A phenomenal end to the DTM season: Ayhancan Güven becomes the first-ever Turkish DTM champion.
Heading into the final race weekend, nine drivers still had a mathematical chance of winning the title. After Saturday’s race, that number dropped to seven, with Lucas Auer leading the standings. In the opening lap of Sunday’s race, René Rast dropped out of title contention after a collision in Turn 6 — marking the end of his DTM career, as he had announced his departure from the series before the weekend.
The biggest drama, however, came right at the end of the race. After both mandatory pit stops, Güven led ahead of Marco Wittmann. Had Wittmann managed to pass Güven for the lead, the title would have gone to Lucas Auer. Wittmann stayed close behind and made a move into Turn 12, successfully taking the lead. But Güven remained right on his tail, keeping his title hopes alive. Going into Turn 13, he launched a bold move down the inside — Wittmann left him very little space, but Güven held his ground and reclaimed the lead with a daring maneuver.
Crossing the finish line, Ayhancan Güven became the first-ever Turkish DTM champion. "I’ve been working toward this kind of success since I was five years old, when I first started in motorsport. Winning this title now, at the age of 27, means a lot — not only to me, but also to my family, fans, and my home country. Before the race, I knew that only a victory would give me a realistic chance at the title. That was my goal." said Güven.
Wittmann finished second, while Maro Engel completed the podium in third. For Manthey, it’s the team’s second drivers’ title in three years — following Thomas Preining’s championship win in 2023.
The manufacturers’ title went to Mercedes, which may not have been the outright fastest all season but consistently collected valuable points throughout the year.