BMW dominated the second Nurburgring DTM race with Rene Rast taking victory forward of Schubert team-mate Marco Wittmann, as its rivals had no reply to its efficiency: “It was a bit scary with the highest velocity machines I had round me,” smiled third-placed Landgraf Mercedes driver Lucas Auer.
The DTM chief began from second however needed to admit defeat to Rast after simply 4 laps: “I noticed Rene, he was closing in so shortly. So, I defended as soon as after which the second time he principally simply overtook me honest and sq..”
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Rast and BMW’s general efficiency took most abruptly – together with the driving force himself.
“I do not know [where the performance came from], to be trustworthy. If I knew, we’d do the identical each race,” Rast stated. “However I may already really feel within the formation lap that the automotive was related prefer it has by no means been earlier than on this monitor this weekend.
“So I went for the assault. I handed 5 vehicles within the first couple of laps and nonetheless pulled away, which was even shocking to me. I hoped for a podium, however I wasn’t anticipating a victory – and such a dominant one as effectively.”
Nevertheless, Wittmann was not sure why he was not capable of make equally-strong progress within the first stint: “Someway I struggled with tyre efficiency and could not actually sustain with the main group.”
Marco Wittmann, Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3
Picture by: Alexander Trienitz
However group boss Torsten Schubert had a proof. “It was merely as a result of his place, as a result of Marco was caught in visitors. He at all times had vehicles in entrance of him, and when you may’t drive freely, you naturally have an issue,” he instructed Motorsport.com’s sister web site Motorsport-Complete.com.
“In any other case, they have been already doing effectively by way of tempo, and Marco additionally stated that he had an excellent automotive. It will depend on the scenario. Once you’re caught behind somebody for a couple of laps and need to attempt to battle your well past, it isn’t that simple.”
“That was additionally the primary purpose why we determined to cease early to placed on the second set [of tyres],” added Wittmann, alluding to his technique, as he undercut a number of drivers and moved as much as third, straight behind Auer. “In the long run, the hole was barely too huge, as a result of as soon as I used to be near him [Auer], his tyres have been heat already. So I knew there was solely an opportunity perhaps on the second pitstop, though he opened up the hole.”
However the BMW driver was gifted second place when Auer bought held up in his second pitstop as a result of an issue together with his Mercedes.
Out in entrance, Rast had already constructed up a lead of virtually 10 seconds, which was not solely because of the favorable Steadiness of Efficiency, but additionally right down to an incident on Saturday.
Within the accident that precipitated the primary race to be red-flagged, Rast had broken each entrance rims in a collision with Mirko Bortolotti’s Abt Lamborghini.
Watch: 2025 DTM – Spherical 5 – Nürburgring: Race 1 highlights
“We had a number of damaged rims yesterday and have been allowed to take the set of tyres from free observe through the pink flag,” group boss Schubert defined. “The rules enable this set for use in such instances. We have been capable of save the tyres, solely the edges have been broken.”
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It meant that the 2 undamaged entrance tyres, which Rast was allowed to vary throughout Saturday’s interruption, have been remounted on intact rims in a single day and accessible once more for use on Sunday.
“That was definitely a bonus for the race right now. It meant we may put an excellent set of tyres on Rene’s automotive. And you could possibly see that Gounon and Engel additionally had new tyres from yesterday, however whenever you’re caught in visitors, there’s nothing you are able to do,” Schubert concluded.
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