DTM Oschersleben: Engstler takes unlikely win after Bortolotti pitstop drama

Engstler had been working a gradual third behind polesitter Bortolotti and Mercedes rival Luca Stolz within the first a part of the race, however a powerful technique name from Grasser to drag him into the pits simply earlier than a Full Course Yellow elevated him to the lead.

Engstler’s run to victory was made simpler by an agonisingly sluggish pitstop for SSR Performance driver Bortolotti, an issue which additionally compelled team-mate Nicki Thiim out of the race.

Firstly of the race, Bortolotti pulled away cleanly from pole place, however Saturday winner Jack Aitken made contact with second-placed Luca Stolz and ran large into Flip 2.

This dropped the Emil Frey driver in the direction of the center of the pack, and as he tried to regain floor he collided with the Lamborghini of Maximilian Paul at Flip 3, struggling terminal injury to his Ferrari.

A variety of different drivers acquired caught up within the incident, prompting race management to deploy the protection automobile earlier than the tip of lap 1.

When the motion resumed, Bortolotti once more led the sphere in his Lamborghini, with Stolz following him within the Mercedes and Engstler holding third within the Grasser Huracan.

When the pit window opened after 20 minutes of racing, nearly all of the entrance runners opted to not cease instantly, with midfield runners first to blink as they tried to make up positions.

Among the many early stoppers have been Schubert BMW’s Rene Rast and Emil Frey driver Thierry Vermeulen, who then engaged in a fierce battle for a spot within the decrease half of the highest 10.

Having misplaced a place to Rast on the latter’s out-lap, Vermeulen despatched his Ferrari down the within of the triple champion into Flip 3, however the two got here to blows on the exit of the nook – with the Dutch driver despatched into the limitations on account of their influence.

Vermeulen was compelled to retire from the race on the spot as his Ferrari caught hearth, with the race management deploying a Full-Course Yellow to assist get better his automobile.

However earlier than the FCY was activated, each Engstler and Maro Engel had already entered the pits, permitting them to return out in entrance with a web benefit of 20 seconds.

Early race chief Bortolotti, who was but to cease at the moment, lastly pulled into the pitlane after the FCY interval was over. However SSR mechanics struggled to alter the left-rear tyre on his Lamborghini, with the Italian rider ultimately rejoining the observe on the backside of the pack.

This left Engslter and Engel to duel it out for victory, with the 2 working nostril to tail within the remaining laps of the race. 

Engstler ultimately held on by simply 0.300s to take his maiden victory within the DTM, whereas HRT duo Stolz and Arjun Maini completed third and fourth behind the sister Mercedes of Engel.

Abt Sportsline driver Ricardo Feller regarded set to complete fifth however his Audi driver started to decelerate on the remaining nook, with the German dropping to ninth by the point he crossed the end line at crawling speeds.

The chief beneficiary of Feller’s late drama was team-mate Kelvin van der Linde, who led brother Sheldon throughout the road in fifth.

The Schubert BMW driver had dropped to nineteenth and final after having to decelerate on the opening lap to keep away from the collision between Aitken and Paul, however the determination to pit on the first alternative propelled him to sixth on the end.

Seventh place went to his team-mate Rast, who was fortunate to keep away from critical injury on his automobile after his incident with the opposite Emil Frey automobile of Vermeulen.

Grasser driver Christian Engelhart recovered from a penalty for dashing within the pitlane to take eight, forward of the hobbled Audi of Feller.

Marco Wittmann took the chequered flag in tenth, as all three BMWs completed inside the highest 10.

Behind, Lucas Auer was in a position to drag his Winward Mercedes to eleventh, regardless of shedding a heavy chunk of the entrance bodywork from his automobile within the first-lap crash between Aitken and Paul.

It was one other low-key day for Porsche as reigning champion Thomas Preining might solely salvage thirteenth place, one spot forward of Manthey EMA team-mate Ayhancan Guven.

Bortolotti picked up the ultimate level in fifteenth after shedding an enormous chunk of time within the pits.