DTM Hockenheim: Engstler takes wet-weather pole, Preining keeps cool

A difficult tyre gamble in Saturday qualifying for the season finale at Hockenheim - because the track was wet at the start, which led some drivers to initially set a time on wet tyres and then switch to slicks: But that proved to be a poor choice, so they switched back again. The biggest surprise of all came from Abt-Lamborghini driver Luca Engstler, who took pole with a 1:47.048.

"Awesome!" the Lamborghini youngster tells ran.de, delighted with his first DTM pole. "That's something that was still missing after my two wins." Landgraf-Mercedes driver Lucas Auer was second, 0.407 seconds slower, and banged in his lap time at the last moment.

The Austrian, who is relying on mistakes from the favourites in the title fight, cuts his deficit in the overall standings to 44 points - with 53 points still up for grabs. And compared with last year, when he went into the finale as the favourite, he appears relaxed. "This year there is nothing to calculate. I have to win - and that's what I will try to do," he says with firm determination.

But DTM leader and title favourite Thomas Preining (+0.459) also took a point in third, even though his final lap time was deleted for track limits. With his 1:47.318, Preining would even have been second.

The Manthey Porsche driver therefore produced a strong performance, even though his strategy initially did not seem to be working out: After a first attempt on wet tyres, Preining switched to slicks, but like his rivals he could not get them up to temperature in the wet and cool conditions of twelve degrees. When his team fitted wet tyres again shortly before the end, the slicks were not even steaming.

Abt driver Luca Engstler took his first pole in DTM

With a win this afternoon, Preining could already seal the title today. "I've been racing in the DTM for five years now, I've won ten races - that shows how difficult it is," Preining makes clear on ran.de that the task should nevertheless not be underestimated.

Especially as he expects dry conditions in the afternoon. "So it will also be a pace race. Let's see where we stand. But fundamentally, P3 is a great starting position. Hopefully we can make something of it."

Fourth went to Emil-Frey-Ferrari driver Thierry Vermeulen (+0.663), who clearly showed that he is fit after his injury during the celebration jump in Barcelona a week ago. Preining's Manthey team-mate Ricardo Feller (+0.747) ended up fifth.

Where did Preining's challengers in the title fight end up? Winward-Mercedes driver Maro Engel, who initially gambled entirely on slicks, could do no better than seventh, 0.939 seconds off. As a result, he is now 24 points behind in the overall standings.

"There really wasn't much more in it," the 41-year-old says on ran.de. "We were in a good position. The strategy worked out well, the right tyre, but I simply didn't have any more grip. I have to look at it again and analyse whether it might have been the tyre pressure - or what it was." Although Preining starts ahead of him, Engel is not giving up: "A lot can happen here."

Engel probably cannot expect help from his team-mate Jules Gounon: The "Mamba" driver endured a frustrating qualifying and, 4.989 seconds off, finished only 20th and second-last.

Things went even worse for Schubert-BMW driver Marco Wittmann: The two-time DTM champion was 11th, 1.381 seconds off. He used the same strategy as Engel and gambled on slicks from the start. Only later did he have wet tyres fitted. His deficit in the standings grew to 25 points as a result of Preining's third place.

Was the tactic unfavourable? "I don't think it made any difference in the end," Wittmann replies on ran.de. "Kelvin ran the other strategy and started on the wet tyre - and in the end we are 11th and 12th. They are simply the worst conditions for us with the BMW - in these half-wet conditions with the wet tyre," he explains.

"We would have needed another five minutes to get the slick working - then it would have looked good," believes Wittmann, who now wants to try everything to finish ahead of Preining in the race. Because that is the only way he can keep his title chances alive.

Title outsiders Matteo Cairoli and Nicki Thiim did not end up at the front: The Emil-Frey-Ferrari driver was 13th, 1.462 seconds off, while the Comtoyou-Aston-Martin driver could manage only 15th, 1.857 seconds down.

They have to hope for Preining to retire in Saturday's race, which as usual starts at 13:30 (all information on TV times, stream etc.). But the championship celebrations may possibly begin as early as the afternoon - with Preining crowning himself DTM champion early at Hockenheim for the second time since 2023.

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