Moscow DTM: Audi's Mike Rockenfeller scores first win for two years
Audi driver Mike Rockenfeller claimed his first DTM victory in more than two years, with a commanding Sunday performance at Moscow Raceway

The 2013 champion had endured a tough start to the season and began the day 12th in the standings, yet to stand on the podium in 2015.
However, he converted his second pole position of the year into his first win since the DTM's first visit to Russia in August 2013.
Rockenfeller took the lead off the line and broke free of the DRS window, as Bruno Spengler, Jamie Green, Maxime Martin and Mattias Ekstrom fought behind him.
Rockenfeller pitted last out of the group, and while Spengler was able to close the gap marginally during the pitstops, Mercedes rookie Lucas Auer - yet to stop - was between the pair on the road when Rockenfeller rejoined.
By the time Spengler found his way past Auer, Rockenfeller was 4.3 seconds clear, and he managed that margin over the remaining 20 minutes.
After snatching third from Green at the final corner on Saturday, Spengler made it a podium double for the weekend.
Behind him, Martin fought to hold onto third place, but his resistance ended when Ekstrom found a way past at Turn 13 with eight minutes remaining to take the final podium position.
A day after Ekstrom had his first DNF of the season following a clash with Timo Glock, which earned the Swede a three-place grid penalty on Sunday, he reclaimed the championship lead.
Martin took fourth, ahead of Green, who was delayed by problems with his front-left wheel during his pitstop.
He was then released into the lane by Audi as Augusto Farfus and Pascal Wehrlein approached, costing the pair time.
It proved crucial in Wehrlein's case.
Having reclaimed the championship lead with a Saturday victory, Wehrlein could only qualify 11th, and after getting past Edoardo Mortara, surrendered the place in pitlane.
He then spent time behind Tom Blomqvist, before moving back up to 10th, and while he latched onto the tail of Mortara and Nico Muller late in the race, couldn't advance any higher up the order.
It means he scores a solitary point and finishes the weekend six points behind Ekstrom in the standings.
Gary Paffett and Marco Wittmann finished sixth and seventh, while rookie Antonio Giovinazzi was 21st, following a wild ride across the grass on the exit of Turn 6 on the opening lap.
RESULT - 41 LAPS:
Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mike Rockenfeller | Phoenix | Audi | 1h02m14.818s |
2 | Bruno Spengler | MTEK | BMW | 4.132s |
3 | Mattias Ekstrom | Abt | Audi | 9.204s |
4 | Maxime Martin | RMG | BMW | 11.789s |
5 | Jamie Green | Rosberg | Audi | 12.585s |
6 | Gary Paffett | ART | Mercedes | 14.393s |
7 | Marco Wittmann | RMG | BMW | 16.593s |
8 | Edoardo Mortara | Abt | Audi | 18.050s |
9 | Nico Muller | Rosberg | Audi | 18.548s |
10 | Pascal Wehrlein | HWA | Mercedes | 18.810s |
11 | Augusto Farfus | RBM | BMW | 24.207s |
12 | Tom Blomqvist | RBM | BMW | 24.939s |
13 | Daniel Juncadella | Mucke | Mercedes | 25.237s |
14 | Miguel Molina | Abt | Audi | 25.686s |
15 | Paul Di Resta | HWA | Mercedes | 27.253s |
16 | Adrien Tambay | Abt | Audi | 32.423s |
17 | Timo Glock | MTEK | BMW | 33.412s |
18 | Maximilian Gotz | Mucke | Mercedes | 36.718s |
19 | Lucas Auer | ART | Mercedes | 36.947s |
20 | Christian Vietoris | HWA | Mercedes | 43.030s |
21 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Phoenix | Audi | 53.048s |
22 | Antonio Felix da Costa | Schnitzer | BMW | 1m15.152s |
23 | Robert Wickens | HWA | Mercedes | 1m25.033s |
- | Martin Tomczyk | Schnitzer | BMW | Retirement |
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
Pos | Driver | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Mattias Ekstrom | 126 |
2 | Pascal Wehrlein | 120 |
3 | Edoardo Mortara | 110 |
4 | Jamie Green | 103 |
5 | Bruno Spengler | 85 |
6 | Marco Wittmann | 75 |
7 | Gary Paffett | 75 |
8 | Mike Rockenfeller | 67 |
9 | Robert Wickens | 57 |
10 | Christian Vietoris | 56 |
11 | Antonio Felix da Costa | 44 |
12 | Maxime Martin | 44 |
13 | Augusto Farfus | 43 |
14 | Paul Di Resta | 40 |
15 | Miguel Molina | 27 |
16 | Nico Muller | 26 |
17 | Timo Glock | 25 |
18 | Daniel Juncadella | 24 |
19 | Martin Tomczyk | 20 |
20 | Timo Scheider | 16 |
21 | Lucas Auer | 10 |
22 | Tom Blomqvist | 10 |
23 | Maximilian Gotz | 6 |
24 | Adrien Tambay | 3 |
25 | Antonio Giovinazzi | 0 |
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