DTM Moscow: BMW driver Blomqvist takes last-gasp race two pole
Tom Blomqvist led a BMW 1-2 in the Sunday DTM qualifying session at Moscow Raceway, denying stablemate Bruno Spengler at the last second
Blomqvist has endured a nightmare campaign in the DTM so far this season, sitting 15th in the standings and is yet to finish higher than sixth, but Moscow marks his second pole of 2017.
Mercedes duo Robert Wickens and Gary Paffett set the initial pace, but it was an Audi 1-2-3 at halfway point.
Championship leader Rene Rast had set a 1m27.153s lap, 0.002s quicker than the effort that took him to pole position on Saturday, but he was then demoted to second by Mattias Ekstrom - the Swede posting the first sub-1m27s lap of the weekend.
However, unlike on Saturday, laptime improvements were significant in the second half of the session, with Mercedes driver Paul di Resta soon briefly going first before being pipped by Rast.
Bruno Spengler then looked set for provisional pole as he produced a 1m26.579s effort seconds before the chequered flag, with Ekstrom coming up 0.003s short.
But as the flag waved, Blomqvist - who had been sitting 12th at halfway point - went top with a 1m26.518s.
Ekstrom and Rast will therefore make up an all-Audi second row, with di Resta the lead Mercedes in fifth place.
Timo Glock was sixth, leading fellow BMW drivers Marco Wittmann and Maxime Martin.
Loic Duval placed ninth for Audi, with Gary Paffett joining di Resta as the only other Mercedes representative in the top 10.
Jamie Green, who had topped FP3, was third after the opening runs, but could only finish 11th, despite producing a session-best final sector.
He is also to take a five-place grid penalty in the race, having incurred a third warning of the season for crossing the pit exit line in FP3.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
| Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruno Spengler | RBM | BMW | 1m26.579s |
| 2 | Mattias Ekstrom | Abt | Audi | 0.003s |
| 3 | Rene Rast | Rosberg | Audi | 0.156s |
| 4 | Paul Di Resta | HWA | Mercedes | 0.308s |
| 5 | Timo Glock | RMR | BMW | 0.323s |
| 6 | Marco Wittmann | RMG | BMW | 0.331s |
| 7 | Maxime Martin | RBM | BMW | 0.358s |
| 8 | Loic Duval | Phoenix | Audi | 0.367s |
| 9 | Gary Paffett | HWA | Mercedes | 0.534s |
| 10 | Jamie Green | Rosberg | Audi | 0.589s |
| 11 | Robert Wickens | HWA | Mercedes | 0.651s |
| 12 | Augusto Farfus | RMG | BMW | 0.651s |
| 13 | Lucas Auer | HWA | Mercedes | 0.651s |
| 14 | Nico Muller | Abt | Audi | 0.679s |
| 15 | Mike Rockenfeller | Phoenix | Audi | 0.724s |
| 16 | Edoardo Mortara | HWA | Mercedes | 0.753s |
| 17 | Maro Engel | HWA | Mercedes | 0.898s |
| - | Tom Blomqvist | RMR | BMW | - |
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