Sports · Motorsport · 1 hr ago
Engel wins DTM finale but finishes 12 points behind champion Preining
Maro Engel, driving a Mercedes, won the DTM season finale at Hockenheim.
The race decided the championship, but Engel’s win was not enough: he finished 12 points behind Thomas Preining, who took the title with third place.
Engel said Porsche drivers made his race difficult, especially early on.
He passed Ricardo Feller on the opening lap and later fought past Bastian Buus, with contact in both battles.
Engel and Buus disagreed about whether their on-track contact was fair.
Feller said he did not want to influence the championship and let Preining pass.
The race ended with Engel as runner-up in the championship and Preining as its new champion.
Maro Engel won the DTM season finale at Hockenheim but finished 12 points behind champion Thomas Preining.
Preining secured the title with a third-place finish.
Engel said Porsche drivers made his race difficult, particularly in the early stages.
Engel passed Ricardo Feller on the first lap and fought past Bastian Buus on lap 10.
Buus and Engel disagreed over whether their contact during the pass was avoidable.
- Who
- Maro Engel won the race, and Thomas Preining became champion.
- What
- Engel won the DTM finale but finished 12 points behind Preining in the championship.
- When
- The finale took place on the date of the article, October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Hockenheim, Germany.
- Why
- Preining finished third, enough to secure the title while Engel’s race win left him 12 points short.
Maro Engel
Bastian Buus
Lap 10 contact
Maro Engel
Engel said Buus turned in as if Engel was not there.
Bastian Buus
Buus said Engel braked late on the inside and that Buus was nearly off track.
Was the move fair?
Maro Engel
Engel said he left room and fought his way past.
Bastian Buus
Buus said the judges should decide whether the move was fair.
But these guys showed a very strong performance today and made my life very difficult.
It has to be fair for everyone, because the rules are the rules.
I wanted to stay out of the championship - not to play any role to destroy anyone's race.
He had to go for the move.
Engel said he had previously experienced hard attacks and contact there.
Engel referred to an ordered position swap involving Buus.
Engel passed Feller on the straight before the Motodrom.
Engel fought past Buus in the Mercedes-Arena, and the two made contact.
Engel won, Preining finished third and secured the title, 12 points ahead of Engel.
- Race winner
- Maro Engel
- Champion
- Thomas Preining
- Championship gap
- 12 points
- Race venue
- Hockenheim
- Engel’s pass of Buus
- Lap 10
- Preining’s finish
- Third
Sources
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