DTM – Wittmann winner, Rast champion at Hockenheim

Four drivers could still claim the title DTM on the eve of the final race of the season, contested on the Hockenheim track (Germany): Mattias Ekström (Audi) had a nine-point lead over Jamie Green (Audi), 11 over René Rast (Audi) , and 20 on Mike Rockenfeller (also Audi).

The task looked tough for the Swede, who had to start from the second half of the grid, 14th. For René Rast, on the other hand, he could not hope for a better qualification, since he placed his Audi RS5 on the first row. The former winner of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps in GT3 allowed himself to be overtaken by the BMW of Marco Wittmann at the start, while pole sitter Tom Blomqvist (BMW) ruined his hopes of victory by colliding roughly with the Mercedes by Robert Wickens. Both men were forced to give up. 

For his part, Mattias Ekström tried to move up the peloton, but he came up against the seventh place of Augusto Farfus (BMW). In these conditions, it was impossible for the 2016 World RX champion to be crowned, especially as Jamie Green (5th) and Mike Rockenfeller (3rd) were also racing in front of him. And while Marco Wittmann scored a first saving victory this year, René Rast was exultant in his cockpit. For his year of discovery in DTM, he hits the jackpot! French Loïc duval (Audi) closes its first year of DTM with a 15th place.