Marco Wittmann (GER) ended his winless streak in the DTM with a thrilling victory in Sunday’s race at Zandvoort, driving his BMW M4 GT3 from 14th on the grid to a triumphant finish. This marked Wittmann’s first win since the 2022 season finale at Hockenheim (GER), as well as the first victory of the season for Schubert Motorsport.
The race weekend was particularly eventful for the BMW M Motorsport DTM drivers, who had just returned from testing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). Wittmann’s victory on Sunday was a crowning achievement, following teammate René Rast’s (GER) second-place finish in Saturday’s race, which was the team’s first podium of the year.
Starting from 14th, Wittmann showcased the BMW M4 GT3’s strong performance, steadily moving up the field. After a crucial pit stop, he took the lead and fiercely defended it against Mirko Bortolotti (ITA, Lamborghini), despite sustaining damage to his car’s left rear tire. Wittmann’s defensive driving and strategic prowess secured his 19th career DTM win.
“I am, of course, overjoyed. What a race! This morning we were still at Le Mans, and now we have won here at Zandvoort from 14th place. What a story!” Wittmann exclaimed. “It was also a great duel with Mirko with several touches. My car was already very damaged. Due to the strong smoke development, I personally didn’t think we could finish the race.”
Rast also delivered a commendable performance, fighting from seventh to second place on Saturday and finishing seventh from the last starting position on Sunday. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) added to the team’s success with finishes of sixth and eighth, making up nine places in Sunday’s race.
In the ADAC GT Masters, the FK Performance Motorsport duo of Maxime Oosten (NED) and Leon Köhler (GER) clinched their second victory of the season in the #54 BMW M4 GT3. Starting from fifth on Sunday, they powered to the front, significantly narrowing their deficit in the overall standings. On Saturday, they impressively moved from the last starting position to fifth place.
Reflecting on the weekend, Björn Lellmann, Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport, praised the team’s efforts. “What an incredible weekend here at Zandvoort! Congratulations to Marco Wittmann and Schubert Motorsport on the long-awaited first season victory in the DTM. The BMW M4 GT3 was very strong here, which certainly helped with the spectacular comebacks in both races.”
Torsten Schubert, Team Principal of Schubert Motorsport, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the team’s strategic excellence. “To drive from 14th to the front is unique, to pull out the victory in the process. It was a great team performance, the tactic to drive long with the new tyres and then to make the overcut on Mirko Bortolotti worked very well.”
With their sights now set on the next challenge, Wittmann, Rast, and van der Linde are eager to build on their successes as they head to Le Mans. The entire BMW M Motorsport team remains focused and optimistic, aiming to continue their winning momentum in the upcoming races.
