Klaus Weber · DTM-Korrespondent
In the double-header on the Grand Prix circuit, Maro Engel defends a 21-point lead over Nicki Thiim, while four drivers behind him are separated by just 30 points for positions two through five.
From August 14-16, 2026, rounds 11 and 12 of the DTM season take place at the Nürburgring, contested on the Grand Prix course. Two races in one weekend mean two opportunities to gain or lose points, and given the tight field strength in the current standings, this weekend could set the tone for the remaining season rounds.
A Tight Field Behind the Championship Leader
Maro Engel (Winward Racing, Mercedes-AMG) leads the championship with 145 points. Nicki Thiim (Comtoyou Racing, Aston Martin) sits second, 21 points behind at 124 to 145. Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) follows with 123 points, just one behind Thiim. This constellation shows how tight the actual situation really is: a single race result can reverse the order in positions two and three.
Thomas Preining (Manthey EMA, Porsche) holds fourth with 117 points, six behind Auer. The gap to the next group is considerably larger: Matteo Cairoli (Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari) and Arjun Maini (HRT Ford Performance, Ford) share fifth and sixth place with 94 points each, 23 points behind Preining. Marco Wittmann (Schubert Motorsport, BMW) rounds out the top seven with 91 points, just three ahead of Cairoli and Maini.
Two Races, Double the Risk
The Nürburgring program features two practice sessions and two races, spread across the weekend. For drivers in the tight midfield of the table, this means: a weak Saturday can potentially be made up on Sunday, but a mistake in both races cannot. How many points ultimately separate the positions also depends on how teams adjust their race setups over the weekend, as varying tire wear depending on race length and track temperature typically leads to different strategies between race one and race two.
For Engel at the top, one thing matters above all: damage control. A 21-point advantage over Thiim is comfortable but not insurmountable, particularly with several more race weekends featuring double-header formats still to come in the season. Each individual race at the Nürburgring thus contributes to the final tally.
Fresh Faces in the Top Group
Striking about the current table is the presence of Nicki Thiim and Comtoyou Racing on Aston Martin, who have firmly established themselves in second place, traditionally a domain of German manufacturers. Arjun Maini and HRT Ford Performance with the Ford Mustang GT3 Evo have also become teams fighting for points in the upper midfield, tied with Cairoli on Ferrari at 94 points.
For the Nürburgring weekend, this means a field strength that no longer concentrates solely on Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and BMW. How this shift manifests on track will become clear in the two race setup sessions and the two races themselves, whose outcomes could reorder the table before the following season rounds.
