Klaus Weber · DTM-Korrespondent
Manthey EMA proved the class of the field in first practice on Friday, though the grid behind them was tighter than usual.
Thomas Preining posted the day's quickest lap in opening practice, clocking 1:18.148 minutes and finishing 0.087 seconds clear of Kelvin van der Linde in the Schubert Motorsport car, with Manthey stablemate Ricardo Feller rounding out the top three. For the Meuspath team, the session marked a solid start to a weekend at a circuit that demands meticulous setup work, given its short straights and abundance of slow-speed corners that put mechanical grip at a premium.
Manthey EMA Up Front, but van der Linde Strikes Back
Preining and Feller occupied first and third, a result that figures to be relevant in Saturday's qualifying Balance of Performance discussions. Van der Linde slotted between them, finishing 0.126 seconds ahead of Feller. The Schubert driver underscored the form he has displayed in recent weekends, though a single Friday-morning practice session in race trim naturally tells little about the real pace come Sunday.
Schubert's second car, driven by Marco Wittmann, could manage no better than 12th place, 0.923 seconds adrift of Preining. That gap of nearly a second between the two Schubert entries is hardly unusual on a Friday morning, as teams typically run various setup configurations and tire compounds before committing to a qualifying direction.
Winward Racing and GRT Grasser in a Tightly Bunched Chase Pack
Jules Gounon and Maro Engel brought both Winward cars home in fourth and fifth, trailing Preining by 0.380 and 0.416 seconds respectively. Mirko Bortolotti rounded out the top six in the GRT Grasser machine, 0.480 seconds down. That meant the leading six drivers sat within half a second, an indicator of the strength of the DTM field under this season's regulations.
Also telling was the spread within the top ten: Nicki Thiim on tenth was 0.804 seconds off the best time, yet the gap between seventh place (Ben Dörr) and tenth was a mere 0.201 seconds. For qualifying, that suggests even small mistakes or a poorly judged tire choice could cost several grid spots.
Abt Sportsline Playing Catch-Up in the Midfield
While Manthey, Schubert, and Winward monopolized the sharp end, Abt Sportsline finished well off the pace in first practice. Luca Engstler came in 13th, 0.976 seconds back, while Marco Mapelli dropped to 17th a further 0.180 seconds adrift. Whether that reflects a deliberate focus on race trim or genuine pace concerns cannot be determined from a single session.
Nicolas Baert and Finn Wiebelhaus rounded out the order, both losing more than 1.5 seconds to the best time. The coming sessions, particularly qualifying when pit stop strategy enters the equation for the weekend's two races, will clarify whether Abt can claw back into contention.
