DTM: Bitter end for René Rast in the title showdown at Hockenheim – Marco Wittmann on the podium.

Hockenheim. The dream of a fourth DTM drivers' title for René Rast (GER) has been shattered. In the final race of the season at the Hockenheimring (GER), the 38-year-old had excellent chances in the showdown for the championship after a strong start, running in second place. However, a collision in the first lap ended all his hopes. On Friday, ahead of the race weekend, Rast had announced his provisional retirement from DTM. Marco Wittmann (GER) shone in the Sunday race, securing a podium finish in second place during a dramatic season finale.

After finishing seventh on Saturday, Rast started Sunday's race from fifth position but quickly moved up to second place in the first few corners thanks to a brilliant start. However, at the hairpin, he was pushed wide and, as a result of a chain reaction, was hit twice by other cars. His #33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 EVO sustained such severe damage that he had to retire from the race in the very first lap, ending his bid for a fourth DTM title. A victory, which was well within reach, would have been enough to crown him champion. Thus, Rast concluded what is, at least for now, his final DTM season in position sixth in the drivers' standings.

On Friday, Rast had already announced that he would not compete in DTM in 2026, choosing instead to focus on other race programmes with BMW M Motorsport. Over eight full seasons, Rast achieved three titles, 31 victories, and 26 pole positions. He did not rule out a potential return to DTM at a later date.

For Marco Wittmann, the season ended with a fantastic comeback and a dramatic final lap. Starting from 17th on the grid, Wittmann climbed to second place and challenged Ayhancan Güven (TUR, Porsche) for the race win in the final sprint, as Güven was fighting for the championship title. Wittmann initially overtook Güven but was countered by a bold move from Güven just a few corners before the finish line. Thanks to his second-place finish, Wittmann ended the season in position five in the drivers' standings. Schubert Motorsport secured second place in the team standings. The team from Oschersleben (GER) celebrated a total of three victories by Rast and six additional podium finishes in 2025 - two for Rast and four for Wittmann.

ADAC GT Masters: Podium finish for FK Performance Motorsport to close the season.
As in the DTM, BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers were in the title fight until the final weekend in Hockenheim in the supporting series ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany. However, the ultimate success also eluded them there. In the ADAC GT Masters, the FK Performance Motorsport duo Leyton Fourie (RSA) and Tim Zimmermann (GER) in the #11 BMW M4 GT3 EVO ended the season on a positive note with a second-place podium finish.

Quotes from the race weekend:

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): "Congratulations to Marco Wittmann for a fantastic podium finish in Sunday's race. That was a very strong performance. However, looking at the championship, the disappointment naturally outweighs the positives. After Marco was practically out of the race on Saturday due to a tyre issue, things looked very promising for René Rast. He had a strong weekend and was already in second place after the start on Sunday. Unfortunately, the collision at the hairpin cost him all his chances. We would have preferred to fight for the title until the final lap, but it wasn't meant to be. Many thanks to everyone at BMW M Motorsport and Schubert Motorsport for a very good season with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO. We were in the title race with both drivers until the final weekend, which underscores our consistently strong performance. The pit stops by the crews were especially outstanding."

Björn Lellmann (Head of Customer Racing at BMW M Motorsport): "We can all be proud of this DTM season. We were in the title fight until the very end and have made significant progress compared to last year. René Rast and Marco Wittmann were very close throughout the season and brought success to the team together. It's bitter that the season ended this way. We lost René in the first lap, and Marco would have deserved the win in the final race. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be, but we'll come back stronger next season. In the ADAC GT Masters and ADAC GT4 Germany, we unfortunately lost our title chances as well. Nevertheless, the podium finish for FK Performance Motorsport in the ADAC GT Masters is a positive conclusion. Our teams and drivers have learned a lot and will surely come back stronger."

Torsten Schubert (Team Principal, Schubert Motorsport): "It's incredibly unfortunate that René Rast's race ended so early today. He was already past Ayhancan Güven but was then pushed wide, leading to the unfortunate collision. Such incidents can happen in the tight DTM starts. You could see from Marco Wittmann's pace, the strong strategy, and the quick pit stops what would have been possible for René today as well. Marco stormed from 17th to second place and truly deserved the win. He drove a fantastic race. Overall, we had a good season and celebrated several victories. Our pit stops were consistently top-level. It would have been well-deserved for us to finish at the top of the championship standings. But we'll take it as it is and come back stronger next season."

Marco Wittmann (#11 Schaeffler BMW M4 GT3 EVO, R1: 18th place, R2: 2nd place): "Climbing from 17th to second was a strong statement to end the season, I think. The final lap is certainly up for debate. I was already past Ayhancan Güven, and his counter-move in the Sachs Curve was borderline from my perspective. Nevertheless, it was a nice season finale for me. Of course, I feel very sorry for René that he was taken out of the race so early. I think we had a strong package today. Overall, it was a crazy season with a title fight that I believe is rare in DTM. We lost too much ground at some events, which ultimately took us out of the title fight. Still, we can be satisfied in the end. This season provides a solid foundation to build on."

René Rast (#33 RoboMarkets BMW M4 GT3 EVO, R1: 7th place, R2: DNF): "I'm at a loss for words after this bitter end to the season. My start in Sunday's race was fantastic; I was already in second place, and the pace of our car was excellent. I think a win was absolutely possible. To be taken out of the title fight in this way in the first lap is incredibly bitter. This is not the conclusion I had dreamed of for my DTM career. However, I decided some time ago to at least temporarily end my DTM journey. I will not be competing in the DTM in 2026. This decision was not an easy one for me, as this racing series has been like a second home to me. I would like to sincerely thank all the teams I have raced with, the mechanics who gave their all in the garage, and the engineers who never stopped striving for perfection. Without your hard work and passion, my successes would not have been possible. I am also deeply grateful for the memories, the victories, the challenges, and especially for the fans who have supported me every step of the way. Even though I won't be on the DTM grid next year, I am excited about the opportunities ahead - and who knows what the future will bring?"