’s hopes have been shattered within the first lap.
Rene Rast had made an ideal begin and climbed to 3rd into the primary nook, and on the run to the hairpin, the three-time champion even handed Guven, however the Turkish driver fought again and pushed Rast large. Behind them, Jules Gounon triggered a expensive chain response; the Winward Mercedes driver braked too late and hit Ben Inexperienced within the Emil Frey Ferrari who then slammed into Rast’s Schubert BMW.
Ayhancan Güven, Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3-R
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
The 38-year-old spun into the pack, the place he was struck once more by Thierry Vermeulen’s Emil Frey Ferrari. Rast’s BMW suffered extreme injury to the right-front suspension, forcing him to retire which brought on the primary security automotive.
After the restart, polesitter Gilles Magnus within the Comtoyou Aston Martin led the sector, and only one lap later, the primary of two pit window opened. BMW driver Wittmann was among the many first to cease and instantly started setting quickest laps on recent tyres. When factors chief Auer lastly pitted late within the window, Wittmann had already climbed into the lead group and gained a number of positions, battling Magnus for monitor place.
That allowed Guven to take the lead after the primary spherical of stops, which he held till the second pit window opened, whereas Magnus retired simply earlier than his second cease on account of a damaged suspension.
After the second spherical of stops, Guven stayed forward of Wittmann, who got here below strain from Engel. The Mercedes driver had pitted one lap earlier and had his tyres as much as temperature, however he couldn’t discover a well beyond.
Behind them, Pepper and Aitken made their expensive mistake by overtaking Auer below yellow flags. The stewards handed each three penalty laps every, whereas the security automotive got here out once more to get well Magnus’s stranded Aston Martin.
Wittmann stored the strain on Guven and waited till the ultimate lap to assault, and the BMW driver briefly took the lead, however Guven countered within the Motodrom part to regain the lead.
Together with his fifth win of the season, the Manthey Porsche driver sealed the title within the final race. Landgraf Mercedes’ Auer, who scored factors in each race this season, secured the runner-up spot within the standings.
DTM Hockenheim – Race 2 outcomes
1
90
Porsche 911 GT3 R
33
25
2
11
BMW M4 GT3 Evo
33
0.169
20
3
24
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
33
1.225
16
4
22
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
33
1.493
13
5
T. Kalender Mercedes-AMG Staff Landgraf
84
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
33
1.847
11
6
91
Porsche 911 GT3 R
33
2.390
10
7
1
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2
33
0.570
9
8
19
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2
33
0.375
8
9
29
Audi R8 LMS Evo II
33
0.925
7
10
71
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2
33
0.378
6
11
16
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
33
1.379
5
12
T. Vermeulen Emil Frey Racing
69
Ferrari 296 GT3
33
2.942
4
13
36
Ford Mustang GT3
33
1.583
3
14
M. Schuring Manthey Junior Staff
92
Porsche 911 GT3 R
33
0.394
2
15
B. Dörr Dörr Motorsport
25
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
33
5.911
1
16
2
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2
33
4.977
17
48
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo
33
1.504
18
64
Ford Mustang GT3
31
dnf
N. Baert Comtoyou Racing
8
Aston Martin Vantage GT3
28
dnf
7
Aston Martin Vantage GT3
21
dnf
B. Inexperienced Emil Frey Racing
10
Ferrari 296 GT3
1
dnf
33
BMW M4 GT3 Evo
0
dq
14
Ferrari 296 GT3
33
dq
J. Pepper TGI Staff Lamborghini by GRT
63
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2
33
We would like your opinion!
What would you wish to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Staff
