DTM Nurburgring: Rene Rast edges Gary Paffett for pole position

Defending DTM champion Rene Rast stole a last-gasp pole position from title contender Gary Paffett for the opening race at the Nurburgring

Rast's first pole in 2018 - only Audi's second during a difficult campaign - came after the chequered flag had flown, quickly setting the fastest first sector of anyone before losing minimal time to beat Paffett by 0.028s with his lap of 1m22.203s.

Paffett had initially set the quickest lap in the final minute with a lap completed in 1m22.231s.

While Mercedes has dominated most of the DTM season and has usually had the edge at the Nurburgring, it filled just two of top five positions.

BMW's Bruno Spengler qualified in third ahead of Lucas Auer's Mercedes, with two-time champion Marco Wittmann fifth in his BMW.

Phillip Eng qualified sixth, having held provisional pole earlier in the session, ahead of Dani Juncadella.

Points leader Paul di Resta could only qualify eighth after progressively sliding down the times.

Pascal Wehrlein was ninth as BMW's Augusto Farfus completed the top 10.

BMW's Timo Glock has largely fallen out of the title race and qualified 12th behind the Audi of Mike Rockenfeller.

Rast continued to be the leading Audi driver as several others floundered, as Jamie Green ended up 14th ahead of Mercedes's Edoardo Mortara.

Loic Duval ran wide and spat gravel onto the track early in the session and qualified 18th and last, with team-mates Robin Frijns and Nico Muller ending up 16th and 17th ahead of him.

Qualifying result

Pos Driver Team Car Time Gap Laps
1 Rene Rast Rosberg Audi 1m22.203s - 13
2 Gary Paffett HWA Mercedes 1m22.231s 0.028s 12
3 Bruno Spengler RBM BMW 1m22.281s 0.078s 11
4 Lucas Auer HWA Mercedes 1m22.337s 0.134s 12
5 Marco Wittmann RMG BMW 1m22.350s 0.147s 12
6 Philipp Eng RMR BMW 1m22.390s 0.187s 12
7 Daniel Juncadella HWA Mercedes 1m22.448s 0.245s 12
8 Paul Di Resta HWA Mercedes 1m22.530s 0.327s 12
9 Pascal Wehrlein HWA Mercedes 1m22.557s 0.354s 12
10 Augusto Farfus RMG BMW 1m22.570s 0.367s 13
11 Mike Rockenfeller Phoenix Audi 1m22.585s 0.382s 12
12 Timo Glock RMR BMW 1m22.604s 0.401s 12
13 Joel Eriksson RBM BMW 1m22.639s 0.436s 12
14 Jamie Green Rosberg Audi 1m22.677s 0.474s 12
15 Edoardo Mortara HWA Mercedes 1m22.913s 0.710s 12
16 Nico Muller Abt Audi 1m22.918s 0.715s 13
17 Robin Frijns Abt Audi 1m23.025s 0.822s 12
18 Loic Duval Phoenix Audi 1m23.180s 0.977s 12

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