Dörr Motorsport McLaren Masterclass Upends DTM Field as Championship Contenders Clash Behind
A torrential pre-race downpour and a track littered with debris combined to deliver a modern DTM classic at the Sachsenring. Drying conditions, controversial collisions, and critical tire management completely reshuffled the field on Sunday afternoon, culminating in Ben Dörr taking his second DTM career win—and his very first across the finish line on track—in the Dörr Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.
Drying Track Sparks Tire Dilemmas
Prior to the green flag, rain lashed the circuit before easing off, leaving behind a saturated asphalt surface. Further complicating matters, a start delay was called to clear gravel and debris scattered across key braking zones. The setback left teams agonizing over setup choices on the grid; wet-weather tires were essential for the opening laps, but a rapidly clearing racing line meant early-race survival would come down to managing thermal degradation.
When the lights went out, the wet-shod runners dominated early. Pole-sitter Maro Engel initially commanded the pace, but as the damp surface dried out, those who had committed to wet tires saw their pace collapse. Roughly five minutes before the pit window opened, lap times plummeted as the rubber began overheating. Drivers scrambled to find wet patches on the straights to cool their degrading tires, setting up a chaotic transition to slick tires during the mandatory pit stops.
Engel Slips as Preining Charges
While Engel struggled to maintain performance on deteriorating tires, championship leader Thomas Preining orchestrated a masterclass. Carving his way through the pack with relentless pace, the Manthey EMA Porsche driver picked off fading rivals one by one. In stark contrast, Engel lost significant ground, tumbling out of podium contention as his track position rapidly eroded prior to the pit sequence.
Safety Cars and Controversy
The drama escalated when Nicki Thiim made contact with Jules Gounon. The collision forced Gounon out of the running with a suspected wrist injury, prompting the deployment of the day’s first Safety Car.
When racing resumed, the restart produced immediate melee. In a frantic battle for position through the opening sector, Engel clipped Kelvin van der Linde. The contact sent van der Linde spinning across the track, triggering a second Safety Car neutralisation.
Dörr Dominates Front-to-Back
Through the operational chaos and strategic pit stops, Dörr stood head and shoulders above the field. Having previously inherited his maiden DTM win at the Lausitzring via post-race penalties handed to rivals ahead, the youngster delivered an undisputed statement drive this time. Maintaining a massive gap before the late safety car deployments, Dörr flawlessly executed the late restarts to cross the line first and celebrate on the top step of the podium. Preining finished a vital second to stretch his points lead, while Engel’s recovery drive to fifth remained under a dark cloud of potential steward investigation.