Dramatic title race: Can Bortolotti hit back at the Sachsenring?

• Just seven points separate the Lamborghini driver and DTM leader Kelvin van der Linde
• Local favourite Paul looking forward to his home race: “The Sachsenring is a special circuit”
• New weekend format makes for even more action on the Saturday

Munich. From 6th to 8th September, the Sachsenring will host round six of the DTM title race. Will the drama continue at the top of the table? Kelvin van der Linde (Abt Sportsline) reclaimed the championship lead last time out, and is now back in the role of the hunted in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. However, the Audi driver from South Africa can see his closest rival Mirko Bortolotti (I) from Lamborghini team SSR Performance looming large in his rear-view mirror. The drivers chasing the leading pair could also provide some extra excitement, as they look to close in on the front-runners with top results this weekend. A new format awaits fans in Saxony: For the first time, the DTM stars will only take to the track for one free practice on Friday. The second practice session will take place before qualifying on Saturday morning. As such, spectators will be treated to even more action on one of the two main event days. ProSieben is showing the DTM races at the Sachsenring live on free-to-air German TV on both Saturday and Sunday, with coverage starting at 13:00. The races can also be watched live online at Joyn, ran.de and on the YouTube channel @DTM.

Key facts, Sachsenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, races 11 and 12 of 16

• Length: 3,645 metres
• Layout: 14 turns (four right, ten left), driven anti-clockwise
• 2023 winner, race 1: Luca Stolz (Mercedes-AMG Team HRT, Mercedes-AMG GT3)
• 2023 winner, race 2: Mirko Bortolotti (SSR Performance, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2)

All change at the top
Van der Linde, Bortolotti, then back to the racer from Johannesburg – last weekend, the lead at the top of the DTM table changed hands on several occasions. Van der Linde now travels to the Sachsenring with a slender seven-point lead. The 28-year-old can also take confidence from the fact that he has recovered well from a difficult start to the season, quickly finding his form and then scoring consistently. However, Bortolotti knows exactly what he has to do at the Sachsenring. Last year, the Italian took victory and moved to the top of the table there. “Last year went really well, but that does not automatically mean that I am going to win again. There are no guarantees in the DTM,” the 34-year-old stresses. “We are racing at a very high level as a team and are well prepared for the Sachsenring.”

Just five points behind second-placed Bortolotti is Maro Engel (Monaco), who has recently underlined his title ambitions with three podiums in a row and is a big fan of the Sachsenring. Now in his eighth season in the DTM, the experienced racer from Mercedes-AMG Team Winward is yet to record a victory this year, but has already finished in the top three on five occasions – more than any other driver. Sheldon van der Linde (ZA) from Schubert Motorsport also arrives at the Sachsenring with plenty of momentum. The 2022 champion claimed BMW’s 100th victory in the DTM at the Nürburgring and returned to the top step of the podium for the first time for roughly a year. Trailing his brother Kelvin by 40 points, he needs more top results to launch a real fightback at the business end of the season.

Home outing for Lamborghini driver Paul
The DTM will be making its fifth appearance at the winding circuit to the west of Chemnitz this weekend. The 3.645-kilometre Sachsenring features a total of 14 corners. A maximum gradient of 12.8 percent is the highest on this year’s DTM calendar. “We are looking forward to the home races,” says Maximilian Paul. He and his Lamborghini team Paul Motorsport come from nearby Dresden. “Blind passages and many fast corners make the Sachsenring a special and cool track. Finding the optimal balance for the car will be crucial.”

Prototypes, Porsche power and electric racers
Fans can look forward to an entertaining programme at the DTM weekend at the Sachsenring. While Le Mans prototypes line up in the Prototype Cup Germany, spectators will also be treated to fully-electric racing in the NXT Gen Cup. The Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland also promises high-paced entertainment, as it stages its sixth round of the season on the support programme for the DTM. There is also guaranteed to be a great atmosphere off the track: Immediately after the final race on Saturday evening, the Sunshine Live After Race Party will kick off in the DTM Fan Zone. Tickets for the DTM weekend at the Sachsenring start at € 39 and are available at dtm.com. Admission is free for under 16s when accompanied by an adult.