Engel Clinches Victory at Hockenheim; Preining Secures DTM Title
Hockenheim, Germany – Maro Engel of Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol clinched victory in the final race of the 2026 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) season, while Thomas Preining of Manthey Racing secured his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship.
Preining entered the season finale at Hockenheim holding a 20-point lead over Marco Wittmann of Schubert Motorsport, with Engel trailing by just two points. Qualifying positioned Engel in third, earning him a point, while Preining started seventh and Wittmann faced a challenging 17th position.
The race began with Engel quickly moving into second behind pole sitter Bastian Buus. Preining ascended to third by overtaking Ricardo Feller and Ben Dörr. Engel took the lead at Turn 8 prior to the first pit stop, maintaining his position through the mandatory stops despite a late challenge from Buus.
In the closing stages, Engel extended his lead to over three seconds, finishing decisively to secure his third win of the season.
“I gave it my all and left no stone unturned. At the end of the day, we unfortunately had dropped a few too many points,” said Engel. He also celebrated Mercedes-AMG’s third consecutive Manufacturers’ title and 17th overall.
Preining, who finished third after being overtaken by Feller on the final lap, expressed his elation: “That is one of the best moments of my life.” He finished on the podium in seven of the last eight races this season.
Bastian Buus finished fourth for Land-Motorsport, marking his best result of the season, followed by Dörr in fifth and Matteo Cairoli of Emil Frey Racing in sixth. After a strong debut season, Tom Kalender of Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf secured the Rookie of the Year title, finishing 15th.
Final Standings:
- Maro Engel (Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol)
- Bastian Buus (Land-Motorsport)
- Thomas Preining (Manthey Racing)
- Ricardo Feller (Manthey Racing)
- Ben Dörr (Dörr Motorsport)
- Matteo Cairoli (Emil Frey Racing)
The 2026 DTM season concludes with high stakes and heightened anticipation for the next championship series.
