Thomas Preining, who had warned of retirement after a challenging outing at Norisring, captured pole position at the Oschersleben circuit with a 1:21.862 lap, signalling a strong revival for Porsche.
When asked by ran.de, Preining expressed his enthusiasm: “It shows how quickly fortunes can shift. Oschersleben is a track we excel on, and I’m delighted to see us back among the front‑row paddles.”
Reflecting on the disappointment at Norisring, Preining said the setback “did not truly bite” and that he had moved on quickly thanks to the extreme nature of the situation.
Lamborghini and AMG Vying for Upper Ranks
In a sport where positions can change almost overnight, Luca Engstler of Abt Lamborghini surged to second with a 1.070‑second advantage, followed by Mercedes‑AMG codriver Maro Engel (+0.113) and Lucas Auer (+0.137). Engstler told ran.de, “This marks a bright start for the new Lamborghini Terrafior GT3. Although it’s been a mixed season, it’s encouraging to keep setting new highlights.”
Engel Narrowing the Gap to Thiim
Qualifying third, Maro Engel expressed satisfaction with the result, noting that his points lead over championship frontrunner Nicki Thiim has shrunk to eight. “We maximised the package today,” the Winward Mercedes driver told ran.de. “Thus far, Thomas and Porsche have dominated, so we’re pleased to see the gap remain comparatively small.”
Preining’s teammate Ricardo Feller finished eleventh, just 0.424 seconds behind, while Bastian Buus, struggling in the Land Porsche at Oschersleben, ended 14th, 0.568 seconds adrift.
Thiim Voicing Frustration Amid Performance Woes
Despite strong standings from Mercedes‑AMG competitors, DTM leader Nicki Thiim could only manage 18th, trailing by 0.803 seconds. “We didn’t get any量 superpower,” the Dane said to ran.de, citing BoP issues and criticism from colleagues. He added, “I’ve enjoyed reading the headlines about Preining and Wittmann’s apparent exits, and I’m tempted to consider my own future—perhaps even retirement—to see if I can shed weight and gain power.”
Thiim also expressed bitterness about being penalised on a track that requires “big balls,” lamenting that when other teams struggle, the resultant conclusions unfairly affect him, prompting thoughts of quitting in frustration.
BMW and Ferrari Hold Midfield Positions
At the local round, BMW drivers Marco Wittmann (+0.542) and Kelvin van der Linde (+0.621) failed to break into the frontrunners, finishing 13th and 15th respectively.
Emil Frey’s team managed an eighth‑place finish for Matteo Cairoli, who sits fourth in the championship and sits within striking distance of the top trio—Thiim, Engel, and Auer. Cairoli was 0.355 seconds off the pace, while teammate Thierry Vermeulen (+0.671) could not improve past 16th place.
