Marco Wittmann: “That was the most emotional victory of my career”

• BMW driver hits form ahead of home outing with victory in Zandvoort
• Wittmann describes his relationship with the Norisring, discusses the remarkable team composition with three champions, and explains his upturn in form

Munich. This event is one of the absolute highlights on the DTM calendar. From 5th to 7th July, the Norisring hosts round four of the season. The only street circuit in Germany has its own unique charm and guarantees a motorsport spectacle on the streets of Nuremberg. The focus there is on one man in particular: Marco Wittmann. The driver from Fürth has the shortest journey to the circuit and is already looking forward to his home event. “The anticipation ahead of the Norisring is huge. The many fans, family, friends and fan club at the track make the weekend a real highlight for me. There have also been a lot of spectacular races there in recent years,” says the two-time DTM champion. BMW works driver Wittmann arrives at the Norisring with plenty of confidence, having claimed his first win of the season last time out in Zandvoort in the Netherlands.

Few know the Norisring as well as Wittmann, who has contested ten race weekends there as a driver. Despite this, he still has a healthy respect for the unique characteristics of the circuit. “The challenge is a special one, because you drive extremely close to the barriers and there are no run-off zones, which means you cannot afford to make a single mistake,” Wittmann explains. His strategy: “You have to be extremely focussed and concentrate hard. The Norisring may only have four corners, but that is precisely what makes the circuit so difficult. This is because the lap times are very close. That makes the Norisring so special, as well as the unique flair and the atmosphere.”

Wittmann made a change ahead of his twelfth DTM season. After a poor DTM in 2023, the 34-year-old switched to Schubert Motorsport. A change that has paid dividends. Only a lack of fuel pressure shortly before the finish prevented a dream start at the season-opener in Oschersleben. Since then, Wittmann has landed the “Green Machine, in the colours of his partner Schaeffler, in the points in all five races. His first DTM win since the final round of the 2022 season came in Zandvoort. “When you change team, you must first get to know your engineers and mechanics, and see which direction you need to move in with regard to the set-up. We have improved all the time, and that really bore fruit for the first time in Zandvoort,” says Wittmann, describing the development.

The victory in Zandvoort, Wittmann’s 19th in the DTM, is the highlight of his season so far. He believes more are to come. “The atmosphere in the team is really good. I am obviously hoping that this momentum will continue and that I can back up my form,” says Wittmann. The composition of the team at Schubert Motorsport has potential to cause friction. Wittmann is joined by a further two champions in René Rast and Sheldon van der Linde. Together, the trio has amassed a total of six DTM titles. The competition within a team is always fierce, but Wittmann still has a positive view of the situation: “It is a healthy and respectful competition between us. I think all three of us know what is at stake. Ultimate, it can only be good for the team.”

The goal for his home outing at the Norisring is a clear one: to confirm the upward trend in his BMW M4 GT3 and challenge at the front of the field. Wittmann knows exactly how it feels to win in his DTM living room: “My success at the Norisring in 2018 was by far the most emotional victory I have ever experienced in my career. Celebrating with the fans in the grandstands and my family was something very special. It would obviously be a dream to do that again this year, or at least to make it onto the podium.”

Tickets for the DTM race weekend at the Norisring start at € 74 and are available online at dtm.com. Admission is free for under 16s when accompanied by an adult. All tickets include free travel on public transport in the Nuremberg area, as well as free access to the paddock for all series.