Thomas Preining made the perfect start to his 2026 DTM campaign, as he claimed victory in Race 1 at the Red Bull Ring in front of a home crowd. The Austrian led a dominant 1-2 for his country, finishing ahead of Lucas Auer, while pole-sitter Maro Engel completed the podium.
Preining controlled the race when it mattered most, using strategy and execution to overturn Engel’s early advantage and secure his ninth DTM victory.
A hard-fought race decided in the pits
Engel led the field from pole at the start, while Preining quickly moved into second after overtaking Auer. The Manthey Porsche driver pushed throughout the opening stint but struggled to close the gap to the leading Mercedes.
“Good day, of course, perfect start to the season, couldn’t ask for more,” Preining said to the media after the race. “It was a tough first half of the race. I was trying my best to catch Maro, but he did a phenomenal job and was driving really well, and I couldn’t get close enough.”
Preining instead relied on strategy to turn the race in his favour. A well-timed pit stop, combined with strong execution from his team, proved decisive.
“Big thanks to my team, the pit stop was fantastic and we picked the right lap for the strategy as well, so in the end everything worked out beautifully.”
He emerged from the pit cycle in the lead, removing the need to fight on track and allowing him to control the race from the front.
Strategy over raw pace
Preining admitted that he had little room to manoeuvre in the opening phase, especially after an early safety car limited strategic options.
“In the end there was not much strategy at that point. Obviously there was the early safety car, so it was a short first stint or the possibility of a short first stint if they came in early and we had to react. In the end I was just pushing flat out until the pit stop and I was just not able to catch him.”
Once he took the lead, however, the race shifted in his favour.
“We came out P1 after the pit stop so I didn’t have to fight anybody, so it was perfect until obviously Luki came at the end.”
Late pressure from Auer adds tension
Although Preining controlled much of the second half of the race, Auer applied heavy pressure in the closing stages. The Mercedes-AMG driver showed strong pace and closed the gap rapidly, particularly after clearing traffic.
“Lucas was closing in at the end, he tried to send it, but luckily, I managed to fend him off,” Preining explained. “I was quite happy when it was over early, because Lucas had some really strong pace at the end.”
A late safety car ultimately removed the chance of a final-lap attack, something Preining admitted worked in his favour.
“Until it was confirmed that there was no restart, I was not ready to calm down or relax. In the end I was quite happy when it was over early.”
New tyre adds complexity to the race
The introduction of a new Pirelli tyre added another layer of challenge to the season opener. Preining welcomed the change and highlighted its impact on strategy and racing.
“Really good. In the end the target was to have a tyre that warms up faster, that there is more strategy involvement and that there is more exciting racing after the pit stops as well, so I think in that regard they fully achieved the target.”
He also noted that the tyre behaved consistently over longer runs, despite limited preparation time.
“In terms of degradation it was completely normal. It’s a good first sign. Still lots to learn, it’s new for everybody, so we keep studying the tyre and taking our learnings.”
A perfect start, but eyes on the bigger picture
Despite the DTM Red Bull Ring Race 1 victory, Preining remained cautious about the championship fight ahead, acknowledging the strength of his rivals.
“In the end Jules [Gounon] was more or less similar pace as me for 15 laps after the pit stops, so I had no idea that Lucas could go that much quicker,” he said. “As soon as he passed him he showed what they were able to do.”
He added, “It’s difficult to defend against that much pace. In the end it was only one or two laps to go, so you might always be able to bring it over the line somehow.”
The Austrian also kept the wider season in perspective.
“We still obviously have 15 races ahead, but it’s a perfect start to the season and especially on home ground I couldn’t ask for more.”
Home victory sets the tone for 2026
Preining’s victory marked a dream start to the 2026 season, particularly in front of his home crowd. His combination of racecraft, strategy and composure proved decisive in a race shaped by fine margins.
“I couldn’t be happier. From exactly these moments you dream as a racing driver. To win in front of my family and many friends feels incredible.”
With momentum now firmly on his side, Preining heads into the remainder of the weekend as one of the drivers to beat.
