Photo: DTM Media

Marco Wittmann takes his second pole position of the season at Zolder

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BMW Motorsport were again in top form in this morning’s DTM qualifying session at Zolder, with Marco Wittmann taking his second pole position of the year. Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s René Rast claimed second, but with BMW placing all six cars in the top nine.

The session was held in dry but overcast conditions, with the entire field taking to the track at the green light.

Both R-Motorsport’s Paul di Resta, at the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage DTM, and Audi Sport Team Phoenix’s Mike Rockenfeller, driving his Audi RS 5 DTM, had their fastest laps deleted for cutting the chicane, the only incidents of the session.

Rockenfeller had a solitary first run in the middle of the session as the rest of the field took a recess after their first runs, with the 2013 champion coming for new tyres as he reported a faulty clutch. This caused “Rocky” to spin the rear wheels in the pit lane, with the Team Phoenix driver reported to the stewards for the incident.

The entire field returned to the track with five minutes to go, just enough time for two more flying laps.

BMW Motorsport Team RMG’s Wittmann stayed ahead with a fastest lap time of 1:21.307, with Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s Rast a close second, 0.042 seconds behind. Wittmann’s team-mate Bruno Spengler qualified in third position, albeit three-tenths off the pace.

The good pace shown by the M4 DTM drivers continued with Sheldon van der Linde qualifying in fourth position, 0.437 seconds off the pace, with Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline’s Robin Frijns next, six-tenths off the pace.

BMW placed Team RMG’s Timo Glock and Team’s RBM Philipp Eng next, with Audi Sport Team Abt Sportline’s Nico Müller in eighth place, 0.772 seconds behind Wittmann.

Team RBM’s Joel Eriksson was ninth just a further three thousandths behind, with Audi Sport Team Rosberg’s Jamie Green completing the top ten, 0.836 seconds off the pace.

Pietro Fittipaldi was the fastest driver for WRT in 11th, with Jake Dennis completing a solid session to finish as the fastest among the Aston Martin Vantage DTMs in 13th place, nine-tenths off the pace.

Wittmann: “I hope to be able to convert this into a victory. We made quite a few changes in the car and they worked quite well, the Team RMG guys did a great job, so I’m grateful to them. Overtaking is difficult in Zolder, so I hope to make a good start and see what we can do in the race.”

The start of Race 1 is scheduled for 13:30 CEST.