ABT Sportsline has a front-row seat for the big showdown, because for the first time since the introduction of the GT3 category in the DTM for the 2021 season, the team from Kempten is no longer in the title race itself at the finale. “This is an unfamiliar feeling for us,” says ABT Motorsport Director Martin Tomczyk. “Of course, we would have liked our first DTM season with Lamborghini to have been a little different. However, we have learned a lot and there has been a clear upward trend recently. We had a good day of testing at Hockenheim and want to go into the winter break on a high note.”
Despite the difficult 2025 season, ABT Sportsline’s DTM record remains unique. To date, the team has won five drivers’ and five team titles. The Allgäu-based team has 78 victories, 260 podium finishes, 92 pole positions and 85 fastest laps to its name. In addition, there are 23 top three finishes in the overall standings. In 18 of the 26 years, at least one ABT driver has finished in the top three of the drivers’ championship.
ABT Sportsline has only had winless years in the DTM in 2000, 2012, 2013 and 2018. After that, the team always fought its way back to the top of the racing series.
A tough DTM season also comes to an end in Hockenheim for the two ABT drivers Mirko Bortolotti and Nicki Thiim. Just like ABT Sportsline, Bortolotti fought for the DTM title in each of the past three years, securing it in 2024 with a second place in the final race of the season. His best result in his first season with ABT Sportsline so far is sixth place.
“I haven’t seen anyone in the team who has ever stopped working or tried to find excuses,” says the Italian, who lives in Vienna. “I think this has been a very important year for the team. We have learned a lot and made a lot of progress, and I am sure that 2025 has brought many important insights that will help us get back to where we want to be in the future. Since the Sachsenring test and weekend, there has been a clear positive development. I’m looking forward to the finale and hoping for a strong result.”
Nicki Thiim secured ABT Sportsline’s first podium finish with Lamborghini in the DTM with a second place at Zandvoort. He finished fifth in last year’s final race at Hockenheim. “The DTM finale is always a highlight,” says the Dane. “Hockenheim is a track that suits me and our car better than the Red Bull Ring did last time, and I’m really looking forward to being right in the thick of things in the front row at this cool finale.”
The last two DTM races of the 2025 season will start at the usual time of 1:30 PM CEST on Saturday and Sunday. In German-speaking countries, the DTM will be broadcast live on Joyn, ran.de, ProSieben and Servus TV while the series can be watched live all around the world on TV and YouTube. The finale can also be viewed on Red Bull TV.
Did you know that ...
... ABT Sportsline broke the 100,000 follower mark on its Instagram channel @abtmotorsport between the DTM races at the Red Bull Ring and Hockenheim?
... the team used the last available test day from Mirko Bortolotti’s quota to prepare for the DTM finale at Hockenheim?
... ABT Sports Marketing Director Harry Unflath is proud that all of the team’s partners will be present at the finale and that many of them will also be bringing guests and customers?
... among the approximately 100 guests of ABT Sportsline at the finale will be former German national football goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand, who won the German championship with VfB Stuttgart in 2007?
... Berchtold Reisen from Kempten will be bringing ABT Sportsline employees, fans and friends to Hockenheim in two coaches?
... 25 customers of ABT partner CUPRA have won a day with Daniel Abt at the DTM finale and will be driving their own cars in a convoy with the official CUPRA cars around the DTM track on Saturday evening?
... Mirko Bortolotti and Nicki Thiim will be guests at a children’s press conference hosted by the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper on Thursday?
... 20 guests from ABT dealers will be coming to Hockenheim on Saturday?