The Grasser Racing Team had the luck of the industrious on their side during the fourth season round of the DTM from July 5 to 7. The Norisring, a historic racetrack in Nuremberg, is known for its unique challenges. The track is 2.3 kilometers long and is characterized by its short straights and tight corners. DTM GT3 cars can reach speeds of up to 280 km/h on the straights and then must quickly brake down to 50 km/h for the first corner. The DTM weekend at the Norisring attracted 110,000 visitors.
In the Saturday race, a rain shower led to a tire gamble. The GRT drivers seized the opportunity thanks to their crew's correct strategy. On slicks, they mastered the slippery conditions in their Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2. The risk was rewarded with second and third places. At the halfway point of the season, GRT is in fifth place in the team standings. The next championship round for the Lamborghini Squadra Corse-supported team from Austria is from August 16 to 18 at the Nürburgring.
Qualifying at the Norisring was held in two segments. For Luca Engstler, it did not go as planned, resulting in 15th place on the grid.
In the race, the situation turned for the Lamborghini Young Driver from the Lamborghini Team LIQUI MOLY by GRT. During the first stint, he maintained his position in the points. As the pit stop window closed, the sky over the Norisring opened up. Almost all the 20 DTM professionals headed to the pits for rain tires, but the GRT strategists decided differently. Both Engstler and his teammate stayed out on slicks. After an initial loss of time, the decision proved to be the right one. The shower passed, and the dry tire was again the better choice in the last ten minutes. Engstler gained three positions in one lap and secured the final podium spot in the #19 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 in the MOUNTAIN WOLF colors. For Grasser Racing, the success marked the tenth podium in 40 DTM starts.
On Sunday, the legendary street circuit in the streets of Nuremberg showed its challenging side. Luca Engstler had to retire his car to the pits five laps before the finish due to a defect.
Luca Engstler (GER)
#19 Lamborghini Team Liqui Moly by GRT
Qualifying 1: P15 - Race 1: P3
Qualifying 2: P16 - Race 2: DNF
Luca Engstler: "Finishing on the podium on Saturday was amazing. Nobody expected that. It was an incredible day, and I want to thank the entire team. Without mutual trust, this result wouldn't have been possible. We were in the right position to gamble and decided to stay out. It was very risky, but it paid off. Unfortunately, Sunday was disappointing. We lacked pace, and in the end, I had a gearbox problem. The DTM remains a rollercoaster where everything can change from one day to the next. But securing a podium on such a weekend means a lot. I'll take that with me and try to build on it in the second half of the season.“
Gottfried Grasser, Team Principal of GRT: "All in all, it was a very successful weekend for us. The double podium on Saturday was another milestone for us in the DTM. We made all the right decisions at the crucial moment and were rewarded for it. We presented Franck and Luca with a challenging task with our strategy, and they rose to the occasion. I am incredibly proud of the performance of our drivers and the entire team. On the other hand, we made the wrong decisions on Sunday. We didn't execute well in qualifying and gambled too much on rain. We carried more fuel to run the session through, which resulted in not qualifying where we wanted to be. In the DTM, especially at the Norisring, the field is so close together that such a tactical error is immediately punished. The race was quite arduous given this starting position, but at least we still scored some points. Ultimately, we take the positives with us and can't wait to attack again at the Nürburgring. We have a strong team in the DTM this year and look forward to the second half of the season."
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