NXT Gen Cup ends 2025 season with Sachsenring thriller
Maxim Dacher, Lukas Stiefelhagen, Alex Gustafsson (Photo: Sebastian Jansson)
The 2025 NXT Gen Cup season concluded on the final day of the Sachsenring double-header alongside DTM, with two thrilling races as Patricija Stalidzane took her maiden victory and Maxim Dacher and Alex Gustafsson secured their places on the championship podium.
18-year-old Dutchman Lukas Stiefelhagen had already secured the series title after Saturday’s second race, but the battle for the remaining championship podium positions remained wide open, with Maxim Dacher, Philipp Dietrich, Alex Gustafsson and Patricija Stalidzane all in contention.
In Qualifying, it was once again Latvian racer Patricija Stalidzane who set the pace. After making history on Saturday as the first-ever female pole sitter – and doing so with the largest pole margin in series history at seven tenths of a second – Stalidzane impressed again by securing her second pole position of the weekend.
Long-awaited win for Stalidzane
Stalidzane battled for victory with championship rival Alex Gustafsson throughout Race 3, ultimately securing her first-ever NXT Gen Cup win – exactly one year after claiming her maiden podium at the Sachsenring ahead of Alex Gustafsson and newcomer Finn Mache.
“Finally my first win – from pole to victory. I didn’t even need to use my push-to-pass at the end. I’m really happy. It felt like it was now or never,” said Patricija Stalidzane.
Alex Gustafsson, Patricija Stalidzane, Finn Mache (Photo: Alexander Treinitz)
The 100% electric junior touring car championship delivered a spectacular finale, as the fourth and final race of the weekend produced a jaw-dropping finish with three cars going door-to-door across the line. German rookie Maxim Dacher claimed his third win of the season – and second at his home track, Sachsenring – securing the runner-up spot in the NXT Gen Cup standings and sealing the top rookie title.
“It was a crazy race – finishing the final race of the season, at my home track, in first place feels really special. Ending up second in the championship means a lot to me. I’m the top rookie, and I’m really happy with the result. Now I need to find some new sponsors and more budget – and maybe I’ll be back next year,” said Maxim Dacher.
Lukas Stiefelhagen, Maxim Dacher, Patricija Stalidzane (Photo: Sebastian Jansson)
2025 champion Lukas Stiefelhagen secured second place in Race 4, edging out Patricija Stalidzane by just 0.077 seconds.
“It’s great to finish the season on the podium. It was a crazy race, and I’m not quite sure what happened – but somehow, I ended up in second place. I’m really happy with the season overall and I think I can be proud of myself. Now we’ll shift focus to next season and see what we can do. I’d love to try out GT4,” said Lukas Stiefelhagen.
Alex Gustafsson secures third place in the championship
Alex Gustafsson, racing the Hankook supported LRT NXT1, climbed to third in the championship following his second-place finish in Race 3. The 18-year-old Swede secured his place on the overall podium by rounding off the season with a strong fourth in the final race.
“It’s amazing – I can’t describe the feeling of standing on the championship podium. This is something I’ve dreamed about. We started this journey in 2023, and now I’m here. It’s been full of ups and downs – especially after Norisring, when I was really low. But I managed to bounce back, and now I’m bringing the bronze home to Sweden,” said Alex Gustafsson.
An historic weekend at Sachsenring
The 2025 NXT Gen Cup season finale alongside the DTM at Sachsenring delivered action-packed racing and historic milestones — from Patricija Stalidzane’s pole positions, to Siri Hökfelt, driving the ABB-liveried car, becoming the series’ first-ever female race winner, and Lukas Stiefelhagen joining the list of champions, following in the footsteps of Elias Adestam (2023) and Calvin de Groot (2024).
With the season now concluded, NXT Gen Cup turns its attention to 18–20 September, when the championship will host a special Swedish Junior Championship race during the Grande Finale at Mantorp Park. Further information and driver announcements will be released in due course.
Championship standings
Top 5 after 14 races:
1. Lukas Stiefelhagen, 368 pts
2. Maxim Dacher, 283 pts
3. Alex Gustafsson, 234 pts
4. Patricija Stalidzane, 225 pts
5. Philipp Dietrich, 211 pts
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 organized 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.