Even a change to the Balance of Performance (BoP) to the disadvantage of Aston Martin cannot stop Nicki Thiim on his favorite track: The Danish Comtoyou pilot secured pole position for Sunday’s race at the Norisring after also topping the charts on Saturday. He achieved this despite running in Qualifying Group B, which was out earlier this time and faced less grip on the track.
“What a beautiful, holy Sunday to be standing here again,” a delighted Thiim told German TV partner ran.de. He is the first driver since Thomas Preining at the 2023 season finale in Hockenheim to take two poles in one weekend. “I am still speechless.”
The fact that his car has 15 kilograms more ballast on board than on Saturday due to the BoP change – and that he will carry an additional 20 kilograms of success ballast in the race – has not escaped him. “Now I will be the fat kid at school, of course,” he said with a grin. “I hope the guys out there don’t drive too fast.”
Ford Mustang pilots in pursuit
Thiim clocked a 48.583 and was 0.111 seconds faster than HRT Ford rookie Finn Wiebelhaus, who was fastest in Group A with a 48.694 and starts from second place due to the slower group time. An investigation regarding the obstruction of Winward Mercedes pilot Jules Gounon resulted in no consequences for him.
Wiebelhaus’ performance is remarkable, as he is competing for the first time in his career on the Norisring, which is extremely challenging due to its bumps. “I touched a few walls, slightly scratched the rear right – but that is how it has to be,” the Ford youngster told ran.de, showing his satisfaction.
Starting on the outside line will be “difficult” at the Norisring, and Thiim’s car has a weight disadvantage. “He has the 20 kilos in the car, but probably not in his head,” the Frankfurt native warned against underestimating the Dane.
Auer complains about gap: “The two in front are so far away”
Behind the top two, the qualifying groups are lined up alternately: Third place went to Wiebelhaus’ HRT Ford teammate Arjun Maini, while McLaren youngster Ben Dorr finished fourth.
Fifth and sixth places were taken by the two Mercedes-AMG pilots Lucas Auer and Gounon. The Austrian, whose car is ten kilograms heavier than the previous day due to the BoP change, made it clear to ran.de that no more was possible.
“I set my time on the last lap when the track was at its peak and I am super happy. But there are two guys in front of me who are so far away – that is far too much for a 49-second lap,” he complained after finishing third in Group B, 0.337 seconds behind pole-setter Thiim.
DTM leader Engel only twelfth: “Slowed down overnight”
Seventh place went to Mirko Bortolotti, the only remaining Grasser Lamborghini pilot following the misfortune of Maximilian Paul. It was a setback for Maro Engel, who had reclaimed the championship lead with a second-place finish the day before. The Winward Mercedes driver, who went out in the later group, had to settle for twelfth place.
“That was not what we hoped for or wanted,” he told ran.de. “Not ideal, and not perfectly executed on my part – but also, as expected, slowed down again overnight.” According to Engel, a perfect lap would have matched Gounon’s time, which was 0.099 seconds faster.
Next disappointments fur Porsche and BMW
Qualifying did not go as planned for Porsche and BMW despite the BoP changes: Thomas Preining, a three-time winner at the Norisring who favors the track, was the best Porsche pilot in the “Grello” but could not manage more than eleventh. The only remaining BMW pilot, local hero Marco Wittmann, finished back in 18th.
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