Mike Rockenfeller sets DTM practice pace in first Nurburgring session
Mike Rockenfeller set the pace in the opening free practice session for this weekend's DTM race at the Nurburgring
The Abt Audi driver completed 30 laps during the dry session on the short version of the Nurburgring circuit, posting a time of 1m25.372s that would not be beaten.
Championship leader Bruno Spengler was the best of the Mercedes drivers, the HWA man lapping 0.292s slower than Rockenfeller, while David Coulthard was the best of the drivers in old-spec machinery as he set the third fastest time in his Mucke Mercedes.
Renger van der Zande put his Persson-run 2008-spec C-class fourth, ahead of Mattias Ekstrom's Abt Audi and Maro Engel in the second Mucke car.
Miguel Molina, in an old Audi, was ahead of his Abt team-mate Timo Scheider while Jamie Green (HWA) and Martin Tomczyk (Phoenix Audi) completed the top 10.
In a session that featured a second between the top 17 drivers, HWA men Gary Paffett and Ralf Schumacher were 13th and 17th while Oliver Jarvis was 15th in his Abt car.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. M.Rockenfeller Audi 1m25.372s 30 2. Bruno Spengler Mercedes 1m25.664s + 0.292 31 3. David Coulthard Mercedes 1m25.681s + 0.309 36 4. R.van der Zande Mercedes 1m25.736s + 0.364 31 5. Mattias Ekström Audi 1m25.836s + 0.464 34 6. Maro Engel Mercedes 1m25.854s + 0.482 35 7. Miguel Molina Audi 1m25.888s + 0.516 38 8. Timo Scheider Audi 1m25.930s + 0.558 35 9. Jamie Green Mercedes 1m26.023s + 0.651 41 10. Martin Tomczyk Audi 1m26.024s + 0.652 38 11. C.Vietoris Mercedes 1m26.027s + 0.655 35 12. F.Albuquerque Audi 1m26.073s + 0.701 36 13. Gary Paffett Mercedes 1m26.145s + 0.773 33 14. Susie Stoddart Mercedes 1m26.299s + 0.927 33 15. Oliver Jarvis Audi 1m26.380s + 1.008 28 16. Edoardo Mortara Audi 1m26.409s + 1.037 40 17. Ralf Schumacher Mercedes 1m26.423s + 1.051 32 18. Rahel Frey Audi 1m26.808s + 1.436 34
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