Preining arrived at the final race with the advantage and managed the championship situation cleanly, avoiding unnecessary risk as Engel did everything required at the front.
Ricardo Feller finished second after Preining allowed his Manthey teammate through on the final lap, completing a strong result for Porsche as the Austrian secured the second DTM title of his career.
Engel Keeps Title Hopes Alive From the Start
Engel entered the finale needing victory to retain any realistic chance of taking the championship.
Starting third, the Winward Mercedes driver moved into second on the opening lap behind polesitter Bastian Buus.
Preining also made an excellent start. From seventh on the grid, he gained several positions through the opening corners and quickly moved into third, placing himself in exactly the position he needed.
Feller followed closely behind, while Marco Wittmann also progressed through the midfield but was unable to move into a position where he could influence the title fight.
Gounon Retirement Leaves Engel Alone at the Front
Engel lost potential support early when teammate Jules Gounon retired at the end of the opening lap following contact with Thierry Vermeulen.
That left Engel as the only Mercedes-AMG driver in the leading group. As the opening stint developed, he closed steadily on Buus. The battle intensified before the first round of pit stops, with Preining and Feller also joining the lead group to create a four-car fight at the front.
Engel Takes the Lead Before First Pit Stop
Engel eventually attacked Buus and completed the move after contact between the two cars. The pass promoted Engel into the lead, while Buus dropped behind Preining before making his first mandatory stop. Preining then began applying pressure to Engel. Manthey brought Preining in first, attempting to use the undercut, but Winward responded one lap later with a clean stop. Engel retained the lead after the pit cycle.
Preining Focuses on the Championship
Once the order settled, Preining shifted into championship management. With Feller directly behind and Buus also running in the lead group, the Austrian had little reason to take unnecessary risks. Engel gradually extended his advantage to around four seconds before the second stop phase.
Light rain arrived during the second pit window but never became strong enough to force a switch to wet tyres. Preining again stopped one lap before Engel, but the second pit cycle changed nothing. Engel remained in front, while Preining returned in a secure second position.
Feller Moves Ahead on Final Lap
In the closing stages, Feller had more pace than his teammate but did not attack. Preining maintained the position required to secure the championship before allowing Feller through on the final lap. That left Engel to win the race ahead of Feller, with Preining third.
Buus finished fourth, followed by Ben Dorr in fifth. Matteo Cairoli took sixth ahead of Wittmann, with Arjun Maini, Marco Mapelli and Mirko Bortolotti completing the top 10.
Preining Claims Second DTM Crown
Third place was enough for Preining to secure the 2026 championship, adding a second DTM title to the one he won in 2023.
Engel finished the season as runner-up despite winning the finale.
Manthey also secured the teams’ championship ahead of Winward and Schubert, while Mercedes-AMG took the manufacturers’ title.
Porsche finished second in the manufacturers’ standings, followed by BMW and Ferrari.
Preining’s final race was defined by control rather than attack.
He made the positions he needed at the start, stayed clear of trouble through both pit cycles and resisted the temptation to chase Engel when the championship no longer required it.
Engel won the race. Preining won the season.
Watch the 2026 DTM Hockenheimring highlights here.
