New DTM champion Martin Tomczyk fastest in Hockenheim first practice
New DTM champion Martin Tomczyk set the pace in the first free practice session for this weekend's season finale at Hockenheim
The Phoenix Audi driver, who wrapped up the title last time out at Valencia, only hit the front in the final minute, his 1m33.621s lap in his old-spec A4 knocking Christian Vietoris' Persson Mercedes off the top spot by 0.263s.
Vietoris was knocked back to third before the session's end by Mucke Mercedes driver Maro Engel, who lapped 0.168s off Tomczyk's pace.
Mike Rockenfeller was the best of the drivers in current-spec machinery, the German and his Abt Audi team-mates Mattias Ekstrom and Timo Scheider taking three of the next four spots with only Renger van der Zande getting in among them; the Dutchman fifth in his Persson Mercedes.
Filipe Albuquerque, fresh from his maiden DTM podium finish at Valencia, put his Rosberg Audi eighth, ahead of Susie Stoddart - who is now competing as Susie Wolff following her marriage to Williams Formula 1 team stakeholder Toto Wolff since Valencia.
David Coulthard completed the top 10 in his Mucke Mercedes while Bruno Spengler was the best of the HWA Mercedes contingent in 12th.
Practice got underway an hour behind schedule due to thick fog at Hockenheim earlier in the day that would have prevented the medical helicopter from taking off, had the need arisen.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Martin Tomczyk Phoenix Audi 1m33.621s 2. Maro Engel Mucke Mercedes 1m33.289s + 0.168s 3. Christian Vietoris Persson Mercedes 1m33.884s + 0.263s 4. Mike Rockenfeller Abt Audi 1m33.983s + 0.362s 5. Renger van der Zande Persson Mercedes 1m34.039s + 0.418s 6. Mattias Ekstrom Abt Audi 1m34.089s + 0.468s 7. Timo Scheider Abt Audi 1m34.259s + 0.638s 8. Filipe Albuquerque Rosberg Audi 1m34.337s + 0.716s 9. Susie Wolff Persson Mercedes 1m34.485s + 0.864s 10. David Coulthard Mucke Mercedes 1m34.504s + 0.883s 11. Edoardo Mortara Rosberg Audi 1m34.511s + 0.890s 12. Bruno Spengler HWA Mercedes 1m34.553s + 0.932s 13. Miguel Molina Abt Audi 1m34.602s + 0.981s 14. Oliver Jarvis Abt Audi 1m34.632s + 1.011s 15. Gary Paffett HWA Mercedes 1m34.747s + 1.126s 16. Jamie Green HWA Mercedes 1m34.819s + 1.198s 17. Rahel Frey Phoenix Audi 1m34.930s + 1.309s 18. Ralf Schumacher HWA Mercedes 1m34.986s + 2.365s
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