Matteo Cairoli secured his first career victory in the DTM at Zandvoort. Driving the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, the Emil Frey Racing driver completed a dream weekend at the Dutch circuit, host of the second round of the 2026 season. It was a highly significant success, achieved already at the second event of the year, immediately confirming the potential of the Cairoli-Ferrari partnership in one of the world’s most competitive GT championships.
After building confidence with the ADAC-promoted series during the season opener at the Red Bull Ring, Cairoli found an excellent feeling with the Maranello-built car from the very first Friday sessions, topping the timesheets in both free practice outings. The work carried out by the Swiss squad translated into pole position and victory on Saturday. Starting from pole, Cairoli delivered a flawless performance in every key phase of the race. From defending the lead to tyre management, the Emil Frey Racing driver controlled the race throughout the entire 55-minute contest. Once again, the team’s pit crew proved decisive, with the Swiss outfit recording the fastest pit stop of the field for the third consecutive race on car #14.
Rejoining the track still in the lead after the mandatory stop, Cairoli was able to manage the delicate phase on cold tyres thanks to the margin built during the opening stint. Only in the closing laps did Lucas Auer – Matteo’s former teammate from last season – manage to reduce the gap, while the Italian had to cope with a car made particularly slippery by the high temperatures experienced throughout the Dutch weekend. After taking victory in Race 1, repeating the same result in the second race was inevitably more difficult due to the 20 kg success ballast imposed by the regulations on the race winner. Nevertheless, Cairoli fought hard again on Sunday: starting from sixth on the grid, the Italian remained in the points, just outside the top 10, despite significant tyre wear caused by the additional ballast.
The Zandvoort triumph marks another milestone in the career of the Como-born driver, who now adds his name to the winners’ list of one of the most prestigious and competitive GT categories in international motorsport. The dream of winning in the DTM became reality already during his second race weekend with Ferrari, opening up promising prospects for the remainder of the season. Cairoli leaves Zandvoort fifth in the championship standings ahead of the next round at Lausitzring, scheduled for June 19–21, 2026.
