DTM Hockenheim: Lamborghini's Bortolotti clinches maiden title, Engstler wins finale

Manufacturing facility Lamborghini driver Mirko Bortolotti was topped the 2024 DTM champion after ending second to Luca Engstler in Sunday’s finale at Hockenheim, as title rival Kelvin van der Linde struggled to twelfth.

Having retaken the lead within the championship by scoring three bonus factors in qualifying on Sunday morning, SSR Efficiency’s Bortolotti turned the primary Lamborghini driver to clinch a title within the DTM regardless of dropping behind Engstler within the pitstop cycle within the hour-long race on the former German Grand Prix venue.

The Italian’s success was made straightforward by a torrid begin from Saturday winner van der Linde, who slipped from fifth to eleventh on the opening lap and could not make any significant restoration whereas carrying 20kg of success ballast on his Abt Audi.

The rostrum was accomplished by three-time DTM champion Rene Rast for Schubert Motorsport, serving to the BMW squad clinch the groups’ title.

In the beginning of the race, Bortolotti pulled away cleanly from pole place, together with his team-mate Nicki Thiim appearing as a rear-gunner in second forward of Abt Audi’s Ricardo Feller.

Engstler acquired the bounce on van der Linde at the beginning and moved as much as fifth, whereas the South African continued to slide down the order on lap 1 as he complained a few lack of grip on group radio.

Bortolotti pulled out a bonus of over 4 seconds within the opening stint, which allowed SSR Efficiency to play it protected when the pitlane window opened on the 20-minute mark.

Whereas his chief rival van der Linde pitted on the first alternative to get a brand new set of tyres fitted to his Audi, Bortolotti stayed out till lap 19, with SSR servicing his automobile in 6.8s.

Luca Engstler, Grasser Racing Staff Lamborghini Huracán EVO GT3

Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz

That left him weak to an undercut from GRT Lamborghini driver Engstler, whose tyres had been already as much as temperature, with the German driver making a superb cross on Flip 11 to grab the lead.

The Italian got here again at him within the last quarter of the race, however GRT Lamborghini’s Engstler was in a position to maintain him off to clinch a second profession victory within the DTM.

Whereas Bortolotti missed out on a second victory in as many race weekends, the runner-up end was sufficient for him to win the DTM title for the primary time after near-misses in each 2022 and ’23.

Rast staged an unbelievable drive from eleventh on the grid to clinch his fourth podium of the yr, closing inside eight tenths of Bortolotti with a formidable cost within the last stint.

Fourth place went to Manthey EMA Porsche of Thomas Preining, whereas Thiim needed to accept fifth place after shedding a possible podium end by going off the monitor on his out-lap.

Feller held off the Schubert BMW of Marco Wittmann within the last laps to take seventh, whereas Winward Mercedes’ Lucas Auer dropped from fifth to eighth within the closing levels of the race.

BMW’s Sheldon van der Linde completed ninth, whereas championship contenders Maro Engel and brother Kelvin van der Linde languished in tenth and twelfth respectively, separated by the Emil Frey Ferrari of Thierry Vermeulen.

Mercedes was hit by an in a single day Steadiness of Efficiency change which left Engel fifteenth on the grid, whereas van der Linde lacked the tempo to place a restoration drive after a disastrous opening lap of the race dropped him outdoors the highest 10.

The checklist of factors scorers was accomplished by HRT Mercedes’ Arjun Maini and the Lamborghinis of Maximilian Paul (Paul Motorsport) and Frank Perera (GRT).

The one retiree from the race was Maini’s team-mate Jules Gounon, who needed to peel into the pits with 9 laps to go along with a right-rear puncture.

The producers’ championship was gained by Mercedes, which means all three DTM titles went to completely different manufacturers.

Cla
Driver
Automotive / Engine
Delay

1
Luca Engstler
Lamborghini

2
Mirko Bortolotti
Lamborghini
0.455

3
René Rast
BMW
1.834

4
Thomas Preining
Porsche
16.802

5
Nicki Thiim
Lamborghini
18.001

6
Ricardo Feller
Audi
18.664

7
Marco Wittmann
BMW
19.465

8
Lucas Auer
Mercedes
20.558

9
S.van der Linde
BMW
26.228

10
Maro Engel
Mercedes
29.463