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Second DTM pole for Matteo Cairoli: The Emil-Frey-Ferrari driver secured the best grid slot with a fastest time of 1:25.345 in Saturday qualifying at the Nurburgring - and may thereby be starting his fightback in the title battle. The Italian is the first pursuer of the leading quartet, 52 points adrift - and has made up three points in the championship.

His time in temperatures of just under 30 degrees was not enough to break Mirko Bortolotti's qualifying record (125.118) from 2023. "I'm happy, especially because we've had two very difficult weekends behind us - so it's nice to be back at the top," Cairoli, who had even led the championship after the Lausitzring, told ran.de.

How much did he suffer from the weakness at the Norisring and in Oschersleben? "Quite a lot, especially because I always felt I had put my heart and soul into it, but it wasn't enough," he replies. "I don't know, something probably wasn't quite right with the car, with the set-up, so it took a bit longer than expected."

Preining after P2: "The track was very strange yesterday"

Second was Manthey Porsche driver Thomas Preining, who fell 0.036 seconds short of pole. The Austrian, who is fourth in the championship, is continuing his strong run after Oschersleben. "Super qualifying," Preining said, satisfied, to ran.de.

He said he had "not an easy weekend, because the track was very strange yesterday" and he had had "major balance problems". But Manthey found a solution "relatively quickly" between the two free practice sessions.

Manthey wants finally to celebrate its first DTM victory at its home round at the Nurburgring - because the top Porsche team has already won at all other DTM tracks. Nevertheless, Preining, who has reduced his deficit in the championship to 27 points, is also looking behind him.

"First we have to make sure we stay second at the start, or at least stay somewhere near the front. It's a very long way to the first corner, that will be a challenge in itself." After that, tyre management will decide it: "Degradation will be very high - and we have to be careful with that."

Auer second, DTM leader Engel and Bortolotti with 20 kilograms

Landgraf-Mercedes driver Lucas Auer (+0.078) finished third, thereby taking a point and drawing level in the championship with second-placed Nicki Thiim. However, the Austrian remains third because of the Aston Martin driver's two victories.

Fourth was Marco Wittmann (+0.105), who was the best BMW driver and keeps his chances in the title battle alive. McLaren driver Ben Dörr (+0.179) is fifth, followed in sixth by DTM leader Maro Engel (+0.205) in the Winward Mercedes.

Engel, who was awarded victory in Oschersleben because of Mirko Bortolotti's disqualification, continues to lead the championship by 25 points over Thiim and Auer. Although the Grasser team has announced an appeal, in Saturday's race at the Nürburgring both Engel and Bortolotti must start with the 20 kilograms of success ballast.

Thiim only 11th: "It went as expected"

That decision was made so that the Grasser team would not benefit from announcing the appeal, which it could theoretically withdraw after the race. "Of course, now I'm driving the race with the 20 kilos," Engel, who has a bit of a cold, told ran.de. "From my point of view, I would of course then also like the points for it."

There was a disappointment for Comtoyou Aston Martin driver Thiim. The Dane, who lies second in the championship, was 11th, 0.318 seconds back, and will have to make up ground in the race.

"Qualifying went as expected," Thiim, who after dominating at the Norisring had already had to endure a disappointing weekend at Oschersleben, shrugged to ran.de. "You can already see where things are headed." He is "getting the maximum out, like everyone else, but somehow you don't get to the goal". But there is still a "long way" to go, and he continues to believe in his chance. "Yes, we'll keep dreaming."

Strong performance from Paul stand-in Engelhart

The Lamborghini drivers did not end up at the front: Abt driver Luca Engstler was the best driver from his marque in 12th, 0.442 seconds back - 0.010 seconds ahead of Grasser Lamborghini driver Bortolotti in 13th.

Engelhart war beim Comeback fast auf dem Niveau der Lamborghini-Spitze

Engelhart war beim Comeback fast auf dem Niveau der Lamborghini-Spitze

Maximilian Paul's replacement Christian Engelhart, who has not yet contested a race with the Temerario GT3, delivered a strong performance in the second Grasser Lamborghini and was 15th, 0.513 seconds back.

Ford drivers forego quick times

The two HRT Ford drivers Finn Wiebelhaus and Arjun Maini ended up on the last row of the grid, 12.120 and 42.652 seconds back respectively. Both drivers must serve a drive-through penalty in the race because of an infringement by the HRT team of the testing regulations, leaving them with virtually no chance.

The fact that they completed three laps at slow speed is likely due to Article 33.7 of the DTM regulations. It states that drivers who do not set a timed lap in qualifying may participate in the race "only on the basis of special permission from the race director".

But in this way both drivers have at least completed a lap - and the team saves itself the application. At the same time, the team put as little stress on the tyres as possible. That makes sense, because at the Nürburgring each driver has only three sets of tyres available for both race days.

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