[DTM] discussion - 2023 season

[Vassago]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Nurburgring round this weekend. In the support ADAC GT4 series there will be debut outing for Rylan Gray & Brock Gilchrist in Toyota and they were immediately on the pace in practice (1st & 3rd in two sessions) @Everso Biggyballies

[Vassago]

The first Nurburgring race is underway. Perera spun Kelvin VDL around and David Schumacher did the same to fellow Mercedes driver Luca Stolz. Both received the three penalty box lap penalty.

[Vassago]

Rain arrived and Guven & Engelhart crashed in turn 1. Safety Car.

[Vassago]

Mirko Bortolotti takes his first DTM victory ahead of Auer & Preining.

[SBan83]

Really disagree with Schumacher's penalty. Stolz probably thought he had done a good job of nerfing Schumacher out of the way entering the chicane and turned in confidently without realizing Schumacher was still there, spinning himself.

[Vassago]

Maximilian Paul scored a shocking win in the second Nurburgring rain coming from 13th in the rain. Laurin Heinrich and Lucas Auer completed the podium while points leader Thomas Preining was 5th coming from row eight. A mid-race FCY (more like VSC) caused by Alessio Deledda spinning off into the turn 1 gravel gave Paul and Heinrich a chance to pit with runaway leader Auer who completely lost pace in the final ten laps.

Yesterday's winner Mirko Bortolotti did not start after a crash-related mechanical failure in qualifying. Kelvin van der Linde managed to get spun around in the first corner again but this time he suffered more damage and finished dead last.

[Cheeveer]

Lausitzring today: Feller was so conservative today! He had so many chances of diving on the inside into turn 1, but never even tried. Lame.

[Vassago]

Well, that was strange, Bortollotti's Lambo seemed to have more power on the straights and Feller's Audi was better in the tight corners where you can't pass.

Next up is Sachsenring returning to DTM after 21 years absence. That track should suit Porsche & Mercedes, they used to win majority of the races in GT Masters held there.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Bit of trivia about this year's DTM Season, this year was the first time that an ex-F1 driver (Jack Aitken) made his DTM debut and an ex-DTM driver (Liam Lawson) made his F1 debut in the same season since 2005 (Mika Hakkinen F1>DTM and Christjian Albers DTM>F1).

[Vassago]

Last round of the season coming up. It's down to Preining (190 pts) and Bortolotti (180 pts) with Feller (159 pts) still not mathematically ruled out.

Grasser drafted in ex-Porsche man Engelhart into the #19 Lamborghini for the final weekend but I don't expect him to feature at the front.

[SBan83]

DTM will no doubt be watching very closely for team orders and manipulations this weekend.

[Vassago]

Preining takes pole for Race 1 with Bortolotti in 8th. So the points lead is 13 now however Engelhart has qualified 2nd as the best Lamborghini

[Vassago]

Preining won Race 1 and took pole for Race 2 which means he takes the title ahead of the final race (which was basically a formality after yesterday's result anyway).

[Cheeveer]

Thoroughly enjoyed this season. The cream rose to the top in most weekends, and the racing wasn't bad either. A season devoid of team orders also, thankfully. Preining will go far, I can see him racing a Porsche LMDh car very soon.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

The first Austrian DTM Champion.