The first race of the 2025 DTM weekend at the Sachsenring delivered everything the series is known for: relentless battles, dramatic penalties, and a stunning last-lap twist, all thanks to a race that started in rain and ended in sunshine. After a tense fight at the front, Ayhancan Güven seized victory for Manthey EMA when leaders Thomas Preining and Jordan Pepper clashed in the closing metres. The result not only handed Güven his third win of the season, but also tightened the DTM championship fight as Jack Aitken and Pepper are now tied on points, with Lucas Auer just behind.

Engel’s Rough Start

Maro Engel in the #24 Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD entry saw his race collapse early. After receiving a three-place grid penalty for blocking in qualifying, he was handed another penalty during the opening phase due to a false start.

Midfield Fights and Early Overtakes

The opening laps brought fierce battles across the top 10 as drivers sought grip on the wet but slowly drying track. Ben Green, driving the #10 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3, initially passed Jules Gounon in the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER Mercedes-AMG GT3 for second, but Gounon fought back and defended his position.

Further down the order, Thomas Preining in the #91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R showed strong pace, climbing past Thierry Vermeulen in the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 and Lucas Auer in the #22 Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3 to move into fifth, while Vermeulen capitalised on the scrap to demote Auer further.

Ben Green continued to feature prominently, becoming embroiled in a thrilling duel with Luca Engstler in the #19 TGI Team Lamborghini by GRT Huracán GT3 for third, holding his ground despite relentless pressure. Jack Aitken aboard the #14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 used the opportunity to climb to fourth place before later coming under attack from Preining.

Preining eventually passed Aitken after a wheel-to-wheel fight, while his Manthey EMA team-mate Ayhancan Güven also joined the mix. Meanwhile, contact between Engel and Vermeulen ended the Dutchman’s race in a spin, forcing a retirement.

Pit Stop Phase and Safety Car Drama

The pit stop cycle reshuffled the order, with Green dropping back to tenth position while Preining surged into podium contention. The Austrian overtook Gounon for second and began pressuring race leader Jordan Pepper in the #7 TGI Team Lamborghini by GRT Huracán GT3, who was struggling with pace.

A late safety car was deployed after Nicolas Baert in the #8 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 was stranded in the gravel, extending the race by three laps and setting up a dramatic finale.

Final Lap Twist

On the restart, Gounon dropped to fifth while Preining seized the lead, with Pepper and Güven close behind. The final lap produced a sensational twist: Preining and Pepper collided in their fight for victory, allowing Güven to snatch the lead and take an unlikely win.

Aitken also slipped through the chaos, relegating Preining to fourth at the flag.

DTM Sachsenring – Race 1 Top 10

  1. Ayhancan Güven (#90 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R) – 38 laps – 25 pts
  2. Jordan Pepper (#7 TGI Team Lamborghini by GRT Lamborghini Huracán GT3) – +2.574 – 20 pts
  3. Jack Aitken (#14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3) – +2.986 – 16 pts
  4. Thomas Preining (#91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R) – +3.428 – 13 pts
  5. Jules Gounon (#48 Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3) – +5.257 – 11 pts
  6. Ricardo Feller (#3 Land-Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT3) – +6.234 – 10 pts
  7. Marco Wittmann (#11 Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3) – +6.889 – 9 pts
  8. Fabio Scherer (#8 HRT Ford Performance Ford Mustang GT3) – +8.302 – 8 pts
  9. Maro Engel (#24 Mercedes-AMG Team Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3) – +8.819 – 7 pts
  10. Lucas Auer (#22 Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3) – +9.336 – 6 pts

The full race results can be found HERE.

Championship Standings

The result of the first race has blown the championship wide open. Jack Aitken now shares the lead on 145 points, level with Jordan Pepper after his consistent run of podium finishes. Just two points behind them sits Lucas Auer on 143 points, keeping the title battle incredibly tight. With only a handful of races left, the fight for the DTM crown is shaping up to be one of the closest in recent years.

Race 2 will take place on Sunday afternoon starting at 12:30 local time with qualifying starting at 08:20.

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