DTM Race Report: Jordan Pepper Dominates at Norisring
Nuremberg, Germany — Jordan Pepper secured a commanding victory in the first DTM race of the weekend at Norisring, piloting his TGI Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 to a lights-to-flag triumph. The 2025 Spa 24 Hours champion showcased impressive pace, having previously topped both practice and qualifying.
Pepper, reflecting on his performance, stated, “What an unbelievably emotional moment for me. I am incredibly proud and still cannot really believe it.” His win marks a significant milestone, as he led the race comfortably, maintaining a gap that never dipped below five seconds.
Race Summary:
- 1st: Jordan Pepper (TGI Team Lamborghini)
- 2nd: Thomas Preining (Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R)
- 3rd: Maro Engel (Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG)
The race commenced with Pepper adeptly defending his position, while Preining and Emil Frey’s Thierry Vermeulen quickly settled into second and third, aided by a collision between ABT Sportsline’s Nicki Thiim and Engel that affected their performance.
Key pit strategies played a vital role; Pepper and Vermeulen delayed their tire changes until the closing moments of the window, but while Pepper retained his lead, Vermeulen fell to fourth. The quicker stops for Preining and Engel allowed them to leapfrog into second and third, respectively.
In the latter stages, Pepper controlled the race, finishing with a margin of over three seconds. Jack Aitken rounded out the top five in the second Emil Frey Racing Ferrari.
Preining commented on his positioning, stating, “We had no chance against the Lamborghini, but we made the most of what we had. That strategy secured second place for us.”
In the championship standings, Lucas Auer maintained his lead despite finishing sixth, with Pepper closing in as his nearest rival.
Final Standings:
- Jordan Pepper (Lamborghini)
- Thomas Preining (Porsche)
- Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG)
- Thierry Vermeulen (Lamborghini)
- Jack Aitken (Ferrari)
- Lucas Auer (Mercedes-AMG)
- Jules Gounon (Mercedes-AMG)
- Arjun Maini (Mustang)
- Ricardo Feller (Audi)
- René Rast (BMW)
This race consolidates Pepper’s rising profile in DTM, setting a competitive tone for the remainder of the season.
