Norisring expert Jamie Green took a spectacular last lap victory at Norisring. The Mercedes driver denied Martin Tomczyk to his first win for BMW with brave move in the very last corner of the race.
Green went to third to first in just two laps at the very end of the race. The Mercedes driver held a superior pace after the final pitstop and stormed past Bruno Spengler for second with two laps left. Green then closed quickly in on Tomczyk who looked set for victory until Green threw his car on the inside in the very last corner and got past with some contact with the BMW driver. A very angry and disappointed Tomczyk instead had to settle for second ahead of Spengler in third.
The race started in the usual frantic style with the safety car being called out on lap two. Seven cars spun in the first corner, leaving Ralf Schumacher as a surprised leader of the race.
Gary Paffett was one of the drivers to spin in the first corner, having to fight his way back all through the race and finally finishing fourth, saving valuable points for the championship.
Mattias Ekström, second in the championship ahead of the race, was not so lucky and was forced to retire after being punted off by BMW’s Augusto Farfus Jr. The incident meant that Ekström speered in to eventual race winner Green who in his turn turned around Paffett. Farfus had to retire from the damage sustained in the first corner incident a couple of laps later.
Schumacher dropped back during the race to later pit and retire the race due to technical problems.
The race was held in greasy conditions, but with a drying line starting to emerge towards the end of the race. Some drivers gambled on slicks in the final pitstops, a strategy which did not pay off.
David Coulthard had his so far best DTM result in fifth ahead of top Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller in sixth. Andy Priaulx came home in seventh ahead of Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens. Dirk Werner was final driver in the top ten for BMW.
Paffett still holds the championship lead on 95 points, but with Green as new second in the championship on 69 points. Spengler has climbed to third on 58 points with Tomczyk fourth on 54 while retiree Ekström dropping to fifth from second on 47 points.
