Ben Dörr on his breakthrough and tips from bodybuilding legend Markus Rühl

• McLaren youngster reveals what is behind his impressive development
• Anticipation ahead of the Norisring: "You have to drive extremely precisely"

Munich. Now in his third year in the DTM, Ben Dörr (Butzbach) is enjoying by far his best season. The racer currently fifth in the table already has more points to his name than he amassed in 2024 and 2025 together. Dörr claimed his maiden win at the Dekra Lausitzring, presenting McLaren with its first DTM victory at the same time. Ahead of this weekend's (3rd to 5th July) event at the Norisring in Nuremberg, the 21-year-old from Dörr Motorsport discusses his development in the DTM, the relationship with team-mate Timo Glock, and what makes the Norisring so special.

Ben, how great is the anticipation ahead of the Norisring?
Huge! The Norisring is very special, with its concrete walls and barriers. You have to drive extremely precisely, which is what makes it so special. The track does not necessarily suit our McLaren. Despite that, we will try everything to do well again this weekend. The circuit is just cool, and it is fun to come here every year.

Now that a few days have passed, how do you reflect on your first DTM win?
We are naturally all super happy with our first victory in the DTM. The team, in particularly, was absolutely thrilled. Starting tenth on the grid, we were not in the best position. I am just overjoyed to have finally got that first win under my belt. The trophy is in my living room, right next to the one for second place in Zandvoort. Hopefully, I can add a few more over the course of the season.

What is behind your fine form?
I am doing far more racing than in previous years, when I started exclusively in the DTM. For example, this season I am also taking part in the GT World Challenge and a few NLS races, which is giving me much more practice behind the wheel of the McLaren. That is very helpful. Furthermore, I have obviously learned a lot and gained a lot of experience in the DTM. That has allowed me to improve from race to race, and I now find myself at a pretty good level.

You are in your third year in the DTM: In which area have you developed most?
Consistency is very important in the DTM. Speed alone is not enough. It is in this aspect that I have made the most progress, and I hardly make any mistakes anymore. We are also improving all the time at getting everything spot on in qualifying. Plus, I understand the McLaren much better than I did at first, so I am able to assess any possible issues more accurately.

What advice would you give a DTM debutant - what is most important?
Practice is everything. The standard in the DTM is extremely high. The only thing that really helps is to get a lot of time behind the wheel, otherwise you will not improve and cannot keep pace with the others. It is also important to sit down in the evening with the engineers and consider what could be better. However, you also need patience and must always stick with it, then the good results will come in good time.

Bodybuilding legend Markus Rühl is a big fan of Dörr Motorsport: What fitness tips does he give you?
Markus is super close to the team, and the perfect fit for us. He always has little tips for me every weekend: how to prepare best for a race, and to work on one's fitness. Particularly in the hot weather conditions at the Lausitzring, he gave me some super advice on when and what to drink as an athlete. That was a great help, given the temperatures in the car.

What role is Timo Glock playing in your development?
Timo has helped me hugely from the word go. Much about the DTM was new to me at first, while Timo has a wealth of experience. That really paid dividends and helped the whole team. I am now at a very good level, and we work really well together as team-mates. We chat regularly, with each sharing their own experiences, which is working very well.