Photo: DTM Media

Mike Rockenfeller gets Race 2 pole in ever changing qualifying session

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Audi Sport Team Phoenix driver Mike Rockenfeller will start the second race of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters this weekend in Hockenheim from pole position, after a session with constant falling lap times.

The weather was a very key actor this morning in Hockenheim, as the DTM drivers set off for the deciding 20 minutes to configure the grid for Race 2. The morning warm up had taken place on a wet and drying track and no rain had fallen on the track all morning.

Drivers were eager to get out and evaluate the track conditions. Most of them did so in wet tyres. Bruno Spengler stayed out, clocking a first reference time of 1:45.210.

Most drivers had used their slicks freely yesterday expecting rain today, so few of them had any unused sets. Tyre management and on track positioning was key. Another added element was that, with the rain expected for the afternoon race, the DTM drivers were using slicks on a wet setup.

Top positions changed rapidly throughout the session, with a new reference time being set almost every time a driver crossed the start/finish line.

Mercedes’ Gary Paffett and Robert Wickens seemed to have the session under control, but Audi’s men mounted their last set of slicks for their final run, having an advantage for it.

Mike Rockenfeller was fastest in the end, with a best laptime of 1:34.516, just 2.5 seconds slower than yesterday’s pole position. Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Miguel Molina was second, just 0.030 seconds off the pace. However, the Spaniard faces a 3-position penalty on today’s grid, after a collision with António Félix Da Costa in yesterday’s race.

Mattias Elström was third in his RS 5 DTM, 0.205 seconds away from Rocky. Marco Wittmann, who had an off track excursion exiting the Sachs corner, was fourth fastest in his BMW M4 DTM,

Edoardo Mortara was fifth for Audi, followed by BMW’s Martin Tomczyk and António Félix Da Costa.

Gary Paffett was the best Mercedes in eighth position, 0.754 seconds behind Rockenfeller, with Maxime Martin and Robert Wickens completing the top ten.

Paul Di Resta, who had been quick at the beginning of the session, could only manage to ginish 12th, whilst yesterday’s winner, Audi’s Jamie Green, had no unused slicks and could only be 19th for the grid.

The race start is scheduled for 13:43 CEST (GMT + 2).