Thomas Preining Reveals Rift With Maro Engel
Factory Porsche driver Thomas Preining has opened up about the reasons behind his strained relationship with Maro Engel, which has persisted for four years. The discussion surfaced on the Over the Limit podcast, hosted by Dries Vanthoor and his brother Laurens.
Playfully teased by Vanthoor with a pun on Engel’s surname, Preining recounted their early acquaintance: “I’ve known him for a long time. When I was a Porsche Junior, we shared a sponsor, Silberpfeil Energy, whose CEO, Robert Stasny, was also my manager. Back then, Engel was a role model. He was extremely professional, especially in how he managed sponsor commitments and presented himself for AMG.”
However, the relationship soured in 2021 during the ADAC GT Masters. Preining, in his second full season alongside Christian Engelhart for Timo Bernhard’s team, collided with Engel and Luca Stolz of Toksport-WRT Mercedes.
“In one race, he basically drove through me at the start. The car was completely broken, and he carried on. Afterwards, he went on TV and blamed me, which caused a huge media stir,” Preining explained. The incident, widely reported, involved Engel striking Preining’s car into the WRT Audi driven by Dries Vanthoor, earning Engel a drivethrough penalty that ultimately cost him and Stolz the championship.
Since that moment, the two have not exchanged words. “I haven’t spoken to him since then. Every time we meet on track, he’s still aggressive, especially in DTM. I respect hard racing, but when we’re side by side, he struggles to keep his steering steady,” Preining said.
Engel, when approached by Motorsport-Total.com, acknowledged Preining’s account but declined to elaborate: “Yes, it’s true, I tried to help Thomas Preining at the start of his career. His statements don’t surprise me.”
Despite the tension, Preining insists it does not affect his approach on track. “In racing, there are people you like and people you don’t. Some are easy to race against, others push boundaries. At the end of the day, you have to beat them all. That’s what matters,” he said.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Preining Age | 27 |
| Teams | Porsche Factory, Timo Bernhard Team |
| Key Incident | 2021 ADAC GT Masters Nürburgring collision |
| Engel Partner | Luca Stolz |
| Consequence | Engel received drivethrough penalty, lost championship |
| Years Without Contact | 4 |
| Preining Racing Philosophy | Compete against all, regardless of personal issues |
The feud underscores the fine line between respect and rivalry in top-level GT racing, highlighting that even former mentors can become on-track adversaries.
