Will Mirko Bortolotti get his DTM victory at Oschersleben on July 26 back, or will the disqualification stand? That question will be resolved on September 25 - two weeks before the DTM season finale. Because on that Friday, following the Grasser team's appeal, the decisive hearing will take place before the appeals court of the German governing body DMSB (Deutscher Motor Sport Bund).
The Austrian team also submitted its written grounds for appeal this Friday, after the deadline had been extended for four days because of the current holiday period. How is Bortolotti dealing with the disqualification? "I am the driver - and my job is to drive the best possible race. I won the race on track, with a masterful performance," he makes clear in conversation with Motorsport-Total.com.
"Of course it's a shame that it has now developed like this, which is very strange." Nevertheless, he has "complete trust in my team," says Bortolotti. "They know what they are doing." Therefore, the final word in the matter has not yet been spoken - and the Italian expects that he will keep his victory.
"We did nothing illegal"
"We did nothing illegal - from what I can say. That's why I strongly assume that justice will prevail at the end of the day," he says, believing in an acquittal.
And in the 25 points for his first DTM victory since Spielberg 2024, when he laid the foundation for his championship title, being awarded to him retroactively.
Bortolotti himself only learned about the disqualification over a wheel bearing that did not match the original part on the Thursday before the DTM weekend at the Nurburgring - and therefore two and a half weeks after the race itself. "At 5 p.m.," he says.
How the hearing before the appeals court works
The official confirmation came around an hour later - at 5:53 p.m. Team principal Gottfried Grasser argues that there is no breach of the regulations. Because in a bulletin - in other words, an addition to the regulations - it was specified that the wheel bearings were free. And therefore did not have to match the part listed in the homologation.
"I am not a lawyer and not a judge either," Bortolotti comments on the uncertain situation. "I believe that the team knows what they are doing. They know the regulations. In that respect, there was nothing illegal fitted to the car either - from what I understood."
Whether that was the case or not will ultimately be clarified by the DMSB appeals court in Frankfurt. Bortolotti's team - probably represented by team principal Grasser himself - will face chairman Rainer Wicke and two associate judges and present arguments as to why it believes the disqualification is not justified.
Result crucial for title fight
The outcome has an impact on the championship, because until the appeal hearing, the result of Sunday's race at Oschersleben - and with it DTM leader Maro Engel's victory - is provisional.
If the appeal is successful, the Winward Mercedes driver, who leads Thomas Preining by one point with four races remaining, would lose five points. Preining would lose four points, which would leave the two tied on points at the top of the DTM standings.
The "Grello" driver would, however, be the DTM leader because of his two wins this season. Auer, third in the championship, and Thiim, fourth, would lose only one point if the disqualification is overturned.
