Oschersleben – First victory for Luca Engstler

The safety car played a key role in the outcome of the race. The safety car was called during the race to evacuate the car of Thierry Vermeulen (Emil Frey Racing) which ended up in the safety rail after the Dutch driver collided with the BMW M4 GT3 of René Rast. Side by side for a few meters, it is ultimately the 296 GT3 which will crash off-road 

Bortolotti loses everything in the pits 

Mirko Bortolotti, however, had a perfect race. After getting off to an excellent start, the Transalpin leads the race without incident. The first turns were very hectic with Jack Aitken (Emil Frey Racing), the winner from the day before, in distress. English will never see the end of the first round. For Bortolotti everything is going well, on the restart he controls Luca Stolz (Team HRT) perfectly. The race is much livelier in the peloton with competitors with hot tempers. While the pit stops have begun, the leaders wait 3 laps before returning to their box. Mirko Bortolotti (SSR Performance) will lose everything when he stops. Victim of the same problem as his teammate Nicki Thiim a lap before. The left rear wheel is stubborn, he loses 17 seconds in this disastrous stop! He is 15th when he returns to the track! 

Incident between @ReneRastRacing and Thierry Vermeulen.

Vermeulen is out of the race. Watch live here https://t.co/vX9QAhakJR# DTM2024 pic.twitter.com/bSJ9XqdVmb

— DTM (@DTM) April 28, 2024

Luca Engstler's huge strategy move 

The three-time TCR Germany champion has not yet refueled so most of the other drivers have stopped at their pits. The Grasser Racing Team driver dives into the deceleration lane when the race is interrupted following the collision between Rast and Vermeulen! When he leaves the pit straight, he is still in the lead followed by Maro Engel (Team Winward) who followed him in his strategy of delaying his pitstop! The two men have almost 18 seconds over the rest of the troop. Engel will put pressure on his young compatriot for long minutes. Luca Engstler does not let himself be distracted and takes the checkered flag ahead of Engel and Luca Stolz by more than 18 seconds! Bortolotti is 15th and penultimate ranked! In the standings, Engstler (30 points) is ahead of Aitken by a small unit, tied on points with Luca Stolz. Bortolotti can console himself with 4th place in the championship, 4 points behind the leader. The nightmare weekend of Thomas Preining, the 2023 champion, ends with a 10th and 13th place. He is 12th with 9 points. 

The next stage of the DTM is scheduled for May 24 to 26 on the Lausitzring circuit. 

DTM Oschersleben - Race 2 results