Thomas Preining finished ninth in the DTM race at Nuremberg, sparking fresh outrage over Porsche’s Balance of Performance adjustments.
BoP drama leaves the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo underpowered
The Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo was 30 kg lighter than at Saturday’s qualifying, yet it failed to improve grid position, dropping Preining from an 11th place start to 11th—an unchanged spot that belied the car’s lighter weight.
During the weekend the 43‑mm power restrictor grew 1.5 mm larger for the Porsche, while 30 kg of ballast was removed on Sunday. Teams still question whether the larger restrictor can deliver any extra horsepower, because the small Porsche boxer engine is already near its limit.
Despite the adjustments, the car remained the slowest on the Norisring straights, roughly 10 km/h behind the leading Ford Mustangs in top‑speed rankings.
Porsche’s aerodynamics and the Gurney flap cost straight‑line speed
The new Evo features a four‑millimeter Gurney flap on its rear wing, designed to increase downforce and widen the set‑up window. That gain, however, cuts top‑speed potential, a point Preining highlighted when he described the car as a “drone on a diet.”
His frustration grew further after a pit stop before a safety‑car incident pulled him from fourth place to ninth at the restart, allowing rivals to catch up despite his attempts to widen the car’s track.
Ongoing struggles with overtaking on short tracks
Preining, who has traditionally excelled in locks and overtakes, admitted he has yet to execute a single pass in the 2026 season. “I’ve done a lot of overtaking in my career; I consider myself the best overtaker in DTM. This year, zero attempts,” he said, noting the hopeless position the car occupies on tighter corners.
Future in question as team’s performance falters
The results from Nuremberg reinforce Preining’s concerns about the championship’s future. He mentioned the possibility of quitting just days before his flight back home, calling the season a “total fiasco” that threatens his place in DTM.
While the Porsche team cites tire strategy and other factors, the lingering doubt over BoP fairness and car performance remains at the heart of Preining’s doubts.
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