Grasser Racing Team’s dismissal by the DMSB’s appeals court confirms the disqualification of Mirko Bortolotti for a non‑compliant wheel bearing, a verdict the team now plans to challenge at the FIA.
Re‑opening the case at the FIA
Team principal Gottfried Grasser said the decision is final in Germany but that, because the squad competes under Austria’s AMF licence, an FIA appeal is permissible.
Within seven days of the ruling, the Grasser team can file a complaint with the FIA in Paris. The hearing would take place after the October 9‑11 season finale, potentially leaving the DTM champion undecided.
Should Bortolotti’s disqualification be overturned, Marcos Wittmann would drop 23 points and Maro Engel 24, altering the lead between Preining, Engel and Wittmann.
Why Bortolotti was disqualified
A wheel bearing removed during a post‑race inspection on July 26 did not match the DTM GT3 homologation or any reference part. The stewards applied Article 5.1: “All parts illustrated or specified in the FIA GT3 Homologation or in the GT3 DTM Homologation must be used exactly as supplied.”
Because the bearing violated this rule, the Lamborghini’s victory was annulled on August 13.
The legal showdown
Grasser’s lawyers challenged the ruling, arguing the team was entitled to “free” machining of the bearings and that formalities in the regulations were flawed.
The DMSB appeal hearing, chaired by lawyer Rainer Wicke, lasted just over two hours. DTM technical coordinator Robert Maas served as expert, explaining that the DTM supplementary homologation supersedes the FIA homologation and contains detailed drawings of the bearing.
DTM’s supplementary homologation
Since 2025, the DTM has issued its own homologation to eliminate gray areas and reduce costs. Article 5.1 of the DTM Sporting Regulations states: “The requirements of the DTM GT3 Homologation take precedence over the FIA GT3 Homologation and the FIA GT3 Technical Regulations.”
The DMSB’s central question was whether this supplementary homologation was valid if never approved by the FIA.
Potential impact on the championship
With the title battle razor‑thin, the outcome of the FIA appeal could determine whether a champion is named after the season’s final races. The decision is expected only after the October weekend, potentially leaving the standings unsettled.
Grasser’s next move is clear: if the FIA rejects the appeal, the DTM season will end without a definitive champion, keeping the suspense alive until the very last corner.
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