Preining Replaces COVID-Positive Cairoli at Dinamic

Thomas Preining has been given a late call-up drive for Dinamic Motorsport at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa after Matteo Cairoli tested positive for coronavirus.

Cairoli confirmed on social media that he will not take part in this weekend’s race following the positive test, while Porsche announced that factory driver Preining will replace the Italian.

Preining is set to share the No. 54 Porsche 911 GT3 R with Come Ledogar and Klaus Bachler, who were joined by Cairoli for the first two rounds of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup season at Imola and Paul Ricard.

“Sad and disappointed to announce that I won’t be able to take part at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa as I tested positive for the first time over 300-plus PCRs, unfortunately in the worst possible moment,” Cairoli said on Instagram.

“Feeling quite bad right now, but I will be back. Wish best of luck to Dinamic Motorsport and all the Porsche teams.”

Preining drove for Dinamic at the Nürburgring 24 in May, but that was the Austrian’s only previous race outing for the Italian team.

The 24-year-old currently competes in the DTM with KÜS Team Bernhard and claimed his maiden series victory during the most recent round at the Norisring.

Preining last contested the 24 Hours of Spa in 2020, when he put GPX Racing’s No. 40 Porsche on the third row of the grid and went on to finish 11th alongside Romain Dumas and Louis Deletraz.