Bruno Spengler quickest in Moscow Raceway FP1
BMW’s Bruno Spengler has taken fastest time in the practice session for the the DTM’s debut in Moscow Raceway.
The reigning DTM champion set a fastest time of 0.58.666 seconds around the Moscow Raceway circuit, to vault ahead of Audi’s Mattias Ekström in the closing minutes of the session, which was characterised by one second separating all 22 drivers.
Filipe Albuquerque was third behind his stable-mate, and lead an Audi 1-2-3 ahead of Molina, Mortara and drivers’ championship leader, Mike Rockenfeller, to make it five Ingolstadt cars in the top-six.
Timo Scheider again underlined Audi’s strong pace around the 2.5 kilometre circuit after finishing the morning seventh, despite going straight on at Turn 1.
Dirk Werner was the second best placed BMW behind Spengler in eighth, ahead of Joey Hand in ninth.
HWA Mercedes’ Robert Wickens was the highest placed representative for the three pointed star in 10th, despite spinning at Turn 3.
The next best placed Mercedes driver was DTM rookie, Pascal Wehrlein, in 13th.
Further down the field, Augusto Farfus, Martin Tomczyk and Timo Glock, made it a BMW 1-2-3 in 14th to 16th, whilst Roberto Merhi and Andy Priaulx were at the bottom of the time sheets.
Notable incidents in the session were Gary Paffett having to take to the pits to have the air-intake on his Mercedes C-Coupe cleared after he ran wide, whilst Christian Vietoris, Jamie Green and Priaulx also had off-road moments, but escaped unscathed.
