At the Nurburgring, Nicki Thiim lost his temper because of Tom Kalender - and accused Mercedes-AMG of having sent the Landgraf driver after him. In Saturday's race at the Sachsenring, the Aston Martin title contender once again clashed with the youngster - and is now hitting back verbally. Thiim says Kalender did not leave him enough room when defending, as is actually required in the DTM.
"This is now the second time that this has happened with him. Nurburgring was the first time - now again," fumes Thiim, who eventually finished eighth. "That's why I gave him a little nudge down at the hairpin. But nothing where I say it's completely out of control or anything like that. It's part of it - and it has to be part of it in my world. I live in an old-school rock'n'roll world."
The incident happened after the restart on lap five - and Thiim ran into the back of Kalender in the fight for eighth place, which sent the Landgraf youngster into the dirt and dropped him to 13th. "He has to be penalised," Kalender demanded over the radio. Race director Sven Stoppe reacted promptly, and Thiim had to drop back behind Kalender.
Retaliation foul from Thiim against Kalender?
That was particularly bitter, because Thiim lost five places as a result. And he then set about taking revenge. "In the second battle, it was easy enough. He gets a bit of his own medicine there - it's give and take! Whining gets you nowhere here. We're in the DTM, and I don't want that either," Thiim explained his move, in which he initially passed Kalender at Turn 1 before leaving him no room on the exit.
"I was on the inside, he overshot the apex. I was completely on the inside - and then he did exactly what he did to me at the first restart. You just have to be able to take it as well," Thiim explained why he did not leave Kalender any room after passing him at the first corner.
"Sometimes it's a professional foul, like in football"
Race director Stoppe also gave Thiim a reprimand. "He can give me that," Thiim shrugs. "You have to show a yellow card as well. Sometimes it's also a professional foul, like in football."
Only afterwards did it become clear that the reprimand had been issued in addition to the first incident - and that Stoppe had turned a blind eye to Thiim's second move. In any case, the damage is limited, as Thiim had a clean record up to that point and only faces a three-place grid penalty once he reaches three warnings.
Kalender: "It just cost us the race once again"
But what did Kalender have to say about his latest skirmish with Thiim? "I actually had a pretty good start, but then I was immediately spun around by Nicki at Turn 3 again," he said. "That definitely cost me five or six places."
After that, there was little he could do but follow the cars ahead, as overtaking is difficult at the Sachsenring. "It just cost us the race again," said Kalender after finishing 14th. Had he already spoken to Thiim about the incident? "No, not yet. But I don't think talking will help either," said Kalender.
Thiim was at least able to fight his way back up to eighth place. "It was a good battle with Vermeulen," he said. And his former teammate Mirko Bortolotti, who finished directly ahead of him in seventh, was "the very best in the field" when it comes to defending, Thiim praised the Italian.
Title fight: Thiim expects "decisive battle" on Sunday
"That's why it was difficult to do much more from there. Take everyone completely out? I don't fancy that either. Then I'd have to buy so many beers afterwards," Thiim joked. At least he provided some entertainment. "I always have the fans a little bit in mind, that you also put on a bit of a show. That's why we're here."
In the championship standings, the 37-year-old sits fourth with three races remaining - 30 points off the lead after his direct rivals scored heavily. "We need to be within 15 points when we go to Hockenheim - then we can gladly talk about an open championship," he said. "That's why I say tomorrow will be the decisive battle."
Thiim is also hoping for a little help from above - and "interesting weather". Is he hoping for rain? "Yes, as a Dane," he replied. "We always like rain."
