Victory in the final lap! 😳 | The crazy DTM finish | Highlights Race 1 Sachsenring | DTM 2025

Race 1 at the Saxon Ring, round 11 of DTO 2025, and a big downpour just before the start of the race meant that everybody was on wet tyres. Jordan Pepper was on pole position with Jules Guenon alongside Ben Green starting third. Jack Aitken struggled to get his Ferrari slowed down into turn 1 and made contact with Luca Engsler in the battle for 4th place. Both of them just ahead of championship leader Lucas Auer in the pink and red Landgraf Mercedes. So Jordan Pepper led, Ben Green was determined to try and get himself up into 2nd place having scored his maiden podium for the previous weekend at the Nürburgring. Jules Guenon was fighting hard to hang on to that 2nd place, both drivers looking for their first DTM race victories. Guenon staying just ahead of the Ferrari. Then Jack Aitken versus Lucas Auer was a cult theme in the race, the top two in the championship going side by side on a number of occasions. This occasion it was the Ferrari driver that came through, the British driver moving up into 5th place. And the driver to really watch as the track dried out was Thomas Freining, the 2023 champion from 8th on the grid, started to carve his way through the order. In greasy conditions, the Manta EMA Porsche first getting past Lucas Auer and then catching up to the next group. The next group comprising of this three-way battle for 3rd place, Ben Green's Ferrari versus Lucas Auer's Lamborghini versus Jack Aitken in the next of the Ferraris. And the 296s got the better of the Lamborghini Huracan as Jack Aitken got ahead of the German driver. Up front Jordan Pepper was starting to be reeled in by Jules Guenon, that gap coming down considerably in greasy conditions. Jack Aitken though was the next to succumb to a charging Thomas Freining. Freining getting himself up into 4th place as the pit window opened. The track continued to dry and the drivers stayed out as long as they could so they would only have to pit once and repeat for slick tyres. The Manta EMA were known for their excellent work in the pit stops and once again they came through. Still very wet in the pit lane, lots of wheelspin as Thomas Freining charged back out onto the track. All the drivers now switching to the slick Pirelli tyres, dry line, still very greasy off it. So Jordan Pepper staying just ahead of Jules Guenon, the gap though coming down to just over a second. A great pit stop for Ian Chigouin in the green Manta E Porsche. He'd started the race 9th on the grid, he came out 3rd ahead of Jack Aitken in 4th but Freining and Green were next up. They'd already pitted, their tyres up to temperature as Aitken slid his way through the first two turns, Freining and Green. Both got past the British driver and then Thomas Freining went after his teammate Ian Chigouin, who's still on cold tyres, was defending but he wouldn't be able to suppress the Austrian driver as the 2023 champion came through and up to a net 3rd place. He was absolutely flying on slick tyres on a damp, drying track. Charged straight past Jules Guenon and up to 2nd place in no time. Next target, the race leader Jordan Pepper. The race extended, the rain started to come down again and mistakes started to happen. Jordan Pepper went a bit wide coming out of the final turn and Freining, for the first time in the race, moved into the lead of the race. Pepper down to 2nd position and then in 3rd place, Guenon looking strong as well. Aitken 4th, Guenon in 5th and Green in 6th. But onto the final lap of the race, Freining went wide through the final corner and at the start of the final lap of the race, Pepper saw his opportunity to get the lead back away. Side-by-side into the first corner, contact between the pair of them and from 3rd to 1st, Brianne Chigouin, who got past both the Lamborghini and the Porsche. More contacts on the way out of the turn. Pepper holding on to 2nd, Freining just about holding on to 3rd, but that wouldn't be for long. He was out of sorts trying to get back onto the racing line. Aitken got past him as well and straight through into 3rd place. Freining somehow got to 4th place on the final lap of the race. A replay from Jordan Pepper showing that mistake, showing Pepper ahead, but on the outside line, Freining desperately trying to get back down the inside to try and get the race win. Contact between the pair of them, both out wide, and the Turkish driver nipping through to go from 3rd to 1st. What a race it had been. Brianne Chigouin crossing the line to pick up his 3rd win. Mate, you won the race, you won the race. I'm speechless, it's incredible. Pissauer with another top 10 finish, only a couple of points behind them in what is a fascinating DTM season.