DTM Hockenheim finale: Preining title favourite, 9-11 October
The newsroomUpdated on October 7, 20264 minDTM 2026 finale at Hockenheim: Preining (Manthey-Porsche) leads Engel by 23 points and Wittmann by 24. What is at stake, schedule and TV coverage.
Key point
Thomas Preining (Manthey-Porsche) heads into the DTM finale at Hockenheim with a 23-point lead, but 56 points are available and six drivers can still win the title in theory.
Thomas Preining (Manthey-Porsche) goes into the finale of the 2026 DTM championship at the Hockenheimring, from 9 to 11 October, with a 23-point lead over Maro Engel (Winward-Mercedes) and 24 over Marco Wittmann (Schubert-BMW). The 2023 champion arrives as the big favourite after six podiums in a row. But the title is not decided yet.
The standings before the finale
Among the drivers, Preining has 197 points, against 174 for Engel and 173 for Wittmann. In the teams' standings, Manthey EMA leads with 282 points, ahead of Winward Racing (262) and Schubert Motorsport (249).
Six drivers still in the fight
The weekend offers 56 points in total. That means the top six in the overall standings arrive at Hockenheim with a theoretical chance of the title. Besides the three leaders, they are Lucas Auer (Landgraf-Mercedes), Matteo Cairoli (Emil-Frey-Ferrari), one of the season's rookies, and Nicki Thiim (Comtoyou-Aston Martin).
The Hockenheimring promises lively racing without favouring any particular car concept: on paper, all the GT3 cars should have comparable chances there.
Schedule and coverage
- Friday 9 October: two free practice sessions;
- Saturday 10 October: qualifying and race 1, starting at 13:30;
- Sunday 11 October: qualifying and race 2, starting at 16:30.
The last race starts later than usual: after the chequered flag, fans can walk onto the track and watch the new champion's podium ceremony. All sessions are streamed with German commentary on ran.de and Joyn, as well as on the DTM's YouTube channel. On free-to-air TV, ProSieben shows Saturday's race from 13:00 and Sunday's from 16:00; n-tv has a highlights programme on Sunday evening at 19:10. Times are German times.
A very varied field
The 2026 DTM brings together 21 drivers from 12 nations and eight manufacturers spread across eleven teams: Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Ford and Aston Martin. The Lamborghini Temerario GT3 is an all-new car this season. Equal chances are ensured by Balance of Performance, managed by the SRO Motorsports Group since 2023. The Land team switched from Audi to Porsche this year and has to measure itself against Manthey.
Special liveries at Manthey
Manthey celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026, and Preining's "Grello" car turns 10. For the occasion, the two Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Preining and team-mate Ricardo Feller carry special liveries, with a new streamline pattern.
Around the DTM
The weekend also hosts the finales of the ADAC GT Masters, ADAC GT4 Germany, the BMW M2 Cup and the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 DTM finale?
From 9 to 11 October 2026 at the Hockenheimring, with race 1 on Saturday at 13:30 and race 2 on Sunday at 16:30, German time.
Who can still be 2026 DTM champion?
Thomas Preining leads with 197 points, ahead of Maro Engel (174) and Marco Wittmann (173). With 56 points available, the top six in the standings have a theoretical chance.
Where can I watch the DTM finale on TV?
Free-to-air on ProSieben, and streamed on ran.de, Joyn and the DTM's YouTube channel, with German commentary.
Sources
- Motorsport.com — DTM Hockenheim finale: TV, livestream, schedule
- Motorsport-Magazin — DTM finale, standings and schedule
- Motorsport.com — Manthey brings special liveries to the title decider
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
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