Kai Storling, the award‑winning race engineer who partnered with Thomas Preining to clinch the 2023 DTM title, has officially left Porsche’s Manthey team to become Operations Manager at SSR Performance.
Preining acknowledges the change but trusts the transition
Thomas Preining, speaking to ran.de, said the separation is “normal in the professional world,” adding that while he would have preferred continuity, he respects Storling’s decision. He also confirmed that a competent replacement has already been identified to keep the DTM programme running smoothly.
Patrick Arkenau assumes race‑engineer duties
Manthey answered a query from Motorsport‑Total.com, confirming that Head of Racing Patrick Arkenau will now serve as Preining’s race engineer. Arkenau, who also fills the role of Team Principal for the DTM effort, has overseen technical direction for years and is regarded as one of the paddock’s top engineers.
Storling joins former rival SSR Performance
After seven and a half years with Manthey, Storling moves to Munich to lead daily operations at SSR Performance, a company that once contested Manthey on the track. SSR announced that he will start on 1 June 2026, bringing his mechanical‑engineering background and extensive motorsport experience to a facility focused on vehicle‑development services.
SSR boss Stefan Schlund highlighted Storling’s expertise in software, hardware, powertrain, damper and axle‑kinematics development, stressing that his “stress‑resistant, cool‑headed” approach will benefit clients.
Impact on Manthey’s DTM campaign
With Arkenau now integrating directly into the race‑engineer role, Manthey avoids a mid‑season disruption. The swift internal promotion ensures that Preining retains a familiar technical partner while the team adapts to Storling’s departure.
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