The last qualifying session of the DTM in Hockenheim was full of surprises, marked by changing weather that complicated teams’ strategies. Porsche driver Bastian Buus took pole with a time of 1:36.923, surpassing his brand teammate, Ricardo Feller, who finished just six thousandths behind. Thomas Preining, the current championship leader, ended up in seventh place, a situation that complicates his title chances.
After the session, Buus expressed surprise at his success: ‘Honestly, I didn’t expect it. It has been a season full of ups and downs, so it’s fantastic that we finally managed to put everything together for this qualifying.’
Preining, who was considered the favorite, finished 0.306 seconds off pole, while Maro Engel, much less expected, achieved a third position and reduced his difference to 21 points from the leader. Engel, satisfied with his time, said that his strategy is now focused on winning the race.
Despite his seventh position, Preining remains optimistic: ‘It could have been worse. We had a small issue during warm-up, but we still have a result to work with.’ He adds that there is no rush and that the important thing is to stay ahead during the race.
In the third row of the grid, teammates from Emil Frey Ferrari, Matteo Cairoli and Thierry Vermeulen, also surpassed Preining. Marco Mapelli, with his Lamborghini, will start in eighth position, after his teammate, Luca Engstler, was forced to retire due to an accident on Saturday.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Marco Wittmann finished in sixteenth place, far from expectations, and acknowledged that it is not satisfactory. The race, which will start at 16:30 CEST, presents a challenge for all drivers, especially for those like him who need significant changes to keep title hopes alive.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
