Lukas Stiefelhagen nets back-to-back NXT Gen Cup wins at Norisring
The opening two NXT Gen Cup races of the DTM weekend at Norisring served up ultra-close competition, with Dutch championship leader Lukas Stiefelhagen conquering the legendary street circuit to claim a double victory.
18-year-old Lukas Stiefelhagen set the pace in both of Friday’s practice sessions at the iconic Nuremberg city track, behind the wheel of his all-electric, ABB-branded LRT NXT 1. But when it came to qualifying, it was German racer Benjamin Mazatis who stole the spotlight, snatching pole position by a razor-thin margin of just 0.005 seconds ahead of title contender Philipp Dietrich.
As temperatures soared towards 30 degrees Celsius, the huge crowd was treated to a jaw-dropping races, with NXT Gen Cup delivering action at its finest.
Championship front-runners Stiefelhagen, Dietrich and Maxim Dacher were locked in a fierce battle at the front of Race 1, with Dacher leading the majority of the race in his Hankook-shod MINI Cooper SE. Stiefelhagen, the current championship leader, stayed close throughout before making a decisive move to snatch the lead on the penultimate lap. He went on to take the victory – repeating his performance from 12 months ago at Norisring, where he claimed his maiden NXT Gen Cup win – crossing the line just 0.261 seconds ahead of Dacher.
Reversed-grid Race 2 delivered a breathtaking finale, with up to ten cars battling for podium positions in the closing laps. After an early spin following contact with Philipp Dietrich, Maxim Dacher stormed through the field to challenge for the lead on the final lap. As eight cars piled into Turn 1 nearly side-by-side, Stiefelhagen was once again in the right place at the right time, seizing his second win of the day.
“I don’t really know what to say. The races have been absolutely crazy and hectic. We were all so close out there, and of course I’m really happy with today’s results,” said Lukas Stiefelhagen.
Double victory for Lukas Stiefelhagen, sealing both race wins today.
Maxim Dacher crossed the line in second place in Race 2, but was later handed a 10-second time penalty after contact with Philipp Dietrich, dropping him to 13th in the final results.
Patricija Stalidzane secured her second podium of the season with a hard-fought third place in Race 1, following an intense battle with Philipp Dietrich and pole-sitter Benjamin Mazatis. The trio braked ultra-late into Turn 1, with Stalidzane capitalising as both rivals running wide, slipping through to take the podium.
“I had a strategy and was able to anticipate the moves of the others, and that took me to the podium. I’m not 100% satisfied with my driving, but my focus is forward – I’m going for the win,” said Patricija Stalidzane after her Race 1 podium.
Oschersleben race winner Julian Würtele started Race 2 from pole position but lost ground on the opening lap. The German remained in the thick of the action, part of the eight-car fight at the front on the final lap. In a dramatic photo finish with Benjamin Mazatis, Würtele snatched the podium spot – just 0.087 seconds ahead. Würtele was later promoted to second place, with Mazatis securing his maiden NXT Gen Cup podium following Maxim Dacher’s penalty.
“I started from pole but once again missed the braking point into Turn 1, just like in Race 1. Still, I fought my way back quite well. I can’t see the future, but I hope it surprises me with another podium tomorrow,” said Julian Würtele.
Oschersleben race winner Julian Würtele clocks his second podium of the season, bringing home P2 in Race 2.
Championship debutant Olav Vaa from Norway showed impressive pace, finishing seventh in the opening race and leading much of Race 2. But in the ultra-competitive field, the margins fell the wrong way in the fight for top positions, leaving him to settle for P10.
Swedish CrossCar champion Alex Gustafsson was another front-runner in the fiercely competitive, 100% electric junior championship. Chasing his maiden podium, Gustafsson delivered strong performances with fourth and sixth place finishes.
Sim racing ace Sean Terre claimed his best-ever finish, taking fifth in Race 2.
After six rounds of the 2025 NXT Gen Cup season, Lukas Stiefelhagen leads the championship by 43 points over Philipp Dietrich. Maxim Dacher sits third, with Julian Würtele and Alex Gustafsson rounding out the top five.
NXT Gen Cup returns tomorrow for the third and final race of the Norisring weekend, running alongside the DTM. The race starts at 10:30, with Philipp Dietrich lining up on pole position. Catch all the action live on the NXT Gen Cup YouTube channel.
Sunday schedule (CEST):
10:30 – Race 3 (20 min)
11:30 – Autograph Session
Entry list, Norisring
# – Name – Nationality
02 – Andreas Kapfinger – Austria
04 – Patricija Stalidzane – Latvia
05 – Bennet Ehrl – Germany
07 – Julian Würtele – Germany
08 – Olav Vaa – Norway
09 – Lukas Stiefelhagen – Netherlands
15 – Theo Wieder – Germany
17 – Viviann Ehrl – Germany
19 – Alex Gustafsson – Sweden
21 – Siri Hökfelt – Sweden
22 – Lennart Wolf – Germany
23 – Laurenz Rühl – Germany
33 – Sean Terre – Germany
35 – Benjamin Mazatis – Germany
67 – Maxim Dacher – Germany
71 – Philipp Dietrich – Austria
73 – Linda Frey – Liechtenstein
88 – Pit Venanzi – Luxembourg
99 – Vera Jurland – Sweden/Denmark
About NXT Gen Cup
The NXT Gen Cup is the world’s first 100% electric junior touring car cup where young female and male drivers race the LRT NXT1, a fully electric race car based on the MINI Cooper SE road car - engineered and built by Lestrup Racing Team. The series races together with DTM and is organised through an “arrive and drive” concept, enabling the junior drivers to focus on driving and creating the foundation for a professional racing career.
About DTM
DTM is Europe’s premier and best-known racing series and celebrated its 40th birthday in 2024. As one of the most competitive racing series, DTM features seven prestigious brands in its anniversary season. The DTM has a German core, but a strong international fan base. Races are broadcasted live in 150 territories. The series is also a leader in sustainable motorsport. For the second season, all cars are powered by a sustainable fuel made of 50% renewable components. Not only the cars racing in DTM are in the centre of sustainable projects. For the events itself the ADAC as promoter of the DTM offers innovations like an initiative to reduce plastic waste and a digital carpool solution, which has been recognised and awarded by the FIA.