Ben Dörr sets the benchmark at Hockenheimring’s final official DTM test, stopping the clock at 1:37.118 as teams tune up for the October 9-11 season finale.

Matteo Cairoli trails by 0.127s for Emil Frey Ferrari, with Schubert BMW’s Marco Wittmann third at 0.150s. Thierry Vermeulen and Arjun Maini sit within two tenths.

Clear skies, 22°C, and nearly seven hours of track time produce representative conditions and minimal disruption for race-run simulations and qualifying prep.

Fresh from a Sachsenring win, Dörr extends momentum and underlines his one-lap potential, though long-run pace remains the key metric heading into Hockenheim.

Comtoyou provides the day’s surprise, sidelining regulars Nicki Thiim and Nicolas Baert to run Aston Martin reserve Jak Crawford in an evaluation geared toward 2027.

Crawford finishes 18th, 1.413s off, as Comtoyou prioritises mileage and procedures. The team operates a single-car programme, reflecting a development brief over headline times.

Elsewhere, WEC Fuji duty rules out Jules Gounon. Fabian Schiller substitutes at Winward and delivers sixth, leveraging deep Mercedes-AMG GT3 knowledge and a Nürburgring 24 Hours victory with Maro Engel.

Timo Glock is absent for TV punditry at the Formula 1 weekend in Baku, prompting Dörr’s squad to run one car amid focus on McLaren’s Baku showdown and wider paddock stories from the weekend.

Marco Mapelli also sits out, leaving Luca Engstler as Abt’s sole Lamborghini representative across programmes and setup directions.

Among title contenders, Wittmann leads the way on outright pace. Engel climbs to eighth in the afternoon. Points leader Thomas Preining places 12th for Manthey-Porsche yet retains control.

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Zane Muniz

Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.