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Moscow DTM: Audi's Mike Rockenfeller scores first win for two years

Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller claimed his first DTM victory in more than two years, with a commanding Sunday performance at Moscow Raceway

The 2013 champion had endured a tough start to the season and began the day 12th in the standings, yet to stand on the podium in 2015.

However, he converted his second pole position of the year into his first win since the DTM's first visit to Russia in August 2013.

Rockenfeller took the lead off the line and broke free of the DRS window, as Bruno Spengler, Jamie Green, Maxime Martin and Mattias Ekstrom fought behind him.

Rockenfeller pitted last out of the group, and while Spengler was able to close the gap marginally during the pitstops, Mercedes rookie Lucas Auer - yet to stop - was between the pair on the road when Rockenfeller rejoined.

By the time Spengler found his way past Auer, Rockenfeller was 4.3 seconds clear, and he managed that margin over the remaining 20 minutes.

After snatching third from Green at the final corner on Saturday, Spengler made it a podium double for the weekend.

Behind him, Martin fought to hold onto third place, but his resistance ended when Ekstrom found a way past at Turn 13 with eight minutes remaining to take the final podium position.

A day after Ekstrom had his first DNF of the season following a clash with Timo Glock, which earned the Swede a three-place grid penalty on Sunday, he reclaimed the championship lead.

Martin took fourth, ahead of Green, who was delayed by problems with his front-left wheel during his pitstop.

He was then released into the lane by Audi as Augusto Farfus and Pascal Wehrlein approached, costing the pair time.

It proved crucial in Wehrlein's case.

Having reclaimed the championship lead with a Saturday victory, Wehrlein could only qualify 11th, and after getting past Edoardo Mortara, surrendered the place in pitlane.

He then spent time behind Tom Blomqvist, before moving back up to 10th, and while he latched onto the tail of Mortara and Nico Muller late in the race, couldn't advance any higher up the order.

It means he scores a solitary point and finishes the weekend six points behind Ekstrom in the standings.

Gary Paffett and Marco Wittmann finished sixth and seventh, while rookie Antonio Giovinazzi was 21st, following a wild ride across the grass on the exit of Turn 6 on the opening lap.

RESULT - 41 LAPS:

Pos Driver Team Car Gap
1 Mike Rockenfeller Phoenix Audi 1h02m14.818s
2 Bruno Spengler MTEK BMW 4.132s
3 Mattias Ekstrom Abt Audi 9.204s
4 Maxime Martin RMG BMW 11.789s
5 Jamie Green Rosberg Audi 12.585s
6 Gary Paffett ART Mercedes 14.393s
7 Marco Wittmann RMG BMW 16.593s
8 Edoardo Mortara Abt Audi 18.050s
9 Nico Muller Rosberg Audi 18.548s
10 Pascal Wehrlein HWA Mercedes 18.810s
11 Augusto Farfus RBM BMW 24.207s
12 Tom Blomqvist RBM BMW 24.939s
13 Daniel Juncadella Mucke Mercedes 25.237s
14 Miguel Molina Abt Audi 25.686s
15 Paul Di Resta HWA Mercedes 27.253s
16 Adrien Tambay Abt Audi 32.423s
17 Timo Glock MTEK BMW 33.412s
18 Maximilian Gotz Mucke Mercedes 36.718s
19 Lucas Auer ART Mercedes 36.947s
20 Christian Vietoris HWA Mercedes 43.030s
21 Antonio Giovinazzi Phoenix Audi 53.048s
22 Antonio Felix da Costa Schnitzer BMW 1m15.152s
23 Robert Wickens HWA Mercedes 1m25.033s
- Martin Tomczyk Schnitzer BMW Retirement

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

Pos Driver Points
1 Mattias Ekstrom 126
2 Pascal Wehrlein 120
3 Edoardo Mortara 110
4 Jamie Green 103
5 Bruno Spengler 85
6 Marco Wittmann 75
7 Gary Paffett 75
8 Mike Rockenfeller 67
9 Robert Wickens 57
10 Christian Vietoris 56
11 Antonio Felix da Costa 44
12 Maxime Martin 44
13 Augusto Farfus 43
14 Paul Di Resta 40
15 Miguel Molina 27
16 Nico Muller 26
17 Timo Glock 25
18 Daniel Juncadella 24
19 Martin Tomczyk 20
20 Timo Scheider 16
21 Lucas Auer 10
22 Tom Blomqvist 10
23 Maximilian Gotz 6
24 Adrien Tambay 3
25 Antonio Giovinazzi 0

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