Thomas Preining claimed a second DTM championship title when he crossed the line at Hockenheim in third place—a finish that proved enough to seal the season, despite a late foot cramp on the final lap.
A Title Secured in a Surge of Speed
The Austrian battled from seventh on the grid to lead the front five by the end of the first lap, never pushing hard after the start but instead skillfully slipping past competitors as the field stalled into traffic.
After an early pit stop that kept him on used tyres, Preining jumped from fourth to third, behind only Maro Engel and Lucas Auer, both huddling for the title with the season closed.
Strategic Moves and Team Backing
His Manthey Porsche teammates had split tyre duties; while Engel received fresh rubber in the middle stint, Preining chose to stay on the worn set, believing protection, not sheer speed, mattered most on the last day.
Ricardo Feller, running a matched tyre strategy, avoided any attack on Preining, allowing the title holder to focus on defending his position rather than pursuing the leaders.
Preining later remarked that the teammate’s support made the remainder of the race “much calmer,” a sentiment that contrasted sharply with the fierce Mercedes back‑up squad that breached his line.
The Cramp and the Come‑Off
On the penultimate lap, Preining blamed a sudden foot cramp for letting Feller overtake him; the Swiss driver seized the slip, moving from third to second as the corner closed.
Preining denied any deliberate hand‑off, asserting that his lead was so vast that even a 10th‑place finish would have secured the drivers’ standings.
Feller accepted the pass, thanking the moment “as it came,” and finished with 20 points, though the shift carried no championship implications, leaving the season’s focus firmly on Preining.
With the title now firmly in his grasp, Preining reflects on a year of strategic racing and reliable team dynamics that aided his championship campaign—an achievement that will resonate across the DTM circuit.
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