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Challenging Nürburgring weekend for Mountain Wolf’s Lamborghini driver Luca Engstler

Aug 19, 2024 | News, Partnerships

Mountain Wolf Lamborghini on race track dtm nürburgring

GRT faced a tough weekend at the Nürburgring during the fifth round of the 2024 DTM season. As the second half of the season began, the renowned Eifel circuit presented significant challenges for the Austrian Lamborghini team. Earlier in the season, Grasser Racing had celebrated successes with the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, but this weekend turned out to be more challenging for Luca Engstler. With 62,500 spectators on-site, Engstler, driving the MOUNTAIN WOLF-backed entry for Lamborghini Team LIQUI MOLY by GRT, encountered two difficult races marked by changing weather and various obstacles, which offered valuable learning experiences.

Grasser Racing's Momentum Stalls at Rain-Soaked Nürburgring Sprint

Grasser Racing entered the Nürburgring event on the back of a strong summer, which included a double podium at the DTM Norisring and a win in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at the Nürburgring with the Mountain Wolf Lamborghini. Despite this momentum, the 3.629-kilometer Nürburgring sprint circuit presented new difficulties. In the first qualifying session held in dry conditions, the 20 DTM drivers were separated by just one second, with Engstler securing the 16th starting position. Saturday’s race, plagued by constant rain, saw the GRT drivers struggle to match the pace of the leading group. An early penalty lap for exceeding track limits further hindered Engstler, resulting in a finish outside the points.

Mountain Wolf Lamborghini in pit stop with team mechanics

Strong Qualifying Undermined by Strategy Misstep as Grasser Racing Misses Points Finish

On Sunday, adjustments made by the team led to a stronger performance in the second qualifying session, where Engstler posted the sixth-fastest time under challenging mixed conditions. Starting from 14th on the grid, Luca climbed to eighth place by the time the pit window opened. However, staying out longer than most of the competitors proved to be a misstep, as the undercut strategy allowed others to gain an advantage, ultimately pushing Engstler back. After 41 laps, Engstler crossed the finish line in 16th place, just missing out on points.

The next DTM challenge for GRT is scheduled for September 6-8 at the Sachsenring, the sixth of eight race weekends in this prestigious series.

Luca Engstler (GER)
#19 Lamborghini Team Liqui Moly by GRT
Qualifying 1: P16 – Race 1: P18
Qualifying 2: P14 – Race 2: P16

“We had some positive sessions, but too many difficult moments. In the end, we just couldn’t put it all together. I’m especially disappointed because I missed out on points, which should always be the goal, even on tough weekends. I take responsibility for that and want to learn from it to do better next time. Weekends like this are always hard, but we’ve had great successes this year as well, and we’ll keep working hard. There are still several races where we can pick up where we left off. So there’s no reason to hang our heads.”

Luca Engstler

“The weekend didn’t go as we hoped. In the first qualifying, we didn’t get the tire pressures right. Then Saturday’s race was a gamble with the rain, and unlike at the Norisring, it didn’t pay off this time. The lap times were very fast, especially in the second stint, but overall, it wasn’t enough to move us to the front. On Sunday, we were better in qualifying, but unfortunately, Franck’s penalty set us back on the grid. We didn’t agree with the stewards’ decision, but it’s something we have to accept. The race pace in the second race was also positive, but overall, it was very difficult for us due to the Balance of Performance. The Lamborghini was the heaviest car here at the Nürburgring, and it wasn’t possible to compensate for that with the setup. We’re looking ahead to the Sachsenring, where we’ll be pushing hard again.”

Gottfried Grasser, Team Principal of GRT

Photos: © Axel Weichert

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