TGI Team by GRT showed an impressive turn-around with the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3 at the second round of the 2026 DTM at Zandvoort from 22 to 24 May. Following a challenging debut at the Red Bull Ring, Lamborghini Factory Drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Maximilian Paul came away with three points-scoring finishes in hot conditions in the Netherlands in front of 39,500 spectators. The Italian demonstrated his pace on Sunday with a strong performance, competing at the front of the field right up until the final stages. However, in both races he was put at a disadvantage by penalties, which cost him better results.

Starting with Friday, the outfit supported by Lamborghini Squadra Corse was already showing significant improvements compared to the opening weekend a month ago. Although the team didn’t get the opportunity to go testing with the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 on the 4.259-kilometre long Circuit Zandvoort beforehand, Mirko Bortolotti and Maximilian Paul finished eighth and eleventh in the first practice session. In the second session, the 2024 DTM champion even managed to finish fourth.

In the first qualifying session on Saturday, Maximilian Paul and Mirko Bortolotti were initially unable to replicate their performance from practice, securing 15th and 17th on the grid in a field of 21 GT3 cars. However, the race over a distance of 55 minutes plus one lap saw them finish 13th and 14th, indicating a step in the right direction. During the race, Mirko Bortolotti made up five places – no other driver gained more positions. The TGI Team by GRT pit crew played their part by completing the tyre change in an impressive 6.87 seconds. The 36-year-old crossed the finish line in 12th place, but a surprise 5-second penalty for an incident in the pit lane dropped him back to 14th. Maximilian Paul achieved his first points-finish of the current season in 13th place.

Mirko Bortolotti secured a promising starting position for the second race by qualifying in fourth place. Maximilian Paul also showed a significant improvement over the previous day. The 26-year-old German was almost half a second faster than in Saturday’s qualifying. In the race, Mirko Bortolotti kept in touch with the leading group until the second pit stop phase, a quarter of an hour before the end. Lying in fifth place, a situation similar to that in the first race occurred during the pit stop. A competitor was released by his pit crew and made contact with Mirko Bortolotti’s right-hand side. As a result, however, the Italian received a penalty lap, which dropped him back to eleventh place. In the remaining three minutes, he fought his way back up to ninth place. For Maximilian Paul, the race came to a premature end on lap 19 following a collision.

TGI Team by GRT is set to return to action this coming weekend for the second round of the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup. Mirko Bortolotti, Maximilian Paul and Franck Perera will compete in a three-hour race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza with the Lamborghini Temerario GT3. In the DTM, the third of eight race weekends on this year’s calendar will take place at the Lausitzring from 19 to 21 June.

#63 Mirko Bortolotti (ITA)
Qualifying 1: P17 – Race 1: P14
Qualifying 2: P4 – Race 2: P9

Mirko Bortolotti: “We were denied stronger results on both days through what we believe were questionable stewards’ decisions. Being hit twice in the fast lane due to unsafe releases, and then receiving penalties as a consequence, is difficult to understand and risks setting a dangerous precedent. On the positive side, we are moving in the right direction performance-wise with the car and continue to make solid progress.”

#19 Maximilian Paul (GER)
Qualifying 1: P15 – Race 1: P13
Qualifying 2: P14 – Race 2: DNF

Maximilian Paul: “First and foremost, I’m delighted that we’ve made such progress as a team with Lamborghini. Our car is finally in a position where we can compete and be right up there at the front, as Mirko has shown. Apologies to the team for the contact in my second race, which meant we couldn’t finish. The mood is still good, though. I’m just proud to be part of this team and it’s incredibly fun. I’ll keep working on my own game and, together, we’ll make sure we put a really great car on the track and are successful.”

Gottfried Grasser, Team Principal: “Overall, the weekend was very positive. We hadn’t been testing at Zandvoort prior to the event and it took us a while over the weekend to find the right balance with the new set-up. We can now see that we’re heading in the right direction and are pleased to have closed the gap. The collaboration between Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the teams and the racing series deserves special mention here. The dialogue was very constructive and we are optimistic about the upcoming events. The races at Zandvoort, however, were turbulent for us. We disagree with the decisions made by race control regarding incidents in the pit lane. Until now, a car in the fast lane always had priority, and to our surprise, this was handled quite differently this time. I think the decisions from this weekend require clarification, otherwise there will be nothing but chaos during pit stops in future. Looking at the bigger picture, however, that is secondary for us at the moment. Our focus is on working with the new car and we will give it our all to take the next step soon. Many thanks to the whole team for their tireless efforts. We will keep pushing and are looking forward to the upcoming races.”