Back on the Road to Success: Emil Frey Racing targets strong results at the DTM round at the Nürburgring

Fast Facts – The Press Bulletin
After two demanding weekends at the DTM in Oschersleben and the GT World Challenge Sprint Cup in Magny-Cours, Emil Frey Racing heads to the sixth round of the 2026 DTM season at the Nürburgring with fresh insights and clear focus. Matteo Cairoli, who has already celebrated two race wins this season, and Thierry Vermeulen in the second Ferrari are targeting podium finishes at the legendary Eifel circuit. In the Teams' Championship, Emil Frey Racing sits third with 160 points, 45 points behind the leading Winward Racing. The goal is clear: a clean, error-free weekend, collecting as many of the maximum 56 available points as possible and making decisive ground in both the Teams' and Drivers' Championships.

Press Release
For the sixth round of the 2026 DTM season, Emil Frey Racing heads to the Nürburgring carrying particularly fond memories. Last year, the team broke the Nürburgring curse and celebrated its first DTM double victory at this very circuit. With Matteo Cairoli and Thierry Vermeulen, Emil Frey Racing is determined to build on that strong performance. The Nürburgring, set in the heart of the Eifel region, is arguably Germany's most iconic racing circuit. While the DTM uses the short track on the Grand Prix layout, the weekend is one of the highlights of the DTM calendar and promises top-class motorsport in front of a passionate crowd at this crucial stage of the season.

The past two race weekends have posed real challenges for Emil Frey Racing. In Oschersleben, the outright pace was missing despite strong pitstops, while the Magny-Cours weekend was marked by balance problems from the very beginning. Since then, the team has thoroughly analysed the data back at the workshop in Safenwil and heads to the Nürburgring with new findings. Matteo Cairoli, who marked his return to Oschersleben after eight years and remained determined despite the difficult conditions, arrives at the Nürburgring with clear ambitions. Teammate Thierry Vermeulen is equally focused on scoring as many points as possible in both races.

The DTM at the Nürburgring runs on the short track of the Grand Prix circuit, promising plenty of action in the technical AMG Arena section, on the braking approach to the short link and with slipstream overtaking moves into the Veedol chicane. A layout that rewards both driving skill and precise car setup.

In the Teams' Championship, Emil Frey Racing sits in third place with 160 points, 45 points behind the leading Winward Racing. The sixth of eight rounds at the Nürburgring offers the next opportunity to make up ground.

Weekend Highlights:

- DTM 2026: Round 6 in the DTM calendar at the Nürburgring

- Date: 14th – 16th August 2026

- Highlight: Germany's most legendary racing circuit in the Eifel

- Targets: Score points in both races and make up ground in the Teams' Championship

Drivers & Cars:

- #14 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo – Matteo Cairoli (ITA)

- #69 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo – Thierry Vermeulen (NED)

For further information, please visit www.emilfreyracing.com.

TEAM QUOTES – Emil Frey Racing

Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Team Principal
"The Nürburgring is a special place for us. Last year we celebrated our first DTM double victory there and showed what this team is capable of. After the last few weeks, which did not meet our own standards, it is now time to give an answer on the track. We have analysed the data, done our homework and are ready to extract the maximum from our package in the Eifel."

Jürg Flach, Technical Director
"The last few weeks have shown that the competitive situation in the field was very unevenly distributed and we were unable to benefit from it. The Nürburgring weekend will be a defining one at this stage of the season. Last year we impressed with a double victory there, but were subsequently held back significantly in terms of performance. We hope the competitive balance will be more even this time around, because if it is, I am convinced we can deliver a strong weekend."

DRIVER QUOTES – Emil Frey Racing

Matteo Cairoli (Italy)
"I hope the situation will change from the Nürburgring onwards. I remain very motivated, because we have already shown this season what we are capable of with strong results. I have full confidence in the Emil Frey Racing crew and all we need now is to pull in the same direction to keep fighting for the championship. It will not be easy, but I hope we are back where we belong, at the front."

Thierry Vermeulen (Netherlands)
"I am really looking forward to the DTM at the Nürburgring. It feels a little like a home race, since the Ring is not far from the Dutch border. The short version is always an exciting track layout and the fans always turn out in great numbers. We have had a few very difficult races recently and it is of course frustrating. That makes it all the more important that we finally deliver a strong result, especially for the mechanics, who work so incredibly hard the whole time."

ABOUT EMIL FREY RACING 

Emil Frey Racing is a storied Swiss motorsport team based in Safenwil. Founded in the 1960s on the foundations of the Emil Frey Group, the team can look back on decades of motorsport experience, ranging from single-seater and rally racing to long-distance GT series. Today, Emil Frey Racing competes internationally, currently in both the DTM and the GT World Challenge with the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.

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