Bortolotti captures the DTM victory at Oschersleben after a well‑timed overcut and a teammate’s botched pit stop.
Victory After Tactical Pit Strategy
The Italian, racing for Grasser‑Lamborghini, moved into second position before the first pit window by taking advantage of the better tire strategy and then overcutting the race leader, Thomas Preining, of Manthey‑Porsche.
Preining led from pole until the second pit stop, when a left‑rear tire error cost him critical seconds and dropped him to third. Bortolotti seized the opportunity to take the front spot.
During the earlier stop, driver Abt‑Lamborghini’s left‑wheel gun malfunctioned, and the crew’s pause they were not in position to capitalize, causing Lucas Engstler to drop from second to fourth.
Impact on the Championship
Maro Engel of Winward‑Mercedes retained the championship lead with his second-place finish, widening his margin to 145 points. Nicki Thiim (Comtoyou‑Aston‑Martin) and Lucas Auer (Landgraf‑Mercedes) trailed at 124 and 123 points. Thomas Preining moved to fourth with 117 points.
Engel praised the “strong weekend” but urged the crew to keep a low profile ahead of the Nürburgring duels coming in two weeks.
Key Moments During the Race
Preining’s initial advantage grew to over a second before Bortolotti’s well‑timed pit. The lightweight swing in tire performance kept Bortolotti within a second of the lead, despite a rain shower halfway through the event.
Marco Wittmann (Schubert‑BMW) and Kelvin van der Linde (Schubert‑BMW) battled for fifth. Wittmann, recovering from a gastrointestinal illness, admitted he couldn’t find the pace to challenge the leaders.
Maini (HRT‑Ford) moved past Wittmann at the start and later defended against him for a top‑five finish.
Drivers Challenging for Positions
Lucas Engstler finished fifth, trailed by Arjun Maini (HRT‑Ford). The top 10 closed ranks included Riccardo Feller (Manthey‑Porsche), Jules Gounon (Winward‑Mercedes) and Matteo Cairolo (Emil‑Frey‑Ferrari).
The race’s closing stages saw Preining dutifully defend against Wittmann, holding onto third for the event’s end.
Upcoming Events
The next two DTM races will be held at the Nürburgring from 14–16 August. Previous season winners Jack Aitken (Emil‑Frey‑Ferrari) and Rene Rast (Schubert‑BMW) will return to contest the championship climax.
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