DTM NORISRING: RENÉ RAST SHINES WITH VICTORY ON SATURDAY AND SENSATIONAL COMEBACK ON SUNDAY.
Norisring. The fourth DTM race event of the season at the Norisring (GER) was German René Rast’s weekend. In the Saturday race, he used his full experience in the rain gamble of Nürnberg (GER), made the right tyre choice, and celebrated his first season victory in the Schubert Motorsport #33 BMW M4 GT3. His performance on Sunday was equally strong. Starting from 19th place and with 20 kilograms of success ballast, he stormed up to fifth position and collected valuable points in the DTM title race. At the halfway point of the season, Rast is third in the drivers’ standings with 93 points, while Schubert Motorsport leads the team standings with 186 points. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) also scored points.
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Before full stands on the city circuit at the Dutzendteich, Rast drove from seventh on the grid to victory in the first race, because when the rain began, unlike nearly all the other drivers, he did not come in for a tyre change but instead weathered the brief shower on slicks. Thanks to the saved pit stop, he was unstoppable on his way to his 27th DTM win. After two third-places in 2022 and two second-places in 2023, it was the fifth consecutive podium for Rast at the Norisring. Although the series ended with a fifth place on Sunday, his comeback over 14 positions was such strong damage limitation that it felt like another podium. After eight of 16 season races, Rast is just eleven points behind the leader in the overall standings with his 93 points. Schubert Motorsport has a 16-point advantage over second place in the team standings.
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For Rast’s teammates Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER), the weekend did not go optimally. Van der Linde had strong pace in the #31 BMW M4 GT3 and started the Saturday race from the front row. However, he fell back to seventh place in the rain gamble with victory in sight. On Sunday,
the 2022 DTM champion was classified in 14th place after a penalty. Wittmann, celebrated by fans at his home game in Nürnberg, could not match his great victory at Zandvoort (NED) a few weeks ago. He finished in twelfth and eleventh places in the #11 BMW M4 GT3.