What Nicki Thiim expects from his SSR Lamborghini debut in the GT Winter Series and how he is preparing for the DTM season
Surprise appearance by DTM returnee Nicki Thiim and his SSR Performance team at the fourth weekend of the GT Winter Series in Valencia . The Aston Martin works driver, who has been approved by his manufacturer to drive a Lamborghini this year, is using the race weekend to prepare for the season with his new team.
“The guys at SSR decided at short notice that it would be a good idea to work with the engineers and the guys on the car for the DTM season,” said the 34-year-old Dane, explaining his involvement. “And the track is even similar to some of the German circuits we will be racing on in the DTM.”
Thiim already used the test sessions on Thursday and Friday in pleasant temperatures – qualifying and the first race are scheduled for Saturday in the Huracan GT3 Evo2. Further races will follow on Sunday (click here for the schedule and stream). The thermometer is expected to climb to over 20 degrees.
How are things going so far? “First impressions are very good,” says Thiim, who last sat in the Lamborghini in 2022, when the car was still being used by the T3 team without the update delivered in 2023.
The test premiere makes sense for Thiim with the SSR Performance Team, especially in view of the planned test restrictions, even if prototypes and GT3 cars are on the track at the same time. “Every kilometer counts,” says the former Le Mans winner. “Whether it’s a Beetle driving around or a Mercedes GT3 – we have a nice grid with Cup cars and GT3s etc.”
The car will be used according to DTM conditions, he clarifies. “We do our thing. We drive out what the rules are in the DTM. Anything else would make no sense. Big learning curve, same tires, that’s also a big deal,” he says, referring to the Pirelli tires that are also used in the DTM. “Every tenth that we can squeeze out gets you further forward.”
What are Thiim’s ambitions for the three races in Valencia? “Of course, you always want to be at the top, but for me personally, working together with my engineer in qualifying and in the race is important,” says Thiim. Even if there are no pit stops for time, it is about “getting to know each other” and “team building”, the new team-mate of runner-up Mirko Bortolotti makes clear.
In addition to Thiim, the DTM racing team HRT is also taking advantage of the good conditions: Hubert Haupt’s Truope is on site with ADAC GT Masters drivers Finn Wiebelhaus and Kwanda Mokoena.
