DTM Hockenheim: Auer wins after title drama and Engstler crash

Lucas Auer secured a thrilling victory at the first DTM race at Hockenheim, edging out Thomas Preining early in the championship race. Maro Engel suffered a dramatic setback, losing victory due to a pit stop mishap. Mirko Bortolotti of Grasser-Lamborghini claimed second place, followed by Marco Wittmann in Schubert-BMW, who retains his title aspirations with a third-place finish. Despite his win, Auer is now out of the title fight.

Thomas Preining's hopes for the title were dashed at the start of the race. A collision between Ricardo Feller of Manthey-Porsche and Thierry Vermeulen of Emil-Frey-Ferrari led to chaos, with Preining sliding into Auer's Porsche. The Dutch driver received a penalty, finishing the race last. Preining's championship lead was also compromised when he inadvertently veered off into the grass at the Parabolika corner.

Maro Engel, the two-time champion, had a near-perfect start, climbing from seventh to third place. Marco Wittmann capitalized on the chaos to climb into the top 10. Polesitter Luca Engstler survived a heavy accident at the second corner, only to lose control of his Abt-Lamborghini and hit the wall. After a brief safety car period, racing resumed, with Engstler coming through unscathed.

Auer made a late push on Engstler for the lead but lost control at the hairpin, dropping back to second place. The title battle now hinges on a final showdown between Preining, Engel, and Wittmann, with all drivers acknowledging that anything can happen until the last lap.