The DTM qualifying session at the Lausitzring witnessed a historic moment as Nicki Thiim piloted his Aston Martin to pole position. The Dane’s remarkable lap of 1:19.463 not only shattered the previous qualifying record set by Lucas Auer by 0.364 seconds but also marked a significant milestone for Aston Martin in the DTM series.
The intense heat, with temperatures soaring to 28 degrees at 9 a.m. added an extra layer of challenge to the session. Thiim, the son of DTM legend Kurt Thiim humorously acknowledged the unusual weather conditions but expressed his delight with the achievement. This pole position is the second of his burgeoning DTM career, following his maiden pole and victory at the Norisring in 2026.
The Rise of the Ford Mustang GT3
The HRT Ford team also made a strong showing, with Arjun Maini securing the second position on the grid. Maini’s impressive lap, just 0.062 seconds behind Thiim, highlighted the Ford Mustang GT3’s single-lap prowess. Maini, who has spent much of his junior career racing in similar conditions, remained unfazed by the heat despite the absence of air conditioning in the Mustang for weight reasons.
However, the real test for the Mustang GT3 will be its ability to manage tire degradation over the race distance. While the car excels in bringing tires up to temperature quickly, it also tends to overheat them just as fast. The new rims and improved wheel arch ventilation in the Evo version aim to mitigate this issue, but the true test will come during the race.
The Mercedes-AMG Contingent
The top three positions were rounded out by a trio of Mercedes-AMG drivers. Lucas Auer the DTM runner-up, finished third, just 0.160 seconds behind Thiim. Auer’s lap was a testament to his skill, as he navigated through a messy grid to deliver a strong performance. Following Auer were Jules Gounon and Maro Engel who secured fourth and fifth places respectively.
Engel, who currently leads the However, he remained optimistic about his chances in the race, stating that fifth place is a solid starting position from which to launch a strong performance.
Disappointment for Porsche and BMW
The session was not without its share of disappointments. The Porsche and BMW teams struggled to match the pace set by the front-runners. Thomas Preining in the ‘Grello’ could only manage twelfth place, 0.540 seconds behind Thiim. The BMW drivers, Marco Wittmann and Kelvin van der Linde fared even worse, finishing 18th and 19th respectively.
Van der Linde, who celebrated his 30th birthday on the same day, joked about his performance, saying, ‘Apparently, you also get slower at 30.’ Despite his humorous remark, the South African acknowledged the strong pace at the front and expressed his surprise at being second to last. Teammate Wittmann’s similar struggles suggested that the issue might lie beyond the drivers.
The session also saw Timo Glock the former Formula 1 driver, finishing last in the Dorr-McLaren due to technical problems encountered in free practice. His teammate, Ben Dorr fared slightly better, securing tenth place.
