Nicki Thiim began the DTM race at Oschersleben from 18th on the grid after a tough Saturday qualifying session that left him a full 0.803 seconds behind rivals.
BoP Tweaks and Aston Martin’s New Weight
Following a BoP revision, Thiim’s Aston Martin carried 15 kilograms more during the race than in qualifying because the Comtoyou team removed five kilograms from the cockpit ballast only to load an additional 20 kilograms as ‘success ballast’ for the Norisring win. The same revision lifted turbo boost pressure across the rev range—0.02 bar in the low range and 0.03 bar higher—benefiting the power unit on track.
While the BMW M4 GT3 Evo also received a 0.05 bar boost increase, Ferrari’s Ferrari unaltered, a change the Emil Frey team had previously criticised.
Thiim’s Frustration Over Balance of Performance
Expressing discontent, Thiim accused the BoP system of penalising him after delivering strong results at the Norisring: “It feels like being punished for winning on a track that requires ‘big balls,’” he told ran.de. He linked the weight penalty to Thomas Preining’s threat to quit and Marco Wittmann’s BoP critique, remarking sarcastically that retirement might “add power to the wheels.”
He complained about starting 18th, moving to 15th before being held back behind Matteo Cairoli of the Emil Frey Ferrari, and their eventual climb to 11th and 12th due to retirements.
Race Performance and Standings Impact
Thiim was unable to translate the parity changes into a competitive drive, dropping him to third in the overall DTM standings behind Mercedes‑AMG’s Maro Engel and Lucas Auer. Despite early position gains, a 20‑kilogram weight and limited power—he referenced carrying “the 20 kilos”—left him “the fat one in the class today.”
He reflected on the loss, noting that “there was nothing possible today in pace, and we’ll sit together in a circle and work for tomorrow.”
BoP’s Call for Fairness Across the Grid
The adjustments intended to balance performance raised questions about fairness for teams that had performed best on specific tracks. Thiim’s case highlights ongoing tensions between success ballast, turbo boost alterations, and on‑track competitiveness within the DTM’s BoP framework.
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