After five weekends in the DTM competition, a clear internal hierarchy has been established within the Manthey team. Driver Thomas Preining, who has been with the team since 2022 and is the 2023 champion, enjoys an undisputed superiority over his teammate Ricardo Feller, with a qualifying balance of 10-0. Moreover, Preining is in fourth place in the overall standings with 117 points, while Feller is in 14th place with only 64 points.
The track operations manager of Manthey, Patrick Arkenau, has commented on Feller’s situation, as he must secure a spot as the successor to champion Ayhancan Guven. “We are very pleased with his development; this was clear to us from the beginning,” he stated. Arkenau defends Feller, who joined Porsche just over a year ago, emphasizing that his adaptation to the system may require time.
According to Arkenau, Feller was not expected to surpass Preining immediately. “We know that entering this environment is complicated, both in terms of work and strategy,” he explained. Preining, now in his fourth year with Manthey, has reached a level of experience that allows him to compete with great confidence and fluidity.
Preining’s experience with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo has also been a determining factor. Feller, who previously drove the Audi R8 LMS GT3, needs to develop a new driving style to adapt to the unique design of the Porsche, which can be challenging for many novice drivers.
Arkenau anticipates that Feller will experience growth similar to that of Guven, who achieved his first podiums at the end of the 2024 season. “We see a clear trend of growth with Ricardo and hope that by the end of the season he will be absolutely competitive, matching Tommy,” he asserted. With two competitive drivers for the upcoming season, Manthey hopes to attack the championship again with two strong options.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
