It was a disjointed Friday for the DTM field at the Zandvoort circuit, dominated by Ferrari power. The quick rookie Matteo Cairoli, who succeeds Jack Aitken at Emil Frey this year, clocked the fastest time of the day with a 1:33.803. Conditions remained dry with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius (68°F).
Dörr McLaren’s Ben Dörr (+0.357) and Manthey Porsche driver Thomas Preining (+0.456) finished second and third, though both were already facing a significant gap to the front. For Lamborghini, there was a small glimmer of hope following a bitter season opener with the new Temerario GT3. After a controversial rear wing adjustment – implemented against the wishes of rival manufacturers – Grasser driver Mirko Bortolotti managed fourth place, 0.560 seconds off the lead.
The teams’ programs were disrupted in the second session by two red flags. With around 25 minutes remaining, Maximilian Paul’s Grasser Lamborghini began leaking fluid from the front of his Temerario GT3. This triggered the first stoppage to allow the track cleaning crew to intervene.
Water on the track triggers two red flags
“The radiator was leaking,” explained team principal Gottfried Grasser. The fluid, which had spilled primarily in the final corner, was water rather than oil. Consequently, the cleaning process was brief, and the track was reopened after seven minutes.
Race control intended to add the lost time back to the clock, but a technical glitch caused the countdown to display incorrectly. Correcting this within the timing system required the session to be “red-flagged” again internally. While teams were briefed that this wasn’t a “real” stoppage, it led to massive confusion on track.
Some teams informed their drivers the session had been halted, leading to dangerous speed differentials between cars at full tilt and those slowing down. Race Director Sven Stoppe eventually had no choice but to call an actual red flag for safety reasons for eight minutes, before the final 13-minute sprint resumed.
Fastest lap over two seconds slower than record
Interestingly, Cairoli’s benchmark was more than two seconds slower than Jack Aitken’s 1:31.762 qualifying record from 2024, also set in an Emil Frey Ferrari. This suggests that teams are likely sandbagging and keeping their cards close to their chests, despite drivers using additional new tires from previous tests or the season opener next to their fresh “Friday set” of tires.
Track conditions were also sub-optimal, and for once, it wasn’t just the typical Zandvoort dune sand. Intense testing earlier in the week reportedly left the surface “greasy,” and the warm temperatures took a toll on engine performance.
So, how much weight does Cairoli’s lead carry? “This is truly a track that should suit our car,” said Emil Frey Technical Director Jürg Flach after a disappointing season opener at Spielberg. “We should be competitive here. Something would have to be very wrong if we weren’t strong at this circuit.”
Is Bortolotti’s P4 in the Temerario the real deal?
While the top Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by championship leader Maro Engel (+0.609), sat in sixth and BMW struggled – with Kelvin van der Linde (+0.907) down in twelfth – Bortolotti’s fourth place in the challenging new Lamborghini was the talking point of the paddock.
Does this signal a breakthrough for the Temerario? “The result definitely looks better than it actually is,” cautioned team boss Grasser. “Mirko nailed a very good lap, and we are getting a better handle on the car. It looks better than at the Red Bull Ring, but I don’t think a top-five result tomorrow is realistic yet.”
Nevertheless, Grasser remains positive: “I’m happy with how everyone – teams and manufacturer – is working together. I’m seeing good steps forward.”
Bortolotti did have a heart-stopping moment after the first red flag when a marshal was standing in the middle of the track with his back to the Lamborghini. The Italian, who wasn’t at full speed at the time, managed to avoid a dangerous situation.
Flames on Maini’s Ford Mustang
Abt’s Marco Mapelli, the second-fastest Lamborghini driver (0.389s behind his countryman Bortolotti), lost the rear in the first session and spun. Fortunately, he avoided the barriers, leaving the car undamaged.
Flames shoot out from the rim of Arjun Maini’s Ford Mustang during the first practice session
Photo: ADAC Motorsport
There was also a scare for Arjun Maini as flames licked from the front right wheel of his Ford Mustang GT3 Evo during FP1. Were the brakes pushed beyond the limit? “It was just ‘pick-up’ [rubber debris] burning off the disc,” clarified HRT team boss Ulrich Fritz. “Everything is fine.”
Still, it was a lackluster start for the HRT squad. Spielberg standout Finn Wiebelhaus was P16, 1.105 seconds off the pace, while Maini ended the day in P20 (+1.252). Things get serious on Saturday morning with the first qualifying session at 9:35 local time.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
