Nicki Thiim, Aston Martin driver, has expressed his frustration after finishing in 11th place in the DTM race held at Nürburgring. In a visibly heated reaction, Thiim accused the series and Mercedes-AMG of making decisions that, in his opinion, are unfair. ‘I thought Oschersleben was tough, but this is a whole new level. I am very disappointed. What is happening here is a real shame,’ he stated.
The Danish driver was particularly upset by the battle with Landgraf Mercedes driver Tom Kalender in the fight for ninth place. Thiim claimed that, in his view, Kalender had been instructed not to let him pass: ‘It’s ridiculous what is happening. With Kalender, it was obvious what he was asked to do: not let me pass in any way!’
Additionally, he criticized the unequal treatment he perceives among the different manufacturers in the DTM. ‘The other manufacturers have moments of glory, like at Norisring and Lausitzring, while we are completely sidelined,’ Thiim said, referring to the effect of the Balance of Performance (BoP) that affects his performance.
Despite his position in the standings, Thiim is 30 points behind DTM leader Maro Engel. In his analysis of the duel with Kalender, Engel defended himself by arguing that Thiim had attempted to pass at a non-viable moment. ‘I decided not to block because it simply wasn’t possible,’ Kalender commented on the incident in which Thiim received a penalty for forcing him off the track.
The controversy generated in this race has highlighted the existing tension between teams and has brought to light the criticisms of one of the main drivers in the championship. As the season progresses, expectations about Thiim’s role are intensifying, and his ability to compete effectively in the DTM is now in question.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
