Manthey explains Feller struggle in teammate duel: "Same as with Guven"
After five of eight DTM weekends, a clear internal hierarchy has emerged at Porsche top team Manthey. Thomas Preining, who has been with the team since 2022 and became champion in 2023, clearly has the upper hand over newcomer Ricardo Feller, leading the qualifying head-to-head 10-0. Preining also holds a significant lead in the overall standings, sitting in fourth place with 117 points compared…
In the first five DTM weekends, the Manthey team has seen a clear hierarchy emerge, with Thomas Preining, a veteran of the team since 2022 and 2023 champion, leading Ricardo Feller in head-to-head qualifying. Preining also enjoys a significant lead in the overall standings with 117 points, while Feller sits at 14th with 64 points.
Patrick Arkenau, Head of Track Operations at Manthey, expressed satisfaction with Feller's progress, stating that the team's expectations have been met or even surpassed. Feller, who joined the Porsche roster just over a year ago, has become accustomed to the team's working style and competitive environment.
Arkenau explained that Feller's struggle to challenge Preining is not unexpected, given the challenges of entering an established team with a strong track record. He pointed to Feller's experience with the Audi R8 LMS GT3 in 2024 as a factor in his adaptation period.
Manthey expects Feller to follow a similar development path to Ayhancan Guven, who also took time to fully integrate into the team and ultimately become DTM champion in 2025. The team anticipates Feller will be competitive by the end of the season and contend with Preining in the following year, mirroring Guven's progression from 2024 to 2025.
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