Lightning start key to victory as Engel triumphs in DTM Race 2 at Red Bull Ring

Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol) won the second DTM race of the season on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring. The experienced racer overtook race leader Kelvin van der Linde around the halfway point of the race, and went on to take his third DTM victory after 37 laps.

"I am overjoyed to finally have won a race again," said the Mercedes-AMG driver, after his first DTM success since June 2023. "This win feels all the better, after it unfortunately did not work out on Saturday. The key was a super start, when I raced straight through to second place."

Runner-up was Marco Wittmann (Schubert Motorsport), who produced a tactically astute performance from ninth on the grid. Local favorite Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf) came home third to claim another podium at his home event, having finished second on Saturday. The DTM season kicked off for the first time at the Formula 1 circuit in the Alps, where 51,000 visitors experienced the opening round live.

Engel made an impressive start, immediately gaining three positions and slotting into second place behind polesitter van der Linde (Schubert Motorsport). He was followed in third place by fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Auer, with Wittmann down in seventh place in his BMW M4 GT3 Evo at this point. Engel moved into the lead after the first pit stop. Wittmann, who came in very early for his tire change, battled his way into second place after overtaking van der Linde and Auer. Jules Gounon (Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter) followed in fifth.

Engel remained in front after the second mandatory pit stop, and proceeded to pull clear of his rivals over the remainder of the race. He eventually crossed the finish line 4.857s ahead of Wittmann.

Auer came home third, with Gounon and Nicki Thiim (DK/Comtoyou Racing) taking fourth and fifth place.

Polesitter van der Linde was unable to back up his qualifying performance and ended the second race of the season in Styria in sixth. Ben Dörr (Dörr Motorsport) guided his McLaren 720S GT3 Evo to seventh place. Newcomer Finn Wiebelhaus (HRT Ford Racing) finished eighth in the Ford Mustang GT3 to claim his first top-10 result in the DTM.

The best-placed Ferrari driver was Thierry Vermeulen (Emil Frey Racing) in ninth. Young Danish driver Bastian Buus (Land-Motorsport) rounded out the top 10 on Sunday.

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