Mercedes unhappy with qualifying call

The session was stopped during the second segment of qualifying due to heavy rain and when the conditions didn't improve, the decision was taken to abort the session completely.

DTM rules state that the results of the last complete segment must set the grid, but Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug disagreed with the decision, believing that the red flag meant Q2 had been completed.

The second segment had effectively ended, as the initial message from the stewards was that all 14 drivers would advance to Q3 when conditions improved. When they didn't improve, Q1 was considered to be the last completed session.

"It's a shame for the sport that the outcome of races, and maybe championships, is influenced like this," said Haug.

"The rules are not clear and for races to be judged like that, it is not the way we think it should happen. We are just thinking of fair play."

Audi's head of motorsport Wolfgang Ullrich added that while he agreed the circumstances were unfortunate, there was no other alternative.

"Of course we didn't want it to be like this, but in the end we couldn't handle it differently. According to the rules they went back to the previous session, so we have this result."