HOCKENHEIM, GERMANY — Thomas Preining laid down an unmistakable statement of intent ahead of the DTM season finale, sweeping Friday’s practice sessions at the Hockenheimring. Rain arrived over the 4.574 km circuit ahead of Free Practice 2, forcing the grid onto Pirelli wet tyres for a tricky 45-minute afternoon session through the Motodrom.
Regardless of the changing conditions, the Manthey EMA Porsche driver picked up right where he left off in the dry morning session. Navigating a slick surface, Preining mastered the wet track to top the timesheets once again, keeping his momentum rolling as he closes in on a second DTM title.
Title Rivals Off the Pace in Slippery Conditions
While Preining adapted seamlessly to the rain, his championship rivals found the going considerably tougher on the damp asphalt.
Maro Engel, sitting second in the championship standings, focused on finding consistency in his WINWARD Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 but struggled to match Preining’s ultimate single-lap pace in the wet. The German finished outside the top five as the Mercedes-AMG armada experimented with tire pressures to combat the lower track temperatures.
Marco Wittmann faced similar challenges in the Schubert Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. After strong top-three pace in the dry, Wittmann spent much of the session dialing in setup changes to address traction issues out of the hairpins, finishing further down the order.
Late Spins and Evolving Track
The wet session saw multiple drivers tests the limits of grip, with several cars sliding wide into the runoff areas at Turn 1 and through the technical stadium section. A late Yellow Zone was triggered when Grasser Racing’s Mirko Bortolotti lost the rear under braking into the hairpin, though the Lamborghini driver managed to rejoin without major damage.
With rain remaining a distinct threat for Saturday morning’s Qualifying 1 session, Preining’s ability to dominate in both bone-dry and heavily wet conditions firmly cements the Austrian as the man to beat heading into the crucial competitive sessions.