DTM - Round 8 - Bortolotti triumphs amidst chaos and drama!

The 2024 DTM season came to a thrilling conclusion with a pair of exhilarating races that kept both fans and drivers on the edge of their seats.

QUALIFYING 1

Qualifying one was a true test of strategy and adaptability as the changing weather conditions played a significant role in the championship battle. Most of the grid started the session on wet tyres, while a few brave drivers, including Ricardo Feller, Jules Gounon and championship contender Kelvin van der Linde, took the gamble on dry tyres. As the track began to dry out, drivers headed to the pits, switching to the slick compound in an attempt to set competitive lap times. However, just before the end of the session, worsening weather conditions forced many back onto the wet tyres. Kelvin van der Linde ultimately secured pole position with a time of 1:48.797, narrowly beating Lucas Auer (1:48.976) and Ayhancan Güven (1:48.979), who rounded out the top three.

Photo: DTM

RACE 1

Race one kicked off with a flurry of action, headed by a stunning start from Mirko Bortolotti, who gained several positions in the opening laps, however the race was filled with incidents that shook up the running order. With less than a minute of the race completed, Ricardo Feller was pushed off track onto the grass, compromising the rest of his race. Meanwhile, a few minutes later, Jack Aitken found himself in trouble after being nudged by Nicki Thiim, which sent him into the gravel. Aitken later retired from the race, joining Franck Perera who had also retired with just over three minutes to go.

​As the chequered flag fell on race one, Kelvin van der Linde claimed victory, with Lucas Auer and Ayhancan Güven securing second and third. This allowed Kelvin van der Linde to take a commanding lead in the championship battle, resulting in the fight going down to the final race of the season.

QUALIFYING 2

Qualifying two saw heavy fog enshroud the circuit, leaving visibility at a premium. Drivers were eager to hit the track for the final time in the season, in order to secure a good lap time before the conditions worsened. Kelvin van der Linde was the first to set a time, but his lap was quickly deleted for exceeding track limits, while he did manage to set purple sectors on his second attempt, but bailed for the pits before completing the lap. Luca Engstler momentarily topped the timing sheets with a 1:39.109 before Nicki Thiim went faster. The battle for pole position intensified as the session neared the end, with Bortolotti snatching the top spot with a blistering time of 1:36.708. With that, Bortolotti not only secured pole position, but also reclaimed the championship lead ahead of the final race of the season.

Photo: DTM

RACE 2

The final race of the 2024 DTM season began under mostly clean conditions, with a few position changes as the drivers jostled for places early on, however the race was not without its own share of drama. Franck Perera struggled early after running wide, while a left-rear puncture for Ben Dörr derailed his race. Güven was forced into the pits with a black and orange flag just seven minutes into the race, and Marco Wittmann was forced wide at Parabolica after a tussle with Clemens Schmid in the other McLaren.

As the pit window opened, multiple drivers, including Kelvin van der Linde, Sheldon van der Linde, Clemens Schmid and Arjun Maini decided to pit, setting up some exciting battles for the remainder of the race. A thrilling three-wide moment between Thierry Vermeulen, Kelvin van der Linde and Sheldon van der Linde highlighted the intensity of the final laps. Engstler showcased his improving racecraft, overtaking Bortolotti for fifth position, after Bortolotti pitted from a commanding nine-second lead.

Further drama unfolded as Gounon encountered issues after some on-track contact, and in the final moments of the race, Ricardo Feller and Nicki Thiim battled it out for sixth position, with Marco Wittmann soon joining the fight. Ultimately, Luca Engstler crossed the finish line first, securing his second win of the season, meanwhile Bortolotti finished just 0.455 seconds behind Engstler, a result that handed him the 2024 DTM championship title.

Photo: Alexander Trienitz

CONCLUSION & 2025

The final weekend of the 2024 DTM season delivered all the elements of a classic showdown - the weather, wheel-to-wheel battles, and a tense championship decider. Mirko Bortolotti’s consistency throughout the weekend, as well as the entire season made him a deserving champion, while Luca Engstler capped off the season with a superb victory in just his second season in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. Fans will be left pleased, and reminiscing about the dramatic season, as they look forward to another thrilling season in 2025.

Mirko Bortolotti claimed the drivers’ championship by seventeen points over South African Kelvin van der Linde, in ABT Sportline’s final outing with the Audi brand, and Maro Engel finishing out in third position with 203 points. Schubert Motorsport took the teams’ title with the BMW team scoring 361 points, with ABT Sportsline finishing thirty-five points behind, and Winward Racing a further ten points in third. Mercedes-AMG clinched the manufacturers championship by only ten points over Lamborghini, with BMW rounding out the top three.

Round 1: Oschersleben - Germany, 26th - 27th April 2025

Round 2: Lausitzring - Germany, 24th - 25th May 2025

Round 3: Zandvoort - Netherlands, 7th - 8th June 2025

Round 4: Norisring - Germany, 5th - 6th July 2025

Round 5: Nürburgring - Germany, 9th - 10th August 2025

Round 6: Sachsenring - Germany, 23rd - 24th August 2025

Round 7: Red Bull Ring - Austria, 13th - 14th September 2025

Round 8: Hockenheimring - Germany, 4th - 5th October 2025