Brands Hatch DTM: Rast 'upset' by Wehrlein's behaviour in race two
Reigning DTM champion Rene Rast says he was "upset" by Pascal Wehrlein's driving while they battled for third early in Sunday's second Brands Hatch race
Audi driver Rast took his second podium finish in three races at Brands Hatch, following his first win of 2018 at Zandvoort, finishing third behind Mercedes pair Paul di Resta and Gary Paffett.
Rast had earlier been forced off the road twice by Wehrlein at Druids - once on the first lap and again after a safety car restart on lap four.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Wehrlein escaped a penalty and finished fourth behind Rast, who jumped the Mercedes driver by stopping later.
"It happened twice actually," Rast told Autosport. "We have the rule in DTM that whenever there is a car next to you on-track you have to leave them room to survive on-track.
"After the start on the first lap he pushed me off exiting Turn 2 [Druids], I hoped he would recognise it and learn from it.
"[But] then after the safety car restart there was the same situation again.
"I was again on his outside and he didn't leave me any room - he just ran me off the track, which is obviously not what we discussed and agreed to in the drivers' briefing.
"I'm a bit upset with that behaviour, I think I'll have to talk to him in the future. This kind of behaviour we should avoid."
Rast reeled in the leaders in the final laps and was only 1.376 seconds shy of winner di Resta at the finish, but said the Wehrlein incident "didn't really change the race result".
Wehrlein said he was simply trying to "defend my position with everything I had" from Rast, revealing he picked up damage in the fight.
"I damaged my car a bit as we had contact twice," said Wehrlein.
"I paid the price for it because my car was damaged and then we decided to pit very early [on lap five of 40].
"We lost a lot of time with cold tyres and Rast stopped one or two laps later so we lost that position.
"When Rast came out in front of me, it's so hard to overtake here but I tried for three laps to push really hard to overtake.
"But when I saw that this doesn't work, I just drove it home because I saw [Loic] Duval had a tyre failure, so [if] you stopped so early then you're not far off it."
DTM Brands Hatch: Green calls decision that led to penalty a 'joke'
Ex-F1 driver Timo Glock has 'not much hope left' in DTM title fight
How Japan’s underdog LMP1 helped start Toyota WEC juggernaut
How Japan’s underdog LMP1 helped start Toyota WEC juggernaut How Japan’s underdog LMP1 helped start Toyota WEC juggernaut
Hirakawa could quit Super Formula to focus on McLaren F1 duties
Hirakawa could quit Super Formula to focus on McLaren F1 duties Hirakawa could quit Super Formula to focus on McLaren F1 duties
How Cassidy emerged triumphant from "mayhem" in Portland FE slow-burner
How Cassidy emerged triumphant from "mayhem" in Portland FE slow-burner How Cassidy emerged triumphant from "mayhem" in Portland FE slow-burner
DTM Red Bull Ring: Rast leads Schubert 1-2 as Preining snatches points lead
DTM Red Bull Ring: Rast leads Schubert 1-2 as Preining snatches points lead DTM Red Bull Ring: Rast leads Schubert 1-2 as Preining snatches points lead
Rast targets Schneider's DTM title record
Rast targets Schneider's DTM title record Rast targets Schneider's DTM title record
Why Rast is the best driver outside F1
Why Rast is the best driver outside F1 Why Rast is the best driver outside F1
Argentina race could still be added to 2024 IndyCar schedule
Argentina race could still be added to 2024 IndyCar schedule Argentina race could still be added to 2024 IndyCar schedule
Aston Martin: Alonso’s F1 radio comments not a sign he’s losing faith in team
Aston Martin: Alonso’s F1 radio comments not a sign he’s losing faith in team Aston Martin: Alonso’s F1 radio comments not a sign he’s losing faith in team
Evans: Catching WRC title favourite Rovanpera is “not impossible”
Evans: Catching WRC title favourite Rovanpera is “not impossible” Evans: Catching WRC title favourite Rovanpera is “not impossible”
Why de Vries has bought into Mahindra’s Formula E vision
Why de Vries has bought into Mahindra’s Formula E vision Why de Vries has bought into Mahindra’s Formula E vision
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022 Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The plug in and play stand-ins who got their timing just right
The plug in and play stand-ins who got their timing just right The plug in and play stand-ins who got their timing just right
The longest-serving Red Bull driver revealing F1’s true brutality
The longest-serving Red Bull driver revealing F1’s true brutality The longest-serving Red Bull driver revealing F1’s true brutality
How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir
How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir How the DTM has come back stronger from its Norisring nadir
The remarkable career of a 'classy' champion who rejected politics
The remarkable career of a 'classy' champion who rejected politics The remarkable career of a 'classy' champion who rejected politics
The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival
The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival
How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions
How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions How the DTM's shambolic finale poses awkward future questions
How Audi's new DTM star is channeling Rast to achieve his "childhood dream"
How Audi's new DTM star is channeling Rast to achieve his "childhood dream" How Audi's new DTM star is channeling Rast to achieve his "childhood dream"
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.