Preining wins action-packed DTM race at Norisring

Thomas Preining has won the Saturday race during the DTM Norisring powered by BMW M event. As a result, the Austrian secured the maiden win for KÜS Team Bernhard and for Porsche in DTM. Preining won from Dennis Olsen with the SSR Performance Porsche who completed the 1-2 for the brand from Zuffenhausen. René Rast rounded out the podium by finishing third with the ABT Audi. Preining also posted the fastest race lap and scored the additional point for the Autohero Fastest Lap Award. The 23-year-old was overjoyed at the finish: “I can describe at all how I am feeling. We have to work all season to earn this, this victory is an immense relief.” Stalwart Rast was happy: “Today, just staying in the race somehow was key. I had a slow puncture almost throughout the race, I am very happy with the podium result. The fans got to see a lot of action today, that is what they came for.” Second-placed Norwegian Olsen was also very happy: “It is all very close in DTM. Securing a podium result here is super for me as a rookie.” In bright and sunny summer weather, 27 cars were on the grid at the narrow street circuit in Nuremberg, provided plenty of action and intense contact sport for the numerous fans at the track. Right after the start, there was contact in Turn 1 already and eventually, seven drivers had to park their cars, including points’ leader Sheldon van der Linde (RSA/Schubert BMW) and local hero Marco Wittmann (GER/Walkenhorst BMW). The Franconian was obviously disappointed: “For us, retiring in front of our fans in our home race is really sad for us.” After that, there was also a lot of turmoil at the tight circuit without any run-off area. The safety car was deployed three times after multiple incidents and there was also a full-course yellow phase. At the end of the action-packed race, eleven cars made it to the finish. In the drivers’ standings after seven of this season’s 16 races, Sheldon van der Linde remains in the lead with 80 points from Mirko Bortolotti (ITA/GRT Lamborghini) with 68 points. The new third-placed is DTM returnee Rast with 64 points while Nico Müller (SUI/Rosberg Audi) and Lucas Auer (AUT/WINWARD Mercedes-AMG) round out the top five. More action is to follow in DTM Norisring powered by BMW M on Sunday, with the race starting at 1.30pm again (live stream at grid.dtm.com).