Nicki Thiim dominates at the Norisring. Aston Martin claims its first DTM victory
In front of a capacity crowd, with the Norisring sold out and temperatures never becoming excessive, the fourth round of the DTM season had one undisputed protagonist: Nicki Thiim. The Dane delivered Aston Martin its first victory in the championship, winning Race 1 and repeating the feat in Race 2, while also securing both pole positions. This fourfold success moved him to the top of the Drivers’ Championship, ahead of Maro Engel.
The weekend’s races
At the wheel of the Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Thiim set the benchmark in both races of the Nuremberg event.
Starting from pole position in Saturday afternoon’s race, he led all 63 laps and crossed the finish line just 0.587 seconds ahead of Engel in the Mercedes-AMG. Arjun Maini finished third, securing Ford’s first podium of the season. The race was suspended for around an hour on lap 34 following an accident at the first corner involving Kelvin van der Linde and Maximilian Paul, which made repairs to the barriers necessary.
Race 2, held on Sunday afternoon, began behind the safety car and was suspended within the opening minutes following an accident that forced Matteo Cairoli’s Ferrari to retire. During the stoppage, the cars switched to Cinturato wet tyres after a rain shower had begun to dampen the track in the opening laps. However, when the sun returned, the circuit dried rapidly, forcing the drivers to switch back to slick tyres as early as lap 22. Thiim also managed the decisive phase of the race to perfection, claiming his second victory of the weekend and completing a flawless weekend for himself and a historic one for Aston Martin. Behind Thiim, Finn Wiebelhaus finished 0.887 seconds adrift in the Ford, while Lucas Auer took third place in the Mercedes-AMG.
Matteo Braga, Pirelli Circuit Activity Manager:
“The Norisring races once again proved to be demanding and spectacular, delivering surprises this year as well. As expected, the high-speed braking zones, uneven road surface and restarts placed our P Zero tyres under considerable stress, but they proved reliable throughout the weekend. In the end, victory went to the driver who was able to find the correct operating window immediately and maintain stability and traction throughout the race, as Thiim had done since free practice.”
Pirelli tyres for the DTM
The Norisring was the fourth round of the season for the new P Zero tyres developed specifically for the DTM, with characteristics designed to guarantee performance, reliability and adaptability across the different circuits and the series’ race format.
The dedicated range, also recognisable by its specific graphics and design, is produced at the Pirelli Technology Hub in Breuberg, using processes and materials optimised to ensure consistent performance and support the Balance of Performance system. The tyres are also equipped with RFID technology, allowing the tracking required under the 2026 DTM regulations and contributing to sporting and technical management at the circuit.