Disqualification and Appeal! Huge Stir about DTM Winner Bortolotti

– A rude awakening for the Grasser team almost three weeks after the great triumph: Lamborghini factory driver Mirko Bortolotti loses his victory in the Sunday race of the DTM in Oschersleben due to a technical violation!

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During the technical post-inspection, deviations from the DTM homologation were discovered in the wheel bearing. Therefore, the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 #63 was disqualified, causing Bortolotti to lose his first DTM win since the Red Bull Ring 2024 – even before his title win in the same year.

However, since the team has announced its intention to appeal (“intent of appeal”) and filing an appeal has a suspensive effect, Bortolotti remains the race winner for the time being – provided the team does not withdraw the appeal. The result remains provisional until the case is heard by the sports court of the German Motor Sport Federation (DMSB) in Frankfurt.

When this will happen is currently unclear. In the worst case, the 2026 DTM season would only be decided after the finale at the Hockenheimring on October 11.

Team principal Gottfried Grasser said in an initial statement to Motorsport-Total.com: “Article 5 of the DTM, which led to the disqualification, refers to the fact that parts may be compared with original parts from the manufacturer. This is the general parts formulation for technical inspection.”

“However, we believe that this does not apply to the wheel bearing. I refer to Article number 2. It states that the bulletins valid are those currently downloadable in the download center. There is Clarification 04, which explicitly states that the wheel bearing is free.”

“Since this clarification was never revoked or ever deleted from the download center, we believe that wheel bearings are free in the DTM. And for this reason, we have filed an appeal. The appeals court will have to decide what is correct.”

In the DTM, certain areas of the FIA homologation are clarified through an additional homologation. There are also sometimes deviations. The DTM homologation takes precedence over the FIA homologation.

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The Lamborghini Temerario GT3 received exceptions after a disappointing season start, which among other things concerned the attachment of the rear wing.

The case has immediate effects on the championship situation, which is now also provisional. If the disqualification stands, championship leader Maro Engel would receive five additional points, while his direct pursuers Nicki Thiim and Lucas Auer would each receive only one more. This would be a net gain of four points for Engel.

Thomas Preining, currently fourth in the overall standings, would gain four additional points. This would allow him to make up three points on Thiim and Auer but lose one more to Engel.

The reasoning of the Technical Commissioners in full

“The investigation revealed that the wheel bearing of vehicle No. 63 does not comply with the 2026 DTM homologation of the Lamborghini Temerario DTM GT3: Homologation – DTM-GT3-059 / 6.3 Wheel bearing – front. This constitutes a violation of Article 5.1 of the 2026 DTM sporting regulations.” ()

“The race commissioners heard the participant and the Technical Coordinator and examined the evidence presented. The participant stated that at previous and other events a modification of the wheel bearings was permitted and that they forgot to replace them for the relevant DTM event.”

“The participant further stated that a clarification of the 2024 DTM sporting regulations is still available for download in the download center under the folder ‘2024’ and that in their opinion it is still valid.”

“Nevertheless, the race commissioners decided that the modification is not permitted and therefore decided to sanction this violation with a disqualification for race 2 of the DTM event in Oschersleben.”

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