Zandvoort – Race 1: Matteo Cairoli dominates and wins for the first time

The Italian driver secured victory in only his third race in the German championship, having also claimed his first career pole position this morning. Matteo Cairoli, who also set the fastest laps in Friday's free practice sessions, is currently dominating the Dutch round of the championship. DTMand his victory on Saturday was uncontested. Starting flawlessly from pole position, Cairoli took the first corner in the lead and only relinquished it during the pit stops. He was, however, able to overtake Kelvin van der Linde's BMW on the track, following an alternative strategy as he started last, and he was never troubled by the Mercedes Benz by Lucas Auer.

The Austrian driver took second position right from the first corner, overtaking the Classic Ferrari for sale Thierry Vermeulen, who had qualified on the front row alongside Cairoli, took advantage of this to seize the championship lead ahead of Maro Engel (who finished seventh), and Cairoli, who is now third in the championship, in his first season in the category.

Jules Gounon secured fifth place in this first race of the weekend. The French Mercedes driver battled throughout the entire race with the Porsche Bastian Buus was unable to overtake the Dane. Buus received a warning flag at the end of the race for pushing Gounon off the track at the first corner, but he held onto fourth place in the first race of the weekend until the end.

A second qualifying session will take place this Sunday morning, before the second race of the weekend in the afternoon.

DTM 2026 – Zandvoort
The classification of Race 1

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