The Norisring proved to be a tough terrain for TGI Team by GRT in the DTM last weekend, from 3 to 5 July. The Lamborghini Squadra Corse supported team got off to a strong start in practice on the Nuremberg street circuit. In both qualifying and the races, they once again made full use of the Lamborghini Temerario GT3’s potential as the highest-placed Lamborghini outfit, though this still did not yield the results they had hoped for. Mirko Bortolotti fought his way to eighth place on Saturday and finished eleventh in the second race, which was affected by changeable weather conditions. Maximilian Paul was involved in an accident through no fault of his own in the first race. The 26-year-old German sustained an injury to his left leg and will be sidelined for the time being.

Kicking off the weekend at the 2.162-kilometre-long Norisring, Maximilian Paul secured a promising second place in the first practice session on Friday. Mirko Bortolotti also got off to a good start to the fourth race weekend of the 2026 DTM season, finishing fifth. In the second session, TGI Team by GRT again had both their drivers inside the Top 10 in the DTM field of 21 GT3 cars. In Saturday’s qualifying, which was split into two groups due to the short lap, Maximilian Paul and Mirko Bortolotti finished in ninth and eleventh places respectively.

In the first race over a distance of 55 minutes plus one lap, both drivers were again inside the Top 10 after the start. Maximilian Paul was given a penalty lap for an incorrect position in the starting corridor, causing him to drop back to 20th place. A long first stint paved his way back into the points, but shortly before his pit stop, he lost control on an oil spill left by another car before Turn 1 and collided with an opponent. The race was subsequently stopped. Maximilian Paul sustained an injury to his left lower leg in the incident, which was successfully operated on over the weekend. Mirko Bortolotti finished Saturday’s race in eighth place after the restart.

On Sunday, TGI Team by GRT fielded only Mirko Bortolotti. In his qualifying group, the Italian secured a solid fourth place, which earned him seventh on the combined grid. Shortly after the start of the race, a heavy downpour hit the Norisring. An incident at the back of the field led to a red flag after just ten minutes. At the restart on wet tyres, Mirko Bortolotti held his own in the pack and moved up to sixth place. However, as the track dried out, the pace of his package declined after the switch to slick tyres. The 36-year-old finished in eleventh place.

The next DTM race weekend will take place for TGI Team by GRT at Oschersleben from 24 to 26 July. A stand-in to replace Maximilian Paul will be announced in due course. The entire TGI Team by GRT family wishes their driver a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back in the cockpit of his Lamborghini Temerario GT3 and back to his old strength soon.

#63 Mirko Bortolotti (ITA)
Qualifying 1: P11 – Race 1: P8
Qualifying 2: P7 – Race 2: P11

Mirko Bortolotti: “P8 and P11 were the maximum we could achieve this weekend. I’m pleased that we once again maximized our package and scored good points in both races. Unfortunately, we’re still not in a position to compete with our rivals, which is frustrating because I know what we’re capable of when we have the tools to fight on equal terms. The team did an outstanding job throughout the entire weekend, and I’m grateful for all their hard work and commitment. Saturday was a difficult day for all of us because of Max’s accident. After the race, I went to the hospital to visit him and Kelvin. I was glad that Kelvin got released immediately. Max is a fighter and I’m relieved that his recovery is progressing in a positive direction. I wish him a speedy recovery and I have no doubt he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

#19 Maximilian Paul (GER)
Qualifying 1: P9 – Race 1: DNF

Maximilian Paul: “The accident was a major setback for me. I’d like to thank all the rescue workers and the doctors who looked after me so exceptionally well. Now it’s time to look ahead. I’m taking a break for the time being to look after my body and my health, and I’ll be back in full force soon. I’ll be in hospital for the next few days, after which I’ll be heading to rehab. I really appreciate the support of my family, my team, my friends and everyone who’s checking in on me at the moment, and I’ll be consciously focusing on that support and my recovery in the coming weeks. I’d like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the many kind words and get-well wishes. They give me strength and keep me going on my road to recovery.”

Gottfried Grasser, Team Principal: “Unfortunately, it was a dark weekend for us. Max’s accident really affected us all. We identified an oil spill as the cause, after another car had been leaking fluid throughout the entire race. Under braking, he then lost control on this fluid. Our analysis led us to no other conclusion, as a thorough inspection of the car revealed no technical fault. All of us at TGI Team by GRT wish Max a speedy recovery and hope to see him return to us soon. We know he’s a fighter and will get through this difficult time. On the sporting side, there isn’t much to say about the weekend. As always, our aim was to make the most of the car’s potential within the limits of what was possible. At the moment, our team and drivers are managing to do this with a satisfactory level of consistency, but we simply lack the performance needed to close the gap on the front-runners.”