DTM Hockenheim: Nico Muller snatches pole for 2016 opener

The Swiss driver produced a 1m33.876s to beat his Audi team-mate Edoardo Mortara by 0.225s, while Mercedes' Robert Wickens starts third.

Wickens lead for the majority of the session before a late flurry of times shuffled the order.

Mortara, who was fastest in practice one, looked set to take pole as he went quickest with just two minutes left.

But Muller, who finished 21st in the championship last season, got the job done in the final minute with a time just short of his best from Saturday morning's second practice.

2015 championship runner-up Jamie Green qualified fourth for Audi, just 0.001s behind Wickens, while Mike Rockenfeller starts fifth in his 100th DTM race, meaning Audi has four of the top five drivers on the grid.

Marco Wittmann was the fastest BMW in 11th, although he was 0.390s off the pace.

All 23 drivers who competed - one less than usual as Lucas Auer remained in the garage after damaging his Mercedes in second practice - were within a second of Muller's time.

GP3 champion Esteban Ocon was the fourth fastest Mercedes in 12th, although he felt the wrath of Rockenfeller for getting in his way early in the session.

QUALIFYING RESULT