Saturday’s DTM race at the Nurburgring saw an unusually high number of retirements, with only twelve of twenty-one cars finishing the race. Six cars were already out after eight laps, a new negative record for the series.
The issue appears tied to a rule limiting drivers to three tire sets per weekend. Teams may have retired cars deliberately to preserve tires for Sunday’s race, where sixteen cars finished. The pattern suggests strategic retirements rather than mechanical failure, given GT3 cars’ reputation for reliability.
Series officials are now considering penalties to deter this practice, which undermines race integrity. The incident raises questions about how the DTM will enforce tire usage rules moving forward.
