Nick Cassidy takes a surprise first DTM win at Spa, as championship leader Sheldon Van der Linde extends his advantage.

A slow pitstop from second-placed man, Sheldon Van der Linde, and a stout defensive drive from Nick Cassidy handed the New Zealander his maiden DTM win in race two at Spa. As three-time series champion, René Rast, lost ground in the title fight.

Normal service was resumed in Sunday’s qualifying session, as championship rivals René Rast and Sheldon Van der Linde locked out the front row. After rain led to tricky conditions and a mixed-up grid for Saturday’s race a day prior.

Nick Cassidy was impressive in the session, qualifying third after setting the benchmark in the early stages. Finishing just 0.052 secs off pole position. While Mirko Bortolotti again struggled, only managing twenty-second on the grid.

As the lights went out, Van der Linde and Rast headed into La Source side by side, with the three-time champion Rast on the inside and this year’s championship favourite Van der Linde on the outside. It was the South African who emerged from the corner in front, taking the advantage for good on the run down to Eau Rouge.

Behind the front three, eventual podium finisher, Thomas Preining, was progressing nicely through the field. At the expense of reigning champion Maximilian Götz, the Küs Team Bernhard driver bravely forced his way past in what was the move of the day. Capping off a miserable couple of corners for the German, in which he lost three places one after the other.

The fight at the front was reaching boiling point when Rast and Cassidy came together in the battle for second. Into La Source, Rast suddenly moved to the left, looking for a better line into the corner. Cassidy was unable to react quickly enough, as the two cars banged together. Resulting in a five-second penalty for Rast for involvement in the incident.

And the German’s championship hopes took another blow as a puncture later in the race ended his afternoon. Leaving the Team ABT driver trailing Van der Linde by 36 points in the championship.

But it could’ve been more; As when Van der Linde made his mandatory pitstop, his mechanics struggled to remove his left front tire. The resulting eleven-second pitstop allowed Cassidy to pounce in his Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020. With the New Zealander taking the lead of the race after his six-second stop.

However, the battle for the race win was not over, as Cassidy had to fight to keep Van der Linde behind on his cold tires. The South African tried everything to retake his lead. Ducking and diving every which way. But Cassidy held strong. Using all his years of racing experience in DTM and Formula E to hold on.

Cassidy was ecstatic at the checkered flag as he picked up his maiden DTM win, becoming the tenth different winner of the 2022 season.

With championship leader Sheldon Van der Linde leading Lucas Auer by 32 points with two rounds to go, it would seem that the Schubert Motorsport driver has one hand on the championship trophy. But as the series heads to the Red Bull Ring in two weeks’ time and then to Hockenheim for the season finale, it is still all to play for.