Wittmann holds off Gounon to win DTM Race 1 at Sachsenring and revive title bid

News Summary

• Marco Wittmann won Saturday’s opening DTM race at Sachsenring from pole, finishing just 0.450s ahead of Jules Gounon.
• Gounon briefly emerged ahead through the mandatory pit-stop sequence, but Wittmann reclaimed the lead and resisted the Mercedes driver to the finish.
• Thomas Preining took third and extended his championship lead over Maro Engel to 6 points, while Wittmann moved up to third, 14 points off the top.

Marco Wittmann continued his late-season surge by winning the opening DTM race at Sachsenring on Saturday, converting pole position into a second consecutive victory and moving firmly back into championship contention.

The Schubert Motorsport driver had won the previous race at the Nürburgring and carried that momentum into the penultimate round of the 2026 season. After securing his first pole of the year with a 1:17.627 in qualifying, Wittmann controlled the crucial phases of the 41-lap race in his BMW M4 GT3 Evo.

It was far from straightforward.

Wittmann retained the lead at the start, but Thomas Preining lost second place as both Jules Gounon and Kelvin van der Linde moved ahead of the Manthey Porsche. Gounon therefore settled into second behind the BMW, with van der Linde third and Preining fourth.

The opening lap was also marked by trouble further down the order. Bastian Buus ended up in the gravel after a multi-car incident that also involved Marco Mapelli, Luca Engstler and Timo Glock, prompting the deployment of the safety car. Engstler and Mapelli were ultimately forced to retire.

Once racing resumed, Wittmann and Gounon began to pull clear. Van der Linde struggled to match their pace in third and created a gap of more than 5s between the leading pair and the chasing group before the mandatory pit-stop window opened.

The decisive moment came during the stops.

Wittmann pitted on lap 16 for fresh Pirelli slicks, while Gounon stayed out for another lap. The Winward Mercedes emerged ahead after making his stop, temporarily swinging the race in his favour.

Wittmann, however, had already brought his tyres up to temperature. When Gounon made a small mistake and locked up at Turn 1, the BMW driver attacked and reclaimed the position. From there, the pair remained locked together until the chequered flag.

Wittmann acknowledged that outright pace alone had not delivered the victory. He said Sachsenring’s limited overtaking opportunities made strategy, pit-stop execution and avoiding mistakes particularly important.

“I think we did not have the fastest race car today, but because of the track characteristics we were able to stay in front,” Wittmann said.

Gounon continued applying pressure in the closing stages but could not find a way past. Wittmann crossed the line only 0.450s ahead, securing his 21st DTM victory, his first at Sachsenring and the first DTM win for BMW at the circuit.

The result also gave Wittmann consecutive victories after his Nürburgring success in August.

Gounon’s runner-up finish represented his first podium of the 2026 season, while Preining recovered from his difficult opening lap to finish third.

A quick pit stop helped the Manthey driver leapfrog van der Linde during the mandatory stop sequence. Preining then closed on the leading pair, but was unable to join the battle for victory closely enough to challenge in the final laps.

Van der Linde eventually finished fourth, ahead of Maro Engel.

Engel’s fifth place was an important damage-limitation result after starting eighth. Matteo Cairoli followed in sixth with the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, while Mirko Bortolotti took seventh in the Lamborghini Temerario GT3.

Nicki Thiim finished eighth after an eventful race. The Aston Martin driver made contact with Tom Kalender and pushed the Mercedes off the circuit during their midfield battle. Race control ordered Thiim to hand the position back and also issued him with his first warning of the season.

Thierry Vermeulen brought the second Emil Frey Ferrari home ninth, with Ben Dörr completing the top 10 for McLaren.

Lucas Auer faced an altogether different challenge after his heavy qualifying crash. The Mercedes driver started from the pit lane but recovered to 11th, although the result leaves him 36 points behind the championship leader.

Simon Connor Primm, meanwhile, finished 15th on his DTM debut in the Seyffarth Motorsport Audi. Maximilian Paul failed to reach the finish on his return to competition following his serious Norisring accident.

Preining had taken the points lead from Engel by finishing second in qualifying. His fifth consecutive podium then increased the advantage to 6 points after Race 1. Wittmann’s victory lifted the two-time champion to third, only 14 points behind Preining, while Thiim is 30 points adrift in fourth and Auer sits 36 points behind in fifth.

That makes Sunday’s second Sachsenring race another crucial chapter in the championship before the season finale at Hockenheim.

2026 DTM — Sachsenring — Race 1 results

FAQ

Who won DTM Race 1 at Sachsenring in 2026?

Marco Wittmann won Saturday’s race for Schubert Motorsport. The BMW driver started from pole and defeated Jules Gounon by only 0.450s, with Thomas Preining completing the podium.

What are the DTM standings after Sachsenring Race 1?

Thomas Preining leads the championship by 6 points over Maro Engel. Marco Wittmann has moved into third and is only 14 points behind Preining after winning his second consecutive race. Nicki Thiim is 30 points behind the leader.

When is DTM Race 2 at Sachsenring?

Race 2 takes place on Sunday, September 13, following the second qualifying session. It is the 14th of 16 races in the 2026 DTM season, with only the Hockenheim finale remaining afterwards.