Before the Spielberg race

DTM champion Preining: “I’m not messing around”

(Bild: ADAC Motorsport/Gruppe C GmbH)

Defending champion Thomas Preining is not doing so well in the DTM this year. With the Austrian fans behind him, he wants to get back on the road to success at the Red Bull Ring.

A year ago, Thomas Preining felt like laughing at the Red Bull Ring. Back then, the Upper Austrian had taken the lead in the overall standings with third place in the second race, which he would go on to win a month later. From Friday, the reigning champion will once again head to Spielberg for the DTM. However, there is not much left of the good feeling from last year.

"It's really difficult this year, we haven't had the pace to be right at the front once," admits Preining. "During the winter break, we worked in exactly the same way as last year and had every opportunity to make 2024 another great season. But we were mostly too slow."

Only success at the Lausitzring
The feeling of success was only there on one weekend this year. At the end of May, Preining took a win and a third place in his Porsche at the Lausitzring. Since then, the podium has remained a pipe dream, which is why the defending champion only comes to the Red Bull Ring in fifth place overall.

Preining celebrated a victory and a 3rd place at the Lausitzring(Bild: ADAC Motorsport/Gruppe C GmbH)

Mathematically, he still has a chance of winning the overall title again: "It's disappointing, but hope dies last!" After all, he drives with the necessary brains in the often fiercely contested championship and has not had a retirement since 2022: "I just don't do any nonsense in the car."

DTM schedule in Spielberg

Friday, September 27:
11.00 - 11.55 a.m.: 1st practice session
15.30 - 16.15: 2nd practice session
Saturday, September 28:
09.20 - 09.40: Qualifying 1
13.30 _ 14.30: Race 1
Sunday, September 29:
09.45 - 10.05: Qualifying 2
13.30 - 14.30: Race 2

The anticipation for the only home race for the Austrian DTM drivers is great: "Compared to the German drivers, we only have this one race, and the fans give us a lot in return. The races here are always exciting and it's easy to overtake. I like that," says Preining, who was the only Austrian to win a DTM race in Spielberg two years ago.