Thomas Preining – a profile of the 2023 DTM champion

Thomas Preining made history in Hockenheim. The high-flying Porsche driver became the first DTM champion from Austria in only his second season in the DTM, crowning an impressive year and adding a special chapter to his own CV and that of others around him. The Manthey EMA racer also achieved a historic triumph for Porsche: Preining’s virtuoso effort in 2023 ensured that the trophy cabinet of the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer will include the DTM trophy for the first time. “This is the biggest success of my career so far. I will remember that moment for the rest of my life. The DTM is the pinnacle for me. To end the season on top in this series means a huge amount to me,” said the newly-crowned champion.
 

Despite being just 25 years old – only five DTM champions have been younger in the past 20 seasons – Preining is far from shy. “I’m sure my overtaking manoeuvre came as something of a surprise, particularly as we had discussed it differently beforehand,” said the man from Linz, referring to his spectacular battle with René Rast at the Norisring. Rast was not only 12 years older, but, with three titles and 26 race wins to his name, is also one of the most successful drivers in the history of the DTM. However, Preining appeared unimpressed by this glorious CV and, in front of astonished crowds in the sold-out grandstands, took the unconventional route past Rast on the inside of the famous Grundig Hairpin, before going to take victory. It was a move that demanded absolute commitment and allowed no room for hesitation.

That unquestionable courage is something that has characterised Preining throughout his entire career. He first took his place behind the wheel of a kart at the age of just seven, on a family holiday in Mallorca. He has his father Andreas, who raced in the Motorcycle World Championship from 1989 to 1994 and earned international renown through his sponsorship from former porn star Dolly Buster, to thank for his early passion for the adrenalin rush you only get at the racetrack. As such, it should come as no surprise that son Thomas includes MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi among his childhood heroes, alongside seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher: “In my opinion, Rossi is an exceptional sportsman. He worked hard for and deserved everything he achieved in his career. His fan base is second to none.” As a six-year-old, Preining was given a mini bike by his father. However, he opted for four wheels instead of two and embarked on his own journey.

And he did so in an impressive manner: between 2009 and 2013 with Team TKP and JvD Tuning in the Rotax Max, Preining won no fewer than five junior championships on the karting scene, including races against the world’s best youngsters in Las Vegas and Le Mans. However, Preining discovered in 2015 just what a think line there is between being extraordinarily talented and seeing your career come to a sudden end. When one of his main sponsors withdrew their support, it brought an otherwise storybook career to a shuddering halt. The dream of becoming a professional racing driver threatened to come to a premature end. “That was a defining time for me,” Preining recalls. “It is not easy to deal with a situation like that, particularly when you are only 16 years old. I learned a lot about myself and noticed how important motorsport was to me.” Instead of taking to the track at circuits all over the world, Preining spent many hours in simulators or the gym. However, there was no question of the teenager giving up his big dream. An attitude that was to be rewarded.

Preining made his motorsport comeback in 2016. The Lechner played a key role in this. It was they who brought the young driver back to the racetrack, and with whom he still enjoys a close relationship to this day. Preining started for Lechner Racing in the ADAC Formula 4 championship, ending the season in an impressive fourth place. Two years later, the combination of Lechner Racing and Preining again yielded success. The youngster dominated the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland and won the title. And he did so under plenty of pressure: as a Porsche-supported junior, Preining had only managed seventh place in the one-make cup the previous season. At times, the talented sportsman appeared overconfident and was often his own worst enemy. That changed in 2018 when he switched to Walter Lechner Senior’s team. The experienced team principal, with whom Preining enjoyed an amicable relationship until his death in December 2020, was like a mentor to the Austrian. Out on the track, 19-year-old Preining drove like a man possessed and lived up to the high expectations. Nobody since has managed to surpass his ten victories that season. Strong nerves remain one of Preining’s special characteristics to this day.

Porsche recognised the potential and promoted Preining to the ranks of works driver in 2021, at the age of 22. Through the ADAC GT Masters, he made the step up to the DTM, where he was one of the few drivers still in contention to win the title at the finale of the 2022 season. However, a spectacular crash in the penultimate race dashed his hopes of lifting the DTM trophy that year. Despite this, Preining had already made history: he not only claimed his maiden DTM victory at the Norisring but also the first success for Porsche in the popular racing series. Anyone questioning just how important that victory was for the sports car manufacturer need look no further than the Porsche Museum, where the winning car is proudly displayed to this day.

Preining summed up the approach to the second DTM season in his usual confident manner: “The title was the goal from the word go.” His Porsche 911 GT3 R shone in the cult Grello design – one of the best-known Porsche liveries in the world and closely associated with the success enjoyed by the Manthey team on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. What could have been perceived as extra pressure proved to be a motivating factor for Preining. Despite a third place, the opening round in Oschersleben began with a bit of a blow. Preining looked certain to take victory until he was handed a penalty lap for an infringement by his crew during the tyre change. “That was perhaps the most important moment of the season,” said Preining, going on to explain: “The fact that we were able to hit the reset button together after this situation really strengthened our resolve for the rest of the year. You cannot be perfect in every race in the DTM. It is vital to come back stronger from setbacks. We did that superbly.”

All season, Preining showed an impressive degree of clarity, which is unusual for such a young driver. He managed to finish in the points in every race. “I always love a battle,” said Preining, who also recognizes a new maturity in his driving. “Over the winter, I worked hard on consistency, because that was an aspect I really wanted to improve. Nowadays, I can judge better when I need to take a calculated risk.” This new awareness, coupled with his courage and nerves of steel, took Preining to the DTM title in 2023 – the biggest success of his career so far. As well as victory at the Norisring and his brace of wins in Hockenheim, the 1.82-metre tall driver also claimed a further five podiums – more than any other racer. “I look back particularly fondly on the third place at my home event at the Red Bull Ring, because I could feel the incredible support of the Austrian fans there. That was really special,” recalls Preining, who regularly travels from his home city of Linz to Krakow to visit his girlfriend Olivia on his days off. Preining does not yet know what next season will bring. However, he does already have definite plans. “I obviously want to defend the DTM title,” he announced. He has already shown emphatically this season that he is able to back up his confident statements with top performances on the track.