The first DTM race of the season at the Nürburgring ended in a furious confrontation between Aston Martin‑Danish driver Nicki Thiim and Mercedes‑AMG’s own Tom Kalender.
Thiim’s backlash over contested overtakes
Thiim, who finished 11th on a 11th‑place start, openly accused Kalender of collusion with teammate Maro Engel and Lucas Auer. According to the Dane, Kalender deliberately obstructed him during a third‑lap attempt to move into the chicane, claiming the Mercedes–run‑together‑team “didn’t want him passing” to aid their title rivals.
“It was clear from the first lap that people were moving me into the dirt, the exit of Turn 5, and on lap three the driver tried to bribe my chances from the braking zone,” Thiim said. He pointed specifically to the under‑steer block that forced a slalom maneuver, which he described as a “garbage move” that triggered a lap‑penalty.
Race‑director’s ruling and the Balance of Performance debate
Sven Stoppe, the DTM’s race‑director, imposed a penalty lap on Thiim after a contact in the first corner. The incident saw Kalender’s exhaust tailpipe bent by Thiim’s right front tire, and the rules recorded a five‑second loss equivalent to a lap penalty for forcing the competitor off track.
Thiim’s frustration extended to BoP, which he said had “treated the other manufacturers better” during earlier rounds at Oschersleben, Norisring and Lausitzring. He maintained that the BoP had unfairly disadvantaged his Aston Martin, offering a critique that the balance was inconsistent across the season.
Calendaren’s response and race context
Kalender, in defence, said he had been “very obvious” and had deliberately checked his rear mirrors before the 11th‑lap move. He claimed that after reading the maneuver he “decided not to block” because “it simply couldn’t happen” – a response that failed to quell the angry reaction from Thiim.
The Danish contender replaced the two‑corner battle with the headline‑making collision, igniting a question about sporting fairness in the DTM’s escalating title fight. While Thiim now occupies fourth place in the overall standings, 30 points behind leader Maro Engel, the incident promises further tension as the season continues.
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